Elliott Smith Albums Ranked From Worst to Best
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- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
- The Summer of Joe continues with an artist that all three of us are quite fond of: Elliott Smith. During our Albums of the Year series, his six studio albums racked up an impressive ten nominations, including a first place finish for Joe in 2000 and a first place finish for Jason in 2004. But how do these records stack up in comparison to one another? Time to find out.
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Steven Paul Smith (August 6, 1969 - October 21, 2003), known professionally as Elliott Smith, was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and lived much of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity. Smith's primary instrument was the guitar, though he also played piano, clarinet, bass guitar, drums, and harmonica. Smith had a distinctive vocal style, characterized by his "whispery, spiderweb-thin delivery", and often used multi-tracking to create vocal layers, textures, and harmonies.
After playing in the rock band Heatmiser for several years, Smith began his solo career in 1994, with releases on the independent record labels Cavity Search and Kill Rock Stars (KRS). In 1997, he signed a contract with DreamWorks Records, for which he recorded two albums. Smith rose to mainstream prominence when his song "Miss Misery"-included in the soundtrack for the film Good Will Hunting (1997)-was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Original Song category in 1998.
Smith was a heavy drinker and drug user at times throughout his life, and was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression. His struggles with drugs and mental illness affected his life and work, and often appeared in his lyrics. In 2003, aged 34, he died in Los Angeles, California, from two stab wounds to the chest. The autopsy evidence was inconclusive as to whether the wounds were self-inflicted or the result of homicide. At the time of his death, Smith was working on his sixth studio album, From a Basement on the Hill, which was posthumously completed and released in 2004.
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Let us know what you think of Elliott Smith, how you rank his album, and what you think of our lists, by leaving a comment below. Thanks for watching!
Next week: Alice in Chains
#ElliottSmith #AlbumsRanked #WorsttoBest
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Elliott's death was such a huge loss, he was one of the most genuinely gifted musicians and songwriters of his generation and his records have meant alot to me and my friends.
Here's what i love about this channel. You can literally hear the admiration and respect for the artist oozing through the speakers. This is certainly one of the most memorable episodes so far, at least for me. The evaluation and discussion grows as you guys move through the discography here. TOTALLY reignited my interest in Smith's albums, i was into them a while back but kind of moved on so to speak, but i never really thought of him in the terms you all are using to describe him. Thanks to this episode i have been introduced to From a Basement on a Hill, a album i was aware of but never listened to, now i have immersed myself in it and its musical nuances - and geez its fantastic!
Elliott Smith is without a question one of my top artists ever. I love all of these albums and it was so difficult for me to rank them. His music got me through some tough times especially in my early 20s where I would just listen to him on repeat in my headphones on my ipod everywhere I went since I didn't have a car then. I definitely got so much comfort from his music and still do. I love both the lo-fi indie stuff and the later stuff, although I would say I appreciated the later stuff more now than I did when I was younger. Back in those days I was all about lo-fi music in general and loved how raw and intimate those earlier albums sounded. I still love them now but I think I appreciate the bigger picture of his catalogue that much more. It was a joy to really dig and revisit these albums for this ranking even if it was so difficult and I don't know if I will ever have a perfect order.
6. Roman Candle - 4
5. XO - 4.5
4. Elliott Smith - 4.5
3. From A Basement On The Hill - 4.5
2. Figure 8 - 5
1. Either/Or - 5
Really close to my list with XO and Elliott Smith flipped.
From a Basement on the hill is straight up fantastic and putting it into context with him dying before finishing it just gives the album so much more emotional value. Many of the lyrics just get a bitter sweet note through that espicially in tracks like pretty(ugly before) where smith seemed to enjoy life a Bit or the Last words on the ending track which is just a straight up cry for help. I absolutely love this album as well
Could not agree more. I’ve been listening to the album on repeat for the past few days. I also love Little One.
Love these reviews guys…love the classic bands lists but definitely appreciate more of the indie lists…
Some other indie recommendations for the future would be: The National, Sufjan Stevens, Modest Mouse, Mountain Goats, Of Montreal, Flaming Lips, Belle and Sebastian, The Decemberists
Elliott is probably a top 5 artist of all time for me. I’m so happy to see love for From a Basement on a Hill from you guys as well as in the comments. Seriously mind blowing stuff. I have NEVER heard rock music anything like Coast to Coast or Don’t Go Down for instance. It only barely misses the mark for me in a couple of tracks, but it’s easy to overlooked, as the better tracks are some of his best. The Last Hour is one of the most haunting songs ever. Anyways here’s my ranking as a diehard ES fan:
1. Either/Or (10)
2. Elliott Smith (10)
3. From a Basement On a Hill (9-9.5)
4. XO (8-9)
5. Figure 8 (8)
6. Roman Candle (8)
Unbelievably great discography, he never really missed. Even on the albums I have ranked lower there aren’t any real weak spots or flaws, and are great albums in their own right.
This was such a blessing to see on my feed. Huge fan of Elliott.
Elliott is a rare case of an artist not having an album less than great
They’re all mediocre, not special at all.
@@curly_wyn you listen to garbage i suppose
@@curly_wynthen why are you here
@@karstenpuder3605to troll
Kramzer is submitting his list for approval of the Midnight Society.
Grew up listening to Elliot. Thanks guys!
1. Either/Or - 5 stars
2. Figure 8 - 5 stars
3. From a Basement - 4.5 stars
4. XO - 4.5 stars
5. Elliot Smith - 4 stars
6. Roman Candle - 3.5 stars
6. From a Basement on the Hill
5. XO
4. Figure 8
3. Roman Candle
2. S/t
1. Either/Or
I definitely think the simpler arrangements fit his voice bette and writing better. I just don’t feel as much with the later stuff because of the lack of intimacy. I don’t know, might need to listen to it more. Also: coming up roses has to be one of my favorite songs.
