Once the damaged voice of Portland’s shadowy subconscious, Elliott Smith has emerged as one of the greatest songwriters of his generation. Smith was quickly swept up from the glowing embers of indie rock and maverick label Kill Rock Stars, to become soundtrack-boy for the major label DreamWorks. The result was 1998’s lush “XO”, and Smith fans embraced his clearly ironic, newfound rock-star persona because, well, it actually worked.
With “Figure 8,” Smith continues with his bigger, more extroverted sound, but brings back some of the painstakingly personal, bleeding-heart melodies that make up his fragile and tranquil foundation.
The Beatles’ influence is undeniable, and “Figure 8” sounds a little like the long lost second disk from “Abbey Road.”
Smith does a good job here, and his fans will watch to see if he’ll continue to push himself forward.
“Everything Reminds Me of Her” and “Easy Way Out” recapture the folksy simplicity of his early records, while “Son of Sam” and “LA” rock with newfound conviction. As long as his empathic songwriting skills and lucid voice remain intact, Smith will continue to make immaculate records like this one.