Elliott Smith whispered his head full of flames into no name homemade heartsongs and found his voice with this accidental achievement. Smith had formed Stranger Than Fiction with Garrick Duckler while in high school in Texas; and then Heatmiser with Neil Gust while a student at Hampshire College before moving to Portland, Oregon where they were signed to local Cavity Search Records by Denny Swofford. As the band was building an audience, Smith began recording the demos that became 'Roman Candle' at the home of his manager and girlfriend JJ Gonson on microphones from Radio Shack and a four track recorder. Smith played all of the instruments save for some snare and cymbal provided by Kid Tulsa on a couple of songs.
"Roman Candle" He played himself Didn't need me to give him hell He could be cool and cruel to you and me Knew we'd put up with anything I want to hurt him I want to give him pain I'm a roman candle My head is full of flames I'm hallucinating I hear you cry Your tears are cheap Wet hot red swollen cheeks Fall asleep I want to hurt him I want to give him pain I'm a roman candle My head is full of flames I want to hurt him I want to hurt him I want to hurt him I want to give him pain And make him feel this pretty burn
"Condor Ave."
"Last Call"
'Roman Candle' full album:
All songs written and composed by Elliott Smith, except "No Name #1", written by Smith and J.J. Gonson.
1."Roman Candle" 3:37 2."Condor Ave." 3:34 3."No Name #1" 3:03 4."No Name #2" 3:34 5."No Name #3" 3:13 6."Drive All Over Town" 2:36 7."No Name #4" 2:30 8."Last Call" 4:38 9."Kiwi Maddog 20/20" 3:40 original photo taken by JJ Gonson
'XO' was recorded in Portland and Los Angeles with Smith co-producing with Rob Schnapf and Tom Rothrock. The sessions featured Elliott Smith on string and horn arrangements, production, recording, and all other instruments except for Rob Schnapf on guitar ("Baby Britain"), production, and recording; Paul Pulvirenti on drums on "Baby Britain"; Tom Rothrock on drum programming ("Independence Day"), production, and recording; Joey Waronker on drums ("Bled White", "Bottle Up and Explode!"); Jon Brion on vibraphone and Chamberlain keyboard ("Waltz #1", "Bottle Up and Explode!", "Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands"); Shelly Berg and Tom Halm on string and horn arrangements Bruce Eskovitz on bass saxophone, baritone saxophone, and flute; R. James Atkinson on French horn; Roy Poper on trumpet; and Farhad Behroozi, Henry Ferber, Jerrod Goodman, Pamela DeAlmeida, Peter Hatch, Raymond Tischer II, Russel Cantor and Waldemar DeAlmeida on strings. The album made it to number one hundred and twenty-three in the UK, one hundred and four in the US, forty-six in Australia, and number forty-one in Sweden, selling more than four hundred thousand copies. http://www.sweetadeline.net/ "Sweet Adeline"
Elliott Smith expanded his sound ever-so-slightly for the dreamy, existential, acoustic grace of his third album. 'Either/Or' features the addition of new instrumentation, including bass, drums, keyboards, and electric guitar; all of them played by Smith himself. At the time Smith said, "I got my own 8-track and stuff to do my solo stuff on; and I also got a drum set; and I borrowed a bass; so now I'm doing songs that have bass and stuff." 'Either/Or' takes its title from by Søren Kierkegaard's dualistic book of philosophy, which Smith had studied at Hampshire College. Produced by Smith with Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf, the album was recorded at various locations including Smith's house, Joanna Bolme's house, Heatmiser House, The Shop, Undercover, Inc., and Laundry Rules Recording. The album was released on Kill Rock Stars and three of the songs were featured in the film 'Good Will Hunting'. Two of them were recorded live for Jem Cohen's short film 'Lucky Three: An Elliott Smith Portrait'.
"He's pleased to meet you underneath the horse In the cathedral with the glass stained black Singing sweet high notes that echo back To destroy their master May be a long time til you get the call-up But it's sure as fate and hard as your luck No one'll know where you are It's just a brief smile crossing your face Running speed trials still standing in place"
'Between the Bars'
"Drink up, baby, look at the stars I'll kiss you again, between the bars Where I'm seeing you there, with your hands in the air Waiting to finally be caught"
'Angeles' "Don't start me trying now Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh 'Cause I'm all over it, Angeles I can make you satisfied in Everything you do All your secret wishes could right Now be coming true And be forever with my poison arms Around you No one's gonna fool around with us No one's gonna fool around with us So glad to meet'cha, Angeles"
'Say Yes' "And I could be another fool or an exception to the rule You tell me the morning after Crooked spin can't come to rest I'm damaged bad at best She'll decide what she wants I'll probably be the last to know No one says until it shows and you see how it is They want you or they don't Say yes I'm in love with the world through the eyes of a girl Who's still around the morning after"
'Either/Or' full album:
All tracks written by Elliott Smith.
1."Speed Trials"3:01 2."Alameda"3:43 3."Ballad of Big Nothing"2:48 4."Between the Bars"2:21 5."Pictures of Me"3:46 6."No Name No. 5"3:43 7."Rose Parade"3:28 8."Punch and Judy"2:25 9."Angeles"2:56 10."Cupid's Trick"3:04 11."2:45 AM"3:18 12."Say Yes"2:19
