http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WOGf6Z-X8W..._EITHER_OR.jpg

easily my favorite elliott smith album...the only way i can describe this album is raw heartbreaking emotion. amazing songwriting distilled to mostly an acoustic guitar...it amazes me everytime i listen to it.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_uB-0D-gV8m...TR_dQ/s400/pilhttp://rjdent.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/metal-box.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FfoYP7Ss1f...320/folder.jpghttp://images.uulyrics.com/cover/p/p...mpact-disc.jpg
^ Four great little albums right there, and another bunch I'm coming back to this evening after a long time.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0014DCT38.jpg
Jason Anderson- The Hopeful and the Unafraid.
So much emotion, awesomely energetic at times, slow and heartfelt at others. Fantastic album

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6X7oQL840S.../magnified.jpg

Failure - Magnified

I grabbed this album last night after reading a new webcomic called Questionable Content in which the parallels between the protagonist Marten and my self are a little uncanny. I have to agree with him, this album rocks pretty fucking hard and cannot remember enjoying an alternative rock album to this degree in a very long time. It is like this perfect blend of the mainstream alternative rock/metal bands from the '90's (Bush in particular) yet blended with the heaviness of old Alice in Chains with a hint of Weezer's Blue Album mixed in for good measure. I highly recommend this album to anyone who doesn't have it and sidewinder can back up this claim.

Have you heard Sufjan Stevens' "Seven Swans"? It's a similar listening experience to Either/Or, but the subject matter is a lot less grim and sad :rolleyes:

Love them both.

Kelpe - Cambio Wechsel

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg

Mmm yeah one of my favorite 09 releases, and a favorite artist discovery of 09 as well. Warm electronic goodness.

And this is precisely why Sufjan's music will never even come close to as good as Elliott's - it's all about the feeling/motivation/psychology behind the music. Very few indie-poppers will ever be as good as ES, including SS until he suffers some kind of serious mental breakdown. Even then I have my doubts. Smith was one of a kind in my book - it's a shame that he ever succumbed to fame's call and became a sub par Beatles imitator. I may have stabbed him in the heart myself when he stopped making great music.

Anyhow..

I'm digging the new Four Tet ~ There Is Love In You
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/6017/fourtet1.jpg
I'm not blown away as I had hoped but it's good enough.

Holy shit I had no idea she put out an album. Gahhhh, you just made my day.

From a songwriting standpoint you may be right, but Sufjan's beautifully fragile voice and brilliant use of melody and instrumentation give him the edge for me. Could really do without all those "experimental" outreaches though... The BQE, Enjoy Your Rabbit, etc.

i haven't heard that...i'll have to check it out. thanks for the rec!

i wouldn't be able to compare since i've never heard sufjan stevens...but i do agree that it would be hard imagining anyone coming close to elliott smith. i'm not sure if i agree with your opinion on his studio days...figure 8 was weak, sure...but xo was amazing to me. i honestly can't count from a basement on a hill since it was finished up by other people...and according to many people close to elliott he would not have approved of the finished product. so...one weak album...i can deal with that.