Elliott Smith

February 4, 2009

We’ve had this site for a month now. I think this post is due. Elliott’s my favorite musician for many reasons. The most personal reasons are his music was around during those stupid difficult times, and he indirectly taught me how to play guitar. Since his death, his unreleased music has made its way slowly onto the internet and a double-CD of his has been released. He’s become the Tupac of sad bastard music (I wrote this song a long time ago, a real long time ago!)
This week, possibly his final recording made its way to the internet. Rumor is that he laid down the vocals the day before he took his life.
Suicide Machine:

If you’ve never heard his music, do yourself a favor and pick up Either/OR or XO. Take out the depressing nature of the lyrics and you still have some of the best music and melodies ever.
While we’re at it, here’s Angeles (which a friend tells me it was on Idol the other night. I’m sure that’s what Mr. Smith would have wanted).

And he could throw down some Rachmaninoff:

There is a memorial wall on Sunset Boulevard in LA that was the backdrop for his Figure 8 album cover.
We got to visit it a few summers ago:

Posted in elliott smith, music. Written by dhigh