Elliott Smith "Either/Or"
Label: Kill Rock Stars
Release Date: February 25th, 1997
Genre: Singer-Songwriter/Indie-Folk
Tracklist:
1. Speed Trials
2. Alameda
3. Ballad of Big Nothing
4. Between the Bars
5. Pictures of Me
6. No Name # 5
7. Rose Parade
8. Punch and Judy
9. Angeles
10. Cupid's Trick
11. 2:45 AM
12. Say Yes
An album thats often championed as his best, and in some cases only good album and while Either/Or doesn't come near the latter title it still holds a good chance at the former. Holding Smith classics such as Angeles, Say Yes, Between the Bars and Alameda and being a solid release all the way through.
This album marks a key transition for his sound, branching out on styles that were only slighted hinted at with 95 release Elliott Smith you see a wider array of instruments (all played by Elliott) and more polished sound as well as better quality and better production. This album shows Elliotts talent as an arranger better than most I think, he shows he has an ear for melody and knows how to construct a song better than most singer/songwriters of recent times.
While this album is one of my favorites the main weak point is in a few of the songs, the lyrics. The words do flow with music perfectly making it much more about the delivery then the words themselves. Though sometimes some of the lines are hard to ignore. But this album still holds some of his finest lyrical pieces, most particularly Between the Bars which is a completely lyrically driven song and with verses like "Drink up baby, look at the stars / I'll kiss you again between the bars / Where I'm seeing you there with your hands in the air / Waiting to be finally caught" its hard not to be captivated. The majority of the songs sit in the right place though, with great lyrics and music such as No Name #5, Angeles, Rose Parade and Say Yes.
Either/Or is a very important album being the bridge between his early lo-fi folk sound to his later baroque pop and more layered sound and without a doubt the best album of his to start with as its the easiest to get into and one of his best, if not his best.
Rating: 8/10
Recommended Songs: Between the Bars, Say Yes, Angeles, No Name #5