WHY WE CHOSE IT:

 

Elliott Smith made five albums in his tragically short life, and they’re all staggeringly beautiful in some way or another. XO is, perhaps, the transitional album, the moment where he was switching over from being the unknown and self-reflective, indie acoustic artist to a full-on studio-pop auteur. It's the sound of a clearly profound musician taking full advantage of his resources as soon as they were made available to him. It's warm, intuitive and fully-formed and is created with stunning clarity.

 

XO is a work of deep, sweeping, majestic and nurturing beauty. His desperation and depression is present, there is simple inadequacy and the grim reality of laying awake at night, attuned to the thoughts you don't want to be thinking. He transforms the ugly and realistic sentiments into shattering beauty.

 

There is a compilation called An Introduction To Elliott Smith which collects all the artist's best tunes onto one record. However, we firmly believe the best gateway is always via a great album, a moment time and a statement as the artist truly intended. From there, you, the listener and explorer, can choose in which direction you will proceed. If XO is your first dive into the music of Elliott Smith, welcome. We're sure it won't be your last. xo

​

FILE UNDER:

   

Baroque pop, indie gems, art pop, soundtracks to classic cinema, indie folk, late singer-songwriter greats

​

IF YOU LIKE:

 

Bright Eyes, Nick Drake, Paul McCartney's Ram, Neutral Milk Hotel, Yo La Tengo, Daniel Johnston, Pavement, Sparklehorse.

​

WATCH:

​

LISTEN:

 

Elliott Smith Essentials - LISTEN HERE.

​

READ:

​

From His Bedroom to The Oscars - 'XO' and Elliott Smith's Everlasting Legacy - READ  HERE.