Elliott Smith

Figure 8 found Elliott Smith at the height of his creative powers. Long a connoisseur of studio technique, Smith used the major label budget afforded him to flesh out his matchless melodies with lush orchestrations. But in spite of the heightened production values, Smith remains a simple troubadour at heart: tunes like "Everything Reminds Me of Her" and "Easy Way Out" were destined to be the campfire favorites of Smith devotees. That Figure 8 would be the last album he would release in his lifetime underscores its brilliance.

Fans who hang on every word and every note. A major-label contract. Enough laudatory
reviews to wallpaper the palace at Versailles. Even an Oscar nomination. You might think
these considerations would bring a modicum of contentment to Elliott Smith on his fifth solo
album, Figure 8. But you'd be underestimating the exquisite purity and commitment behind
his perpetual bummer. No mere improvement in personal fortunes will change S... More >