I was going to skip this one as Smith wasn’t someone who’d been on my listening radar, but what’s the point of subscribing to channels such as this if you just tune in for the stuff you know? Had a few listens so far and whilst nothing has hit hard just yet, there’s definitely something that intrigues and definitely something that tells me to play, listen, repeat.
Jason and Kram's passion when describing their #1 album (From A Basement) is so good. 🔥 Really you guys, a banger of a video.
THANK YOU for talking in such high regards of 'From a Basement on the Hill'. Its definitely in my top 3 by him ( if its even possible to rank his music since his whole discography as close to perfect as you can get ) and its incredibly good at capturing the old sound of Elliott's albums while also being Experimental. He was just about to enter new area's of Creativity with this last one. We miss you allot Elliott.
One of my favourite artists. Remember seeing him live in London in 2000, just him and his guitar. I had no idea one person could make that kind of sound on an acoustic guitar. Amazing.
I LOVE ELLIOTT SMITH! One of my all-time favorites.
I am including the final HEATMISER album (MIC CITY SONS) in my list, because it plays more like an Elliott album than a Heatmiser album. It is much different from any other Heatmiser recording, and the change is due to Elliott's advancing solo career, so I'm counting it. I was introduced to Elliott, like many, through the GOOD WILL HUNTING movie and soundtrack. I remember walking out of the movie and running to the record store and grabbing everything Elliott I could find.
I am also including NEW MOON because, although it is a compilation, it is mostly unreleased material.
Okay, here it goes...
8) Roman Candle [4 stars]
7) Elliott Smith [4 stars]
6) New Moon [4.5 stars]
5) From a Basement on the Hill [4.5 stars]
4) HEATMISER - Mic City Sons [4.5 stars]
3) Either / Or [5 stars]
2) XO [5+ stars]
1) Figure 8 [PERFECT album - one of the best EVER]
My big problem with From a Basement... is not the music itself, but the presentation. Elliott had conceived the album as a double album, and I wish the editors had stuck to his more complete vision. There are several songs on youtube that are the "lost" songs from the album, and they are even more amazing than some of the songs that made it. That said, it does include some of my all time favorite Elliott songs, including "Twilight," "Let's Get Lost," "Pretty (Ugly Before)," "King's Crossing," and "A Fond Farewell."
In short - Elliott never made a bad album. His loss was completely tragic - he had so much left to give. One of the truly saddest moments in music history.
My Elliott Smith playlist: open.spotify.com/playlist/4w0uCkZn25oVXLs3K3DoZG?si=46d88c9320644ef9
If you haven’t heard the acoustic version of “From a Basement…” it’s on UA-cam and GOT DAMNNN it’s sooo good. Elliott wasn’t in good health but the fact he’s playing those gorgeous songs just on acoustic… fantastic.
You nailed it when you compared FABOTH to the White Album & that he's all four Beatles in one. I wish it was a double LP. I think he really wanted to make his White Album, he said it was his favorite Beatles record since he was 4 or 5.
He had a conversation with Neil from Heatmiser, and was talking about doing another Heatmiser record in the near future. He told Elliott that the band was like his early Beatles period and a light went off in his head. FABOTH was supposed to be his White Album, and the last Heatmiser record would've been his Abbey Road.
You could go even further with that analogy. His early solo acoustic stuff was like Rubber Soul/Revolver, where he really comes into himself as a songwriter, and XO/Figure 8 was like his full experimental/studio as instrument/flirting with psychedelic baroque style/unapologetic overdubbing phase full of, as you also said, pop gems.
Not much of an Elliott Smith fan but you guys definitely deserve an easy week.
Listen to angeles by Elliott. Find songs you admire by him. He changed my life seriously.
Is it Halloween in Kramzer’s house?
1) From a Basement on the Hill - 4.5*
2) Figure 8 - 4*
3) Roman Candle - 4*
4) Either/Or - 3.5
5) XO - 3.5*
6) Elliott Smith - 3*
Love the energy of the channel at this point
Oh yes😎 an enjoyable one this one. I felt no let up in Elliotts discography starting from his debut to the end. As usual my list contains my thoughts as I listened...please read conclusion at end Joe....I do make myself clear each week....lol☺️
Elliott Smith albums
6 Figure 8 7.5/10 whilst this album proves Elliot never made a bad song, it does show his inconsistent confidence with a whole band. The more intimate experimental tracks work really really well here, but the whole band songs are sometimes forgettable or ordinary unfortunately compared to last album where he nailed it all on XO.
5 Either/Or 8/10 not quite as vital for me as first two albums song wise....or perhaps I'm getting over ES voice style quickly as each song starts to blur into the next despite introduction of whole band experience. It's a record with magic moments that verge on an early Beatles esque sound sometimes.
4 Self Titled, 9/10 mmmm like the J Baldessari like cover. Might be against the general consensus but so impressed was I by debut, the opening 3 tracks were good but unsurprisingly a continuation of debut.... But not quite as deliciously intense til after these. Flows well especially in middle then the end becomes short track deep beauty ala Nick Drake. Fab.
3 Roman Candle 9/10 great debut/ demo...ok possibly the best sounding demo I've heard infact. The title track is so intimate, sounded like Kurt Cobain's outsecticide demos meets new wave of folk....and that base string syncopated is lush. Kudos to Elliot for sound design with guitar throughout...its so close that his voice creeps in to the contrasting jovial textures of it on most songs. Really impressive and I'm sure it impressed many folky artists over last 20 years because so many have I heard that try to sound like this but dont quite have the magic. Like the ry Cooder like instrumental at end. Ok bought it💸
2 From A Basement On A Hill 9.5/10 a lovely posthumously made album that shows ES was always developing his music. Some dark folk moments stand out that richly resemble likes of Jon Renbourne/Pentangle in their crafting. Outstanding legacy cemented here.
