Elliott Smith

[Tommy BOO]

Can't believe how difficult it is to find his records here in Finland...! I heard one of his songs on radio around the time he died and I liked that song. The strange thing is that I've now forgotten what the song was, it might have been 'Son of Sam', because it's absolutely marvellous. I installed WinMX once only to download something by Elliott Smith (I don't like WinMx or any of those, they're just full of shite, so I don't want to use it anymore) and I found 'Son of Sam' and 'Division Day' and some other songs. I liked them too, so I decided to buy one of his albums as soon as I find one. I'm a bit of a collector, I suppose.
However, my long search ended yesterday, when I bumped into some Elliott Smith stuff in a tiny record shop in Turku. I found not only one, but three of his albums. "XO", "Figure 8" and some older one, can't remember its name anymore. They were all quite expensive and I only had enough money to buy one of them. I decided to buy "Figure 8" because the album cover looks funnier.
Well, it might have been a little pricey, but damn was it worth the money! (yes it was) I could quote Kinkster and Ronald McDonald here by saying that I'm lovin' it. I think I'm going back to the same record shop next week and buy another album my Elliott Smith.
Oh, and if someone here has his albums, where can I find the song 'Division Day'? It wasn't on any of those.


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"Tommy Boo has played a pivotal role in my life. I've looked up to him since I was a kid and he has inspired every note of music I have ever written. The man is a fucking genius" -BC

[joeloke22]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004NRXP/qid=1096051889/sr=1-7/ref=sr_1_7/002-7247969-6300844?v=glance&s=music

[Tommy BOO]

So, I bought the album "XO" on Monday.
It's not bad but in my opinion not as good "Figure 8", the songs aren't as exciting as they could/should be.
Still one more Elliott Smith album left in that record shop... One of the early ones I believe. Maybe I'll buy it next Monday.
When's the new album coming out, does anyone know?
_________________
"Tommy Boo has played a pivotal role in my life. I've looked up to him since I was a kid and he has inspired every note of music I have ever written. The man is a fucking genius" -BC

[180 Rain]

From a basement on a hill (or whatever the exact title is) is out in the UK on the 25th October I think. I'm looking forward to that, the new Interpol one and (maybe) the REM one - I'm a huge REM fan but for me they're close to jumping the shark (http://www.jumpingtheshark.com/about.htm).

[Back to lurking]

[I love a good lurk in the morning]

[John M]

I prefered XO to Figure 8, although 'Junk Bond Trader' is a brilliant song.

Is the new album stuff which was actually ready to be released or have they cobbled things together since his death?

[180 Rain]

I don't think I can choose between the two, and then there's Either/Or - nope, still can't choose, but XO is great.

It looks like 'from a basement on the hill' will be a bit of a mixed bag. It's a was a work in progress that associates (didn't Rob Schnapf produce Figure 8?) have finished off:

"15 of elliott's final songs will be released on october 19th by the indie label, anti- records, who have also released music by tom waits and nick cave.

the album brings together songs that elliott worked on while on tour for the figure 8 tour in 2000 to the work he did in his own studio, new monkey, in 2003. with the help of rob schnapf and joanna bolme, who mixed the album, elliott's family, loved ones and friends over the years were able to finalize the album recently and here is the final tracklisting for the record:

coast to coast
let's get lost
pretty (ugly before)
don't go down
strung out again
fond farewell
king's crossing
ostriches & chirping
twilight
a passing feeling
last hour
shooting star
memory lane
little one
a distorted reality is now a necessity to be free

elliott did play most of these songs live at one point of his career and pretty (ugly before) will be the same version as the 7" single that was released in 2003 by suicide squeeze. last hour though might be the fan named, make it over while the music/lyrics for ostriches & chirping and twilight might have never been heard in any form until now. the album also includes guest appearance by elliott's friends and loved ones. steven drodz and aaron sperske played drums and two unknown poetic men spoke on "coast to coast." elliott's tour mates on the figure 8 tour: sam coomes played bass and sang backup, scott mcpherson played drums, and aaron embry played keyboards on "pretty (ugly before)." finally, fritz michaud, whom elliott recorded with in 2003 at new monkey, played a drum track on king's crossing."

From: http://www.sweetadeline.net/july04.html

[Tommy BOO]

[John M]

There's a reivew of the single and link to download it here:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/wearetheworld/04-10-04.shtml

[Hew]

new album is great. sad and lovely.
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Martin O'Neill's Claret And Blue Army

[billycasperx]

Hey there,

Have people caught up with that from a basement on the hill 2 yet?

truly terrific, much more upbeat than much of the officially released album. I can't help thinking people's (last) impressions of the guy, his life and his music would be so much more positive if they'd have put a large part of this material on the officially released record.

available as free download at http://www.elliottsmithbsides.com/index2.html

Cheers ears,
billy
x

[Tommy BOO]

great find mate, you're a star! i was just listening to "either/or" when i saw this thread...!
i'm currently downloading these songs, thanks a lot for letting us know billy. i've already downloaded all the other stuff from elliottsmithbsides.com (i've probably got all the b-sides already!), got lots and lots of unofficial bootlegs, and bought all the albums except for the last one. i really don't know why i haven't bought it yet, i guess i'm just too scared that i might be disappointed and i know that there won't any more new music by elliott smith.


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"Tommy Boo has played a pivotal role in my life. I've looked up to him since I was a kid and he has inspired every note of music I have ever written. The man is a fucking genius" -BC

[AdamW]

Hi Tommy.

I got to interview Elliott twice.

He was a lovely, quiet, unassuming man.

I was backing up bits and pieces of old CD-R's the other day, and I found a transcript of one of the interviews I typed out for a very old website of mine.

Here you go:

http://adamwalton.co.uk/mmt_arc/int-elliott.htm

It *might* be of some interest!
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The Musical Mystery Tour,
every Sunday night 10pm - 1am, BBC Radio Wales
http://adamwalton.co.uk

http://myspace.com/adamthomaswalton

[Tommy BOO]

Lucky you! Great interview Adam, thanks for that.

[joeloke22]

Elliot Smith - Memory Lane (live)