Elliott Smith (album)
| Elliott Smith | ||||
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| Studio album by Elliott Smith | ||||
| Released | July 21, 1995 | |||
| Recorded |
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| Length | 37:23 | |||
| Label | Kill Rock Stars | |||
| Producer | Elliott Smith | |||
| Elliott Smith chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Elliott Smith | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| Trouser Press | favorable |
Elliott Smith is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. It was recorded from late 1994 to early 1995, and released on July 21, 1995, through Kill Rock Stars, his first album on the label. It was preceded by the single "Needle in the Hay", released in early January.
After being impressed by Smith, Mary Lou Lord invited him to tour with her, and helped him to sign to Kill Rock Stars.
The album is of a similar musical style to Roman Candle in its minimalist, acoustic folk sound. Smith mostly appears alone on his acoustic guitar, although he is occasionally backed up by the odd musical instrument, such as a harmonica and drums.Rolling Stone described the album thus: "the music burrows, digging up gems of structure, melody and lyrical vividness that belie his naïve delivery [...] the sound is hummable pop, slowed and drugged, with tricky but unshowy guitar work driving the melodies forward".
The album's lyrics contain many references to drug use, which Smith claims are metaphorical. The album cover features a photograph by J. J. Gonson, who also photographed the cover for Roman Candle, depicting cut-out figures falling from buildings as if they were committing suicide.
Thematically, Smith said that he "personally can't get more dark" than his self-titled album.
"Needle in the Hay", the album's only single, was released early January, 1995.
Elliott Smith was released on July 21 through Kill Rock Stars, making it his first full-length album on the label. In contrast to Roman Candle, Elliott Smith was "promoted heavily", with posters of Smith appearing in the windows of record stores across the Northwest of Portland, Oregon, where Smith lived at the time.
While not believed to have been reviewed by many, if any, critics at the time of its release, Elliott Smith has been critically well-received retrospectively. Steve Huey of AllMusic wrote "Elliott Smith contains the blueprint for his later successes, and more importantly, it's a fully-realized work itself."Trouser Press described it as "Bleak, almost uncomfortably unsparing and yet tragically beautiful", and that "the songs, melodies, arrangements and production are all stronger and more fully realized than those on Roman Candle".
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Wikipedia