1 XO 9.5/10 🏆🦋♥️so alive from the start....the new dynamic in studio pays off a treat...music is uplifting whilst the lyrical melancholy rides the waves well throughout. Contrasts abound which for me lifts this one above the rest slightly and the importance of the wonderful piano work is paramount to the lifting of this very much Beatles and Beach Boys inspired (soundwise) essential listen record. Can't find a perfect 10 BUT 9.5 does mean confident of 2 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ albums.😎
Conclusion
the rumours are true. There is an artist who has not written a bad song. His name is Elliott Smith. A fab surprise of an artist over all. This is someone who in the 90s paved the way for many a softly singing folky trendy melancholy artist but he has not been bettered for me....only Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley in a more modern male solo folk singer/songwriter in this style sense are perhaps song for song more memorable or distinctive. Comparisons to the Beatles, Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Pentangle and the above are all valid. Pale imitators beware. This artist is telling us the importance of doing your own thang but don't worry if it sounds like any of your fave bands because authenticity is not necessarily about style. It's about being 100% you in every song. Also Ive found 41 songs scoring 8 or more in 6 albums. Mind blowing.🤯🤯🤯🤯
Really enjoyable video again guys. I've been looking forward to this one as Elliott ranks very highly with me. He's one of the greats and completely irrelevant to me that he was from any particular time. That stuff really doesn't matter. Not all us oldies are so easily stereotyped. I also couldn't care less whether Basement was exactly the record it was 'supposed' to be. The only thing that matters is what's on the record and it's just brilliant. Some people let what I call the background scenery get in the way of what the actual record is but the only thing that matters to me is what I hear. Would those detractors rather not have it at all? Basement is what exists and speculation about what is might have been is absurd because that will never be. I only hold back from putting Basement at number one because I adore XO so much and I've lived with it since release. I didn't catch up with Smith's other albums until much later.
1) XO
2) Basement
3) Either/Or
4) Figure 8
5) S/T
6) Roman Candle
I don't find Elliott's songs to be in the least bit depressing similar to what Jason said I think he covers most aspects of the human experience in a genuine way. If he wrote only insincere sad songs then it would be depressing. He's the opposite of this.
Now you're talking! This was a great episode about a very interesting artist. "XO" is my favorite of his, but I will admit to some "first listen" bias, as it was the first album I heard by him. I haven't really given "From A Basement On The Hill" a chance, mostly due to the way the album was made, but it seems I should definitely do that.
If you guys are into geniuses who wrote about their struggles with depression, whilst also making incredibly beautiful, yet different sounding songs, you should check out Sparklehorse. It’s essentially one guy, Mark Linkous. Like Elliott Smith, he unfortunately deleted himself (I hate saying it like that but I’ve heard that UA-cam censors the S word). A posthumous album he was working on when he died in 2010 was just recently released, and it’s just as good as his other albums. Listen to “Gold Day”, “Shade and Honey”, “Eyepennies”, “Piano Fire”, “Cow”, “Someday I will Treat You Good”…. Honestly just start with the first Sparklehorse album and then move on chronologically. It also has way more moments that aren’t pure despair.
Love Sparklehorse.
I think that Elliot Smith's catalog is very solid and consistent. I could understand anyone listing his records in a totally different order. I don't think there's much difference in quality.
Here goes my list:
1.XO, 8.5
2.From A Basement On The Hill, 8.25
3.Either /Or, 8
4.Figure 8, 8 ( no pun intended)
5.Self-titled, 7.75
6.Roman Candle, 7.5
Now, let's see what you and the other commentors think
One of my favorites. Someone once said his voice sounds like cold wind on your neck but also so vulnerable and warm at the same time. Totally agree with that. I understand when someone says they don’t like Bob Dylan or Jeff Magnum or Conor Oberst’s voice I get it completely (even tho I love all of their voices) but when they don’t like Elliott’s I can’t understand. The 90’s Nick Drake for me.
6. Roman Candle
5. From a Basement on a Hill
4. XO
3. Figure 8
2. Self Titled
1. Either/Or
These change around all the time, but Either/Or will always be my favorite. Figure 8 used to be lower but I’ve been recently much more won over by the bigger sound.
Elliott had a really good voice. He had great pitch and was great at the double-tracked whisper singing, but on XO he really let his voice shine, singing louder and harmonizing with himself beautifully. Most importantly, his voice is full of emotion and knew how to use his voice to evoke the feelings he is trying to evoke. Listen to “waltz #1” for an amazing vocal performance.
Love Elliott, in my top 10 for sure.
6. Roman Candle ★★★★
The worst Elliott Smith but still a very good album. I first tried to get into Elliott Smith five or six years ago, I started with this record and didn’t really find any melodies or anything to grasp onto at all. It played very stale to me. Then a few years later I got really into Either/Or, and when I returned to this album I found all these beautiful, tender, sparse melodies. I don’t know what I was missing. Music is funny that way.
5. Elliott Smith ★★★★
A more realized version of the debut. It’s better but not by all that much.
4. XO ★★★★ ½
A great album. Most singer-songwriters would kill to have a record this good. For Elliott however it’s not in his top 3.
3. From a Basement on the Hill ★★★★★
I don’t think this is a perfect album, and it’s never gonna be my favourite Elliott Smith. There’s a couple of lesser songs which you won’t find on my top 2 and the sequencing has never seemed right to me. But the highlights are just earth-shatteringly great and on the strength of those alone this has to be five stars. Some of the greatest songs of the 00’s can be found on here.
2. Either/Or ★★★★★
A masterpiece that opened a lot of doors for me music wise, not just Elliott Smith. I haven’t done a list, nor have I listened to enough music to say for sure, but this is probably a top 25 album of all time for me.
1. Figure 8 ★★★★★
I might like this record more than anyone. I guess I’ll wait and see what the boys and the comments say about this one… but for me this is one of the greatest records of all time. My number 1 record of the 21st century. There comes a point where you love something so much it’s impossible to explain why, this is that sort of record for me.
Really close to my ranking, except Either/Or and Figure 8 are swapped. I briefly considered Figure 8 as #1, but it's probably a little on the long side for me.
@@edgustafson I think we see Elliott the same, more or less. I certainly have no issue with ranking Either/Or at 1, a great great album.
