Elliot Smith - From A Basement On The Hill

[robzy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl Smith double-tracks all his vocals, he said it was to make the singing sound "less like him".

So thats what ive been hearing! I havent actually had time to sit down and properly listen to Angeles or any other Elliott Smith song since ive got my proper audio gear together. Double-tracking the vocals gives it it an amazing effect, i have never actually been able to figure out what made some of his songs sound so special. (Never thought about it to be honest).

Rob.

 

[wrhawk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frndlefire true, understandable, but if I wrote them with the intention of them being put on the album I would expect just that. What exactly does this entail? Is it just duplicate tracks slightly offsinc or tonally different? It is just such an intereasting sound, but I don't quite understand it.

Same thing Jack Johnson does with his recordings. Sing it twice, record it twice, overlay (often with channel isolation). It's a beautiful effect, but really can be disheartening if you like covering those artists solo.

Haven't heard '...on a hill' but will certainly seek it out when some money comes my way. Currently i prefer his self titled, XO and Figure 8 albums, though haven't found one that i dislike. This is definately another artist that i will end up owning a complete studio discography of.

Cheers to a fabulous artist.

 

[dave-the-rave]

"From a Basement on the Hill" is a great album. It's my introduction to this artist, and from what I read, I was expecting kind of wimpy singer/songwriter stuff, but these songs rock, albeit in a very emotional and melancholy way. Very Beatles-y and a suggestion of what Syd Barrett might have sounded like at some point had he made it a little farther.

 

[elrod-tom]

Well, I just bought Figure-8, and I've got to say that I like it a whole lot. Another talent who left us too soon.

 

[philodox]

Tom... if you don't own XO and either/or you need to get them. Figure 8 is good, but those two are amazing.

 

[Scrith]

I have all his albums. Either/Or is my favorite.

 

[markl]

IMO, FWIW, Either/Or is over-rated. It's a typical indie-rock album, with typical indie-rock quality and production; certainly not awful, but still it is what it is. IMO, the obvious place to go from Figure 8 (his masterpiece) is to XO, a solid, though inconsistent album, Elliott putting his foot forward into pop music.

 

[philodox]

XO inconsistent!? and either/or a typical indie album!?

Sorry, I just don't see it. XO is incredible from start to finish and I much prefer it to Figure 8.

 

[brianknewbie]

One of my favorite artists. Simply incredible...I've listened to his work an incredible amount but still find myself amazed at new things I notice in the lyrics.

I have not listened to the new album very much but it has been getting consistent play on XM's station XMU and have really liked the songs I've heard so far.

I actually just ordered a iPod and used apple's offer to have free engraving to have 2 lines of his lyrics from his Either/Or album put on the back of it.

 

[blip]

Figure 8 and XO for me. Both are classics. Haven't picked up from a basement yet... everytime I plan on picking it up, the thought that this is the last Elliot Smith album I will ever buy bums me out too much.

As for the controversy around the album, I've heard that it is also mixed very differently from how he told friends that he wanted it. More polished. I guess he wanted a harder, grittier sound.

 

[saturnine]

Bump for the thread that helped me find my new favorite artist! I now own all of his albums, and love every single one.

 

[Yaboosh]

So you are saying I should try him out huh, well, ok then, I will trust you, heh.

 

[Megaptera]

If what you read about him sounds at all like something you'd listen to, don't think twice about checking him out. He is fairly incredible.

 

[bowlofjokes]

I was lucky to see this guy play live a few times. All times were intimate bar scenes. I was always hours early to make sure I was first in, first row elbows on stage. I have all his albums, but still in such awe of actually seeing him...so fragile....so smart..I also have like 20 bootlegs of live shows and some dvd's. This is one guy that needs to be checked out if you have been waiting for some great stuff. I always say start with album either /or and then move in either direction.
**** man. He was great. sad man very sad. Died the same day as Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon,,,not a great day of the year for me