Either/Or

Either/Or is the stopover record between Elliott Smith's earlier Lo-Fi acoustic sound and the overly lush arrangements that began on "XO" and dominated the rest of his brief recording career. It is a very well produced album that still feels like it was recorded in Smith's basement.

"Either/Or" opens with a whisper. "Speed Trials" is filled with Smith's breathy vocals, singing spiteful lyrics about a person's propped up composure, over a hushed guitar. "It's just a brief smile crossing your face, running speed trials, standing in place," he sings.

The album does fill in after this track, but the tone rarely changes. These are songs you sing while walking down a Los Angeles boulevard in the rain after a night of heavy drinking and tense social interactions. These are songs you play for your girlfriend late at night to explain the mood you've been in, only to find her crying with each track.

"Between the Bars" may be the most straightforward and effective song written about finding a partner and loving them for who they are in the moment, and not who they have been in the past. "Angeles" is a scornful tirade against the warped values of Los Angeles. Ironically, it was also featured on the "Good Will Hunting" soundtrack and helped propel Smith into the mainstream.

The album closes with the serene "Say Yes," which pitches two realities: one where Smith lives a hard life, and one where he lives in a world he's in love with. The only difference between the two outcomes is whether the girl he cares about stays with him the morning after.

Smith's song arrangements only became more complex as time went on. Some would argue that this later work is his best. But no Elliot Smith album is as consistent and worthwhile as "Either/Or."