I agree that Figure 8 is too long. With two or three of the weaker songs out it would rank higher for me
@@frangarcia7774 Yeah, at 52 minutes, I think 10-15 minutes could be cut and you'd have a perfect album. I always have a hard time ranking albums in the CD era because they're almost always too long.
@@edgustafson THAT is a truthful statement. 45 minutes per album, tops. 35 minutes even better.
1. Either/Or (1997) 4.5/5
2. XO (1998) 4.5/5
3. Figure 8 (2000) 4/5
4. From A Basement On The Hill (2004) 4/5
5. Roman Candle (1994) 3.5/5
6. Elliott Smith (1995) 3/5
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER:
3.5 Roman Candle (1994)
3.0 Elliott Smith (1995)
4.5 Either/Or (1997)
4.5 XO (1998)
4.0 Figure 8 (2000)
4.0 From A Basement On The Hill (2004)
I can see where people are coming from when they say this guy's music is too dour and melancholy. It's inevitable that some people will struggle with all the moodiness in Elliott's music. But to my ears he had a knack for putting together interesting combinations of chords and melody. He's widely regarded as one of the best songwriters of the 1990s- and for good reason, imo. I see his final 4 studio albums as being roughly co-equal. However, I decided to give an extra half-star to Either/Or (because of its highs- "Between The Bars," "Angeles") and XO (because of its top-to-bottom consistency.)
MY RATING SYSTEM:
5.0 = major classic
4.5 = minor classic
4.0 = great
3.5 = very good
3.0 = good
2.5 = fair
2.0 = poor
1.5 = awful
1.0 = historically awful
I don't go below 1 star because once I'm in the realm of the truly terrible I don't care to differentiate anymore. Anything I rate 3.5 stars or higher is an album I'm enthusiastic about and would likely revisit at some point.
You forgot to add two more points to your rating system:
0.5 = The worst shit ever
0.0 = Ed Sheeran
I like your rating system
@@SpaceCattttt could people leave poor Ed alone!!!😠 It's not his fault none of his fans had heard of Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Pentangle and Simon and Garfunkel before hearing his 'ok so this is what people like in their songs ....guess I'll just throw in some nice strumming and hooks but make it lovey dovey but I'm sometimes sort of dark and emo not really with a smile'... albums...???🤠🤠🤠
@@threestringsomg ?
@@SpaceCattttt yes ?
My favorite artist of all time thank u guys
Great songwriter. Agree with Kramz how brilliantly he examines the dark side of life, but also agree with Joe that there’s a joy in his sound and arrangements . It’s that contrast that makes this great art . Morrissey ( in a different way) used to have that same dichotomy in his work . Sad, emotional but joyful, even funny .
1. XO
2. Either/Or
3. Figure 8
4. From a basement on the hill
5. Elliott Smith
6 .Roman Candle
Haven’t listened to Smith for awhile so this was good inspiration. His catalog is hard to rank since everything is so good
Thank you for posting 47 minutes talking about Elliott Smith. I think my ranking would be the closest with Joe's. But everybody had great insights. Even Kramzer as he channeled cornholio.
Connecting the White Album & Basement on a Hill makes so much sense. And Coast to Coast is one of the great album openers.
Smith's lyrics are indeed a powerful combination of uplifting and devastating.
Thank you again.
"Everybody knows you'll only live a day...but it's brilliant anyway"
Hi-de-ho all you rock 'n' rollers...hit that like button! It's a free and easy way to help these guys get the attention they deserve!
Hi! I’ve been buying these records along the way as they appeared in the record stores. I just miss this guy This is my list.
6. Roman Candle
5, From a Basement on the Hill
4. Elliott Smith
3. Figure 8
2. XO
1. Either/Or
Roman Candle gets a way better status when you remember that he did it at like 17 on a four track. Condor Ave and No Name #1, god those are beautiful songs.
Roman Candle or XO will always be my favorite.
I could understand why you have either/or as #1 especially if you listen to the expanded album. My New Freedom for a while was the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard. Angeles is on there. MAN ELLIOTT SMITH IS JUST GOOD.
I feel like the way people rank his albums could be like a personality thing.
@@SharadSwaney Hi! I didn’t see this until now. I love all his albums, this list could change a little, and you’re right, it is a personal list. We feel like we know the man, that’s how his songs works on us loves him. And no… i haven’t heard the expanded version of Either/Or. It’s still my favorite. That record means something to me. Personal shit.
Thank you guys for doing Elliott Smith. My favourite musician of all time. I wish he had left us more albums to argue about, but every one of these is a treasure. Number one for me is Either Or. XO
Nice write up in the description. Doesn't go unnoticed
All of his works are so different except maybe XO and Figure 8, so I think it all boils down to taste
My list is:
1. Elliott Smith (a perfect concoction of what makes his sound cool)
2. Roman Candle (again, just super cool)
3. From a Basement (devastating. combines his DIY sound with a more purposeful form of the bombast of XO/Figure 8)
4. XO (the most consistent, varied, and exciting sonically)
5. Either/or (most accessible album. the best lyricism/best singles. some bad production choices lowers it for me)
6. Figure 8 (brilliant, but not why I listen to Elliott Smith)
Elliott Smith is my favourite artist without a doubt. I clicked on this video so fast when I saw it in my subscription inbox…
My ranking would be:
1. Elliott Smith (mainly for nostalgic reasons, otherwise it would end up at #4)
2. Figure 8
3. XO
4. From a Basement on the Hill
5. Either/Or
6. Roman Candle
1.Either/Or 2.Elliott Smith 3.Figure 8 4.XO 5.From a Basement On The Hill 6.Roman Candle I need to give From a Basement another listen; I'm betting it could rise higher. A huge regret I have is that I only saw him once. I knew a few songs, but I mostly went to see the main act, Mark Eitzel and the opening act, Anders Parker; the latter because he is a friend of mine, and also an excellent singer/songwriter. As a rule I try to pay attention to opening acts, but I don't remember giving him the attention he deserved. An outstanding artist. Check out the 3 song video "Lucky 3" where he does a couple of his own tunes and a great cover of Big Star's Thirteen.
