I bought XO when I was 15, only knew the name in passing (didn’t know he’d died the year before), and was wowed immediately. Either/Or is my favourite, although New Moon’s a close second. Angeles is just perfect.
Means so much to me I can’t even really express it. Him and Kurt I guess. Hope if there’s a heaven they’re jamming. Too young to have seen either live alas 
The Miss Misery demo is a total revelation, really spooked and haunted piece of work.
Son of Sam is fun and dark.
Angeles absolutely kills me.
Alphabet Town for that feeling of loneliness you get coming home drunk or stoned at five in the morning from an unsatisfying night out. Sun coming up, problems waiting for when you’re sober, nothing really ever going anywhere.
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So many great songs, you can tell when everyone seems to put in completely different tracks as their favourite. Some even as a fan I couldn’t immediately recognise by name. For me the big ones are:
Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud
Oh Well OK
Waltz #2
Son of Sam
Fond Farewell
Feel like Figure 8 gets a tough time, personally I absolutely love it - his arrangements are phenomenal on that album.
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I’d say there’s maybe one track on there (Colour Bars) that I’m not that keen on. But the rest is excellent. Everything Means Nothing To Me is a beautiful song for instance.
I think it’s just that the standard of his other output is so high. For me it’s an 8.5 to XO’s perfect 10/10
Yep can’t listen to self titled anymore. Give it a go every now and then and it’s just NOPE. Definitely doesn’t help that it starts with needle in the hay 
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Was this at The Academy? I went to that.
Seem to remember it being quite disappointing having loved the first three albums.
Was fortunate to see him live four times - from memory think it may have been two solo shows and two full band ones. They would all have been around the XO and Figure 8 eras. Quasi may have been his backing band for the full band ones. We were all pretty obsessed with Either/Or and XO at college, so there was always a great sense of occasion seeing him, even then.
This was definitely one of them: Elliott Smith Concert Setlist at Manchester University, Manchester on April 22, 1999 | setlist.fm
Man, what a setlist.
I really enjoyed it but then I had low expectations. The TV is a big elliot Smith fan and I wasn’t as much at the time. Was expecting an evening of acoustic whiney fare and was pleasantly surprised with the energy levels.
And yeah was the academy. Miss having a music venue close to hand!
Second only to Bowie in my all-time favourites. Was lent Figure 8 when I was about 16 and have never looked back. It’s devastating to think how much more he still had to offer, but what a back catalogue to leave behind.
Favourites:
Christian Brothers
Ballad of Big Nothing
Speed Trials
No Name #4
Independence Day
But fuck, ask me on any given day and it would probably look different.
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was the first one i bought, cos i’d heard Son Of Sam in a record shop and really liked it - my friend said “you know you’re buying the worst one, right?” but i think it was a good starting place for me before going back to the older stuff. haven’t listened to it in ages now though, i don’t put him on much in general these days but tend to go for the first couple of albums when i do
What did we all think of that covers lp? I have to say I quite enjoyed it although I would have preferred a few more different interpretations most were very “straight”
Agreed. Wish it had the range the Nirvana tribute albums Robotic Empire put out.
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Nah it was “say yes” with j mascis and that lot
That’s a terrible, terrible cover.
I’ve heard more emotion at a zebra crossing
Oh no keep listening but do so in like an Ikea watching mrs brown’s boys on a phone or something.
15 years today (@sean posted a reminder on Facebook). Haven’t listened to any Elliott Smith for months- not sure why, really.
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can’t believe it’s been so long
Used to be such an Elliott superfan but I hardly listen to him anymore, think I’ve just burnt out all the emotion I can get from his music sadly.
All the emotions. Oh Elliott.
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