Elliott Smith
XO
[Dreamworks]
Rating: 8.1
There are some people who run a small record label in Olympia, Washington
that probably want to kill Elliott Smith today. And for nothing more
than becoming a rock star. Yes, the talented indie troubadour has left
Kill Rock Stars and now records for Dreamworks, a new major with new
money that's quickly compiling an impressive roster. Thanks to Gus Van
Sant and his use of Smith's award- winning music in his award- winning
film "Good Will Hunting, Elliott got his rugged face in front of millions.
Thanks to his vastly talented singing and songwriting, Smith should be around
awhile.
The indie cred is out the window but the tunes are still there, so trust
me, teenagers-- everything is going to be just fine. If anything, Smith's
songwriting continues to improve, as each of the XO's 14 tracks displays
his inarguable mastery of the pop song structure more clearly than ever. The feel
throughout is light and understated, like something from a barely
remembered past, a time when melody was the evening gown and the beat was
just something you hung it on. He's a songwriter's songwriter in the
finest Paul Simon tradition. Smith's impossibly angelic voice is easy on
the ears and occasionally, such as his falsetto on "Waltz #1" and the the
a capella "I Didn't Understand," it becomes so utterly weightless it
seems like it's going to float into space.
Musically, XO offers few surprises. No duets with KRS-One or
collaborations with Howie B. The bigger budget was put to good use,
though, allowing Smith to explore some Brian Wilson- inspired harmonies
and add the odd horns, strings and lots of piano. Thankfully, these
embellishments are subtle, and several songs stay in "guy- and- his
guitar" mode, just like on those beloved seven- inches from the days
of yore. I'm eyeballing the track listing to try and pull some highlights,
but dammit, all of these songs are good-- this album is nothing if not
consistent. If you have any interest in this man or in smart, well-
crafted pop, you've just gotta pick it up.
-Mark Richard-San