I saw him once at a small club in Seattle's central district. This was in '98 or '99, after he'd become somewhat famous. It was just him with his guitar. You could tell he was self-medicating with something because he was slightly slurring the words yet he still played all the songs note-perfect and the audience loved it. I can't say it's one of the greatest concerts I've ever seen but I'm glad I went. I hold him in high regard as a songwriter.
I just noticed that his birthday just passed, August 6. He would have been 52.
My list
1. Either/Or
2. Roman candle
3. XO
4. Figure 8
5. From A Basement On The Hill
6. Elliott Smith
Glad to see this Listography. I'm a big Elliott Smith fan, so this was a particularly interesting watch. My list would be as follows:
1. Either/Or
2. From A Basement On The Hill
3. Elliott Smith
4. XO
5. Figure 8
6. Roman Candle
I love half of "Figure 8", but just like the other half. If it were a little bit shorter, I think it would be much higher on my list. "Elliott Smith" and "XO" switch places often, depending on what I'm feeling at the moment. "Elliott Smith" has climbed up the list over the years though, so I'll give it the edge here. Considering its origins, I think "From A Basement On A Hill" feels quite cohesive, which is pretty rare for a posthumous release. The songs on "Either/Or" are just so strong, that I have to have it at number one.
Nice breakdown! I first heard Elliott on WXPN in Philadelphia at the time of X/O and he’s been one of my favorites ever since. One of the all time great songwriters and arrangers for sure! And From a Basement may be my favorite as well, though it took me a bit to get used to it.
6. Roman Candle. 5. Elliott Smith. 4. From a Basement on the Hill. 3. XO. 2. Either/Or. 1. Figure 8. Thanks gentlemen.
Love Elliott Smith and I dig Duck Tales muchly, awesome video fellas 🤟
I love the base string syncopation....that's what needs to be looked out for in early albums....
my list as of right now would be
1. Elliott Smith (4.5)
2. Roman Candle (4.5)
3. Either/Or (4.5)
4. XO (4.0)
5. Figure 8 (4.0)
6. From a Basement (3.0)
I’m pretty new to his music so those could definitely shift but the early albums resonate with me a lot for some reason, I’m a HUGE Alex G fan and I can really hear the influence from Elliott especially with how the guitar sounds.
thanks for being my favorite channel on UA-cam & helping me learn more music as I follow you guys along on the album journeys
Love the self titled as well.
love the love Roman Candle, incredible record which people often rate way too low.
Yeah when I first started listening to him I was really attached to his more stripped back sound but I eventually ended up loving his later work a lot more than I initially thought I would, you’ll come around
I’d rank em
1. Either/Or
2. Roman Candle
3. Elliott Smith
4. XO
5. From A Basement
6. Figure 8
Smith was talented beyond belief, a modern day mopey Beatle. Can't get enough. Here's my list:
1. From a Basement
2. Figure 8
3. XO
4. Either/Or
5. Elliott Smith
6. Roman Candle
Long live his memory...
My list:
1. Figure 8
2. Elliott Smith
3. From a Basement on the Hill
4. XO
5. Roman Candle
6. Either/Or
6.Roman candle
5. XO
4. Figure 8
3. Either/Or
2. Elliott Smith
1. From basement on the hill
Quite a good discography here, boys. I’m a big Elliott Smith fan!
1. Either/Or (1997) = 5/5 stars
2. From a Basement on the Hill (2004) = 5/5 stars
3. XO (1998) = 4.5/5 stars
4. Figure 8 (2000) = 4.5/5 stars
5. Elliott Smith (1995) = 4/5 stars
6. Roman Candle (1994) = 3.5/5 stars
For right now, I’ll go with
1. Elliott Smith
2. Either/Or
3. Roman Candle
4. XO
5. From a Basement on a Hill
6. Figure 8
I think all of his albums are great, but I slightly prefer his earlier, more stripped back sound. I feel like it makes it hit much harder when different instruments come in, especially the drums on songs like Christian Brothers and St. Ides Heaven.
Not enough love shown for Son of Sam. Great album opener on Figure 8. Good use of imagery in the lyrics. Interesting chords on the guitar, and clever use of piano for the counter melody.
You just wait. - Joe
@@TastesLikeMusic I love all the rockers on Figure 8. I trust Joe to fight our corner tomorrow.
I got you fam. - Joe
@@TastesLikeMusic Brilliant! Something else I want to add is Elliott Smith's electric guitar playing is unique and no one really sounds like him. People use lazy comparisons to Harrison, Lennon etc. but there is more to his playing with great use of alternative tunings.
Love "Son of Sam" and it will be pretty high on my songs list tomorrow.
I’ve never listened to Elliot Smith. I know a few tunes - Needle in the Hay, Baby Britain.
I’m gonna dive in based on Jason’s list - I tend to align with him the most.
I loved Either/Or. That and OK Computer are 1 & 2 in the year 1997
My list constantly changes, much like The Beatles. It used to be either/Or for the longest time as #1 and Figure 8 was probably #4 even 5 but now it is close to the top. I love, by the way, New Moon even though it's not counted. I do wish we had got to hear the double sided, From a Basement on the Hill, it would have been brilliant. anyway my #1 rotates between Figure 8, Basement, X/O and either/Or. I had to say i know lean towards Basement most often as the #1. It's so progressive but at the same time sad as I really would have loved to see the journey Elliott would have taken us on. I remember being in massive anticipation for the release of Basement and hearing an early demo of A Distorted Reality..., which was mind blowing and just increased to anticipation level. At the time there was also a live album that was going to be released, which I was able to get on pre-order list, but some legal dispute between the families, cancelled it and it unfortunately has never resurfaced. Anyway, great video. genius guitar player, love him acoustic and electric live, brilliant writer and arranger, miss him loads.
Enjoyed listening to Elliott Smith. My list is
6 Roman Candle
5 Elliott Smith
4 Either/Or
3 XO
2 From a Basement on a Hill
1 Figure 8
I guess that puts me sandwiched between Joe and Jason on this one
1. Figure 8
2. Either/Or
3. XO
4. From a Basement on the Hill
5. Roman Candle
6. Elliot Smith
I had a detailed breakdown, but my UA-cam crashed and I lost it all 🤦🏻♂️ Strangely fitting for an Elliot Smith ranking. Ultimately doomed. Love his music. “He’s like all of the Beatles in one” is an apt description. A melancholic Harry Nilsson. My go to when I’m feeling down. His music is cathartic. The Jon Brion production puts Figure 8 at the top for me. So lush and catchy. Definitely one of my favorite artists from this time period.
1. Either/Or
2. Xo
3. Elliott Smith
4. New Moon
5. From a Basement
6. Figure 8
7. Roman Candle
They’re all great, though. It’s Elliott.
Hugely personal artist for me. I moved to Portland right around the time Either/Or came out, saw him play many times. Definitely an influence on my own music. When I later lived in L.A. it turned out he lived in my neighborhood, but I didn't know it until after his death.
1. Either/Or (5)
2. XO (4.5)
3. Elliott Smith (4.5)
4. Figure 8 (4)
5. Roman Candle (4)
6. From a Basement (3.5)
1. XO
2. Either/Or
3. Figure 8
4. From a Basement on a Hill
5. Elliott Smith
6. Roman Candle
Best to worest
1. Basement on a hill
2. Either or
3. Elliot smith
4. Figure 8
5. Xo
6. Roman candle
5. Roman Candle
4. XO
3. Figure 8
2. Either/Or
1. Elliott Smith
I’m with Jason and Kram On Basement. It was the first one I heard from Elliott Smith and when I listen to his other albums, they just don’t feel complete in the way Basement does.
Fav song is Don’t Go Down. It’s like an Elliott Smith song that died and rose from the grave
It’s a masterful song. - Joe
Hey Joe,
I'm older than you by 10-15 years I'm guessing, and I love Elliott Smith! For my money, he's one of the greatest songwriters of my generation (Gen X). Ever since I first heard his plaintive, beautiful songs in Good Will Hunting, and subsequently picked up Either/ Or and played it to death in '97, he became one of my favorite artists. So please don't make assumptions and cast aspersions on us older viewers. lol As for my rankings, (it's tough) Let's see.... This is what I'm thinking today:
1. Either / Or
2. XO
3. From a Basement on the Hill (Although I actually find the lyric with the Santa Claus Christmas imagery as metaphor for being an junky and scoring dope kind of cringey. I think it's Kings Crossing that has this line)
4. Figure Eight
5. Elliott Smith
6. Roman Candle (I think I've only listened to this one a few times and it's the only one I don't own a physical copy of)
For me xo is my favourite either/or sometimes overtakes it. I like xo cause its so playful with the arrangement and this creates a vast array of complex emotions and still has a lot of the depth and poetry of the early albums. It reminds me of loves forever changes, with idiosyncratic lyrics but still manage to paint vast landscapes. Either/or maybe has some of my favourite songs by him but xo just has a sense of experimentation that highlights his excellent writing but there all great!
1. Either/Or
2. From a Basement
3. Figure 8
4. XO
5. Elliott Smith
6. Roman Candle
The top five are four stars and up. Roman Candle is 3 or 3.5
6. Elliott Smith
5. Roman Candle
4. Either/Or
3. From a Basement on the Hill
2. Figure 8
1. XO
Was sort of agreeing with this list until I realized I was reading it in reverse
1. Either/Or
2. From A Basement On The Hill
3. XO
4. Figure 8
5. Elliott Smith
6. Roman Candle
All 8/10’s and up
Joe killing me with self title at 5 sorry it's a masterpiece
1. Either/Or
2. Elliott Smith
3. Roman Candle
4. XO
5. Figure 8
6. From a Basement..
My list is Joe’s list; Joe’s list is my list. I remember I had the flu in college when Figure 8 came out and my girlfriend (now wife) brought this home for me. It got me through a miserable week but I’m positive it would’ve been my favorite no matter what (I love Brian Wilson, baroque pop, pretty arrangements, etc). Definitely a masterpiece. 👏🏻
Love to hear it. - Joe
Never listened to Elliot Smith (he's never played on UK radio), but I will now😎
He's never played on US radio, either. But connoseurs of good songcraft will find him anyway.
Have you guys ever thought about a The Sea and Cake list? Amazing band...
Never heard of them. - Joe
Legendary Chicago post-rock, affiliated with Tortoise and Gastr del Sol. Check out the album Car Alarm for a primer.
Remarkable talent who died so tragically. Underrated guitar player with his fretwork overshadowed by the jaw dropping songwriting. His vocals are so unique - can hear his breaths when he sings - just exudes vulnerability. Either/Or is the best but anything he ever did has a touch of magic. Can argue his songs have a samey quality but I'm so glad he never got forced into ham fisted production. A songwriter's songwriter - Phoebe Bridgers knows this for sure.
Well put, most of this could apply to Jeff Buckley too
My rating would be 1. Either/or 2. From A basement on the hill 3.Elliott smith 4. Xo 5. Roman Candle 6. Figure 8 but it changes all the time
As a fan of XO, it looks like Figure 8 should be my next listen.
Those two are pretty similar stylistically. I personally like Figure 8 better, but I don't know if that's a majority opinion.
If you love XO for it's arrangements, go to Figure 8. If you love it for it's songwriting and mood, Either/Or is where you wanna go. But really you should listen to all of it.
@@12spanku I'm in on the arrangements and the melodies. Lyrics are usually secondary for me. Which is weird because I'm a writer. Most of the time for me the meaning of lyrics matters far less than how they sound and how they carry the rhythm and melody forward.
I think it's alittle better than xo
100%
1 Figure 8
2 Roman Candle
3 XO
4 Either/OR
5 From a basement
6 Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith is in my top 5. Here's how I'd rank his albums.
