I truly can't say enough about this man, or this album. He left us far too soon, but it's these early albums of his that hint that his tragic suicide might have been all but inevitable. Still, the music on Either/Or is as heartbreakingly beautiful as the man himself; a departure from his previous release, the self-titled Elliott Smith, and his second effort for the Kill Rock Stars label, Either/Or features a natural progression away from the raw, acoustic stylings of his first album and into a more layered, instrumental approach. Elliott played every note of music on the album, from the guitar to drums, to bass and piano. This was ambitious at the time, as he was more accustomed to a simpler style. The transition was easy enough, however, as he crafted some of greatest pop tunes of the '90's, some of which were used for fellow Portlander and close friend Gus van Sant's commerical hit "Good Will Hunting". The title of the album is derived from the Søren Kierkegaard book of the same name. Smith stated in a few interviews that the album follows the Kierkegaard philosophy in relation with the absurdist struggle between choosing an aesthetic life and an ethical life. By this time, Smith's already-heavy drinking was now being compounded with use of anti-depressants. At the end of his tour in support of the album, an intervention was staged by close friends of his in Chicago, but it proved ineffective.
His death effected many, but each of his fans still hold a strong devotion for one of the greatest songwriters of all time, