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Elliott Smith - self-titled
- Elliott Smith’s "XO" deals with themes that are, for the most part, inherently sad. But somehow he stays away from the trap of feeling too sorry for himself. None of the songs can be boiled down to a simple statement of how life and the world is against him. Perhaps that is why they all sound genuine Further, he doesn’t sing about his own problems ad nauseum, but deals with things that everyone in the world goes through, but through his own eyes.
The subject of "Independence Day" is youthful enthusiasm, something that may die out quickly but is gorgeous while it lasts. "Baby Britain" speaks of a person who is too enraptured by his own pain. Many think that wallowing in their sorrow makes them somehow artistic, something apart from the world. Maybe this person is the singer, maybe it is not. But what the song points out is that they’re only fooling themselves, and everyone around them. Everybody has pain, but that doesn’t make us beautiful. What is artistic about it is when someone uses suffering to create something beautiful.
Of course, there are the usual songs about lost loves. But in Elliot’s hands, these subjects don’t fall into monotony. "Sweet Adeline" and "Waltz #2 (XO)" talk about relationships that didn’t work, or never came about. But they are not overly self-indulgent; rather, they look for the reason and the meaning behind things that have happened.
The style of the music on "XO" perfectly complements the thought behind the lyrics. The blend of piano, guitar and Elliott’s ethereal voice never gets very loud at all. Even at its loudest points, it doesn’t raise the heart rate like rock songs tend to do. It is always clear that what is being discussed is something serious and not to be screamed about. Not only that, but the music complements the lyrics, sounding exited when it should, and sad when that is appropriate for what is being said. Perhaps the best way to describe the sound is to imagine the thoughts of a man sitting in front of a café, sipping his coffee slowly and watching the people go by. It’s a stream of consciousness, but never a boring or irrelevant one.
Fans of Elliott Smith were distressed by his apparent suicide earlier this year. Luckily, he left a good many things behind so that we could remember the huge talent he had. This record is one of them.
Reviewer: Sarah Fry
new
Reviewer's Rating: 9
Reader's Rating: 9.67
Reader's Votes: 3
Added: 12-Jun-2004
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