1. From the Basement on the Hill (Second Favorite album of all time)
2. Either/Or (in my top 100)
3. Figure 8
4. XO
5. Elliott Smith
6. XO
It's fascinating how everyone has a pretty different list. :)
There is certainly a lot of different lists, more than I would have thought.
Out of interest what is your number one album of all time?
Yup it's what this channel confirms every week to all listeners out there in the world....doesn't matter how much you listen to, variety, style, era, someone else will always hear it differently to you....music's the best because there's no right or wrong. Just you and what you might need or don't know you need sonically. Discovering can happen any time. Just don't be afraid to also have your identity. You can find like minds in any musical style if you are patient😂👍
XO clearly confuses you, which is probably why it is not your number one :-)
What’s your favourite album of all time
@@jamesheath7601 hard question even b4 joining in Listography but now we've done the albums of the year since 65 and now doin songs of year is maybe affecting that as you dig out the gems you missed......but I still think my no.1-5 albums for each year and decade are not changing much....but the process gives me a stronger clue...trouble is music is great as it's ephemeral so it's a different one amongst the top 50 or so absolute all timers depending on the day....I will say there is alot of metal, prog, folk, soul, psychedelic, rock and modern classical in there and a soundtrack or two(against the rules!😠), Also one or two very very overlooked folk singers. And yes what you are thinking right now is correct....ask me tomorrow you'd probably get either an even more waffley or a much less one or two album answer...but this is my answer today...and I'm not mentioning Opeth.....oh.....oooops ....lol🤠🤷♂️.... albums I hold dearest though and have never left top 50 are Tender buttons by Broadcast, The Raven That Refused To Sing by Steve Wilson, Sign o The Times by Prince, Paranoid by Sabbath, Number of The Beast by Iron Maiden, Dirt by Alice In Chains, Blood On The Tracks by Dylan. The most recent entry is the amazing- Prequelle by Ghost which won I think my album of last decade for me, Mighty Joe Moon By Grant Lee Buffalo (the album was listening to when hooked up with my wife), Appetite for Destruction by GnR (would be Use Your illusions if combined properly), Hounds of Love Kate Bush, In The Court of The Crimson King by KC, Polygondwanaland by King Prizzard and the Quizzard Stizzard is another recent top 50, You Want It Darker Leonard Cohen, Abbatoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Oceanborn by Nightwish, Bleach by Nirvana, Still Life by Opeth, Murmur by REM, Ok Computer by Radiohead, Tilt by Scott Walker, Beneath The Remains by Sepultura, Clearing the Path To Ascend by Yob, 13th Floor Elevators self titled, In Rock Deep Purple, La Valse des Monstres by Yann Tiersen, Bladerunner Soundtrack by Vangelis, Hex Enduction Hour by The Fall, Disintegration by The Cure, Revolver by Beatles, Crocodiles by Echo and The Bunnymen, Coming From Reality and Cold Fact Sixto Rodriguez, Melancholie and the Infinite Sadness Smashing Pumpkins, Pink Moon Nick Drake, Hello Young Lovers by Sparks, both albums by Norma Tanega I absolutely adore right now,....there are many more that step in on occasion and lots of new ones i am still digesting that have the potential from Zappa, Jethro Tull, Yes, Genesis, Swans, Porcupine Tree, Roky Eriksson, Hawkwind, Stevie Wonder, God Speed You Black Emperor....and many more....most of my above mentions have been with me more than 10 years....some maybe 30+ years...phew....my all time fave when I was 10 was Number if the Beast, when 20 Paranoid Black Sabbath, 30-Tenderbuttons Broadcast and now????? God knows😭🤯....now I will eat my lunch after that....it's pie!😋
As a true Elliot smith fan…he is my favorite artist- I don’t agree with these men… its gotta be (worst to best) from a basement on a hill,Roman candle, figure 8, either/or, XO, and Elliot smith takes the cake for his best ❤️❤️❤️
We won’t judge
I am in agreement with Joe on his view of XO. I find it hard to resist anyone who tries some waltz time compositions, and he graces us with several of them. I also don't find this album depressing. It has a mixture of sad, insightful lyrics but he balances it with those gorgeous, maybe even joyous, melodies.
I'm also a sucker for waltzes. Don't know why but I always find them captivating
Waltzes have a dream-like quality to them that Elliott harnesses very well.
Ok, joyous might be a bit too far, but you get the gist.
@@burmajones803 I think Figure 8 is probably his happiest sounding album. Elliott Smith is one of those rare artists who gets *more* cheerful when he sings about serial killers.
I thought Roman Candle was excellent. It's way better than a demo....way better...I purchased it straight away....4.5 stars for me...but like Kram I probably like the darkness....glad you mentioned the intimacy Jason.....
I will have to go back and check out From a Basement... again. I loved the preceeding 3 albums so much, I couldn't connect with Basement on release due its unfinished nature and the shadow cast over it by his death. Same for New Moon. Given the time passed, I imagine I could appreciate them more now.
Don't know his catalog with the exception of XO, which I think is outstanding. Filled with some great pop songcraft and excellent songwriting. If it were all he ever recorded, his career would still have been tremendous.
I always wondered what if he just did ghost writing/producing. Not for his personal stuff, cause it’s soooo personal, but for some of the more poppy songs like “Say Yes.” (Which he wrote in like 10 mins) He could’ve stayed out of the spotlight, made ridiculous amount of money, and not been destroyed by being the “anti rockstar.”
Elliott Smith
Figure 8
Either/Or
From A Basement
Roman Candle
XO
So tough to rank. I love them all. The top 3 are easily interchangeable for me.
1.figure 8
2. basement on the hill
3. xo
4. New moon
5. self titled
6. either or
Either Or is the best one! 3 and half stars my ass.
Ranking
6. Roman Candle
5. Basement
4. Figure 8
3. X0
2. Self Titled
1. Either/Or
Hey guys. Don’t know Elliot Smith but looking forward to watching and checking out some new music (for meee)👍
My comment didn't post last time, so here's my list again.
1. Elliott Smith
2. From a Basement On the Hill
3. XO
4. Either/Or
5. Roman Candle
6. Figure 8
Your Comment is Posted 📫
@@davidellis5141 :)
I don't know where Elliott Smith ranks on my all time list -- I wouldn't consider him an all time great, but I definitely appreciate him and think all his albums are solid. I kind of got into him around the time of Either/Or and Good Will Hunting, and stayed with him through Figure 8 and went back and explored his pre-Either/Or catalog. Not sure why, but I wasn't really into From a Basement on the Hill when it came out, but finally got around to it years later. My ranking:
1. Either/Or - I think this is his best batch of songs. It's a tight album, and he starts to move away from the really lo-fi stuff, but the production doesn't overwhelm the songs. I really like the bass sounds on this album - it's really fat and chunky.
2. Figure 8 - My favorite of the later period albums. It's maybe a tad long -- you could probably chop a few songs off this, but overall, I like the songs and production quite a bit.
3. From a Basement on the Hill - Posthumous albums are always a mixed bag, and while I don't think this is his best album, there's a lot of good stuff here.
4. XO - I think this album might have the most interesting production -- Elliott really goes full Beatles here -- but, I think a fair amount of the songs don't really grab me. I think it especially drops off in the second half, and I don't think the highs are as high as his other albums. Still an enjoyable listen though.
5. Elliott Smith -- I almost ranked this above XO -- It has more strong songs -- but it's a bit samey after a while. I'm glad he decided to start incorporating more sounds into his future albums.
6. Roman Candle -- There's definitely some good stuff here -- "Condor Ave." is one of my favorite Elliott Smith songs, but the production kind of keeps it from climbing too much higher.
People who put him on the level with artists like Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, and Neil Young are going (way) too far in my opinion. Elliott was one of the best of his era era but in the grand scheme of things how many songs does he have that are guaranteed to be remembered forever? Compared to those aforementioned guys I'd say hardly any.
@@AbbeyRoadkill1 you keep over estimating the power of this "songs live forever" thing. To you, they are timeless...but 90 percent of people under 40 probably can't name a song by either of those three. - kram
That said I have Neil and dylan ahead of Elliott but definetly not Paul simon
@@AbbeyRoadkill1 Dylan or Young he is not, but I much prefer him to Paul Simon (still a great songwriter). Then again I always strive to be very subjective in my rankings and I don't take more objective factors like 'having songs that are guaranteed to be remembered forever' into account. If I were to write a serious article about America's greatest songwriters I'd talk more about Simon than Elliott Smith, but I prefer listening to Elliott and that's all I care about when ranking and giving stars.
@@AbbeyRoadkill1 I think his stature has grown exponentially in recent years with a lot of 2010s indie folk/rock artists citing him as an influence.
@@TastesLikeMusic Well, it's not like I'm a Baby Boomer telling the younger generation to get off my lawn. I'm *from* Elliott's generation- he was only 3 years older than me. As great as I think he was I'm not convinced he wrote anything on the level of "The Sound Of Silence" or "Bridge Over Troubled Water."
From a Basement on a Hill sounds like The White Album because of how all over the place it is. I think it’s good, but I can’t put as much weight into it because of how it came together. To me, it’s a wishful thinking album.
6. From a Basement on the Hill
5. Roman Candle
4. Figure 8
3. Elliott Smith
2. Either/Or
1. xo
Even as far apart as we are on Basement, I enjoyed this ranking. It’s cool to hear a different perspective. ✌🏻
White album is my second favorite album ever. If you can make an album that is all over the place while simultaneously having a distinct unifying vibe, I am on board. -Jason
@@TastesLikeMusic Yeah. That’s exactly what The White Album is. There are others for me that fit that definition. But Basement doesn’t imo. It’s still good for what it is. It’s a nice thought to know that he was planning on stretching himself or mixing it up. Unfortunately we’ll never really know what he wanted.
@@TheDigitalGramophone I'm with you on 'Basement' as I think it trails off towards the end... and I'm not that fond of songs like "Coast to Coast," "Pretty (Ugly Before)," and "King's Crossing." I've heard other people say that 'Basement' sounds like a fully completed album to them but I disagree. It definitely sounds unfinished to me- but then again how could it not since he literally died halfway through making it.
@@AbbeyRoadkill1 Yeah. For me, a finished album is when the artist signs off on it. Again, Basement is good for what it is, but there are too many unanswered questions.
I saw Rick Beato (famous UA-camr) talk about how great guitarist Paul Simon is. Lots of typical Iron Maiden/AC/DC/Metallica fans would just laugh at that. Paul Simon? Guitar? It's sad that so many people have a one way idea of what so many things are or should be. Paul Simon has been playing guitar longer than any of the people I've just mentioned probably and can still perform perfectly at a high age. He can play guitar even though it's not the same style as what guitar heroes like Hendrix, Van Halen, Angus Young or Jeff Beck is/was doing.
I am a big fan of everyone mentioned. It is the narrow-minded thinking I don't care for.
Please do a listography on Lindsey Buckingham after his new self-titled album comes out next month on Sept 17th. That would definitely be interesting & awesome!! Thanks guys! Love your work.
great video, love Kramzer's monk look lol
From a basement on a hill is one of my favorite records of all time period . Unreal album
good video. I'd go with XO number 1. Either/Or number 2. Figure 8 number 3. From A Baesement number 4. I haven't heard the ones before Either/Or. I have heard the New Moon comp - it's great.
1. Self Titled
2. From a basement on the hill
3. New Moon
4. Roman candle
5. Either Or
6. XO
7. Figure 8
My ranking would be, Figure 8 (7.5/10), XO (8/10), Roman Candle (8/10), Elliott Smith (8.5/10), From a Basement on the Hill (9.5/10), either/or (9.5/10), although my favorites honestly switch around a lot.
Ranking you guys best to worse
1. Kramzer- you pulled it out for me on this one
2. Jason- have more respect for you having basement at number one
3. Joe - I get you but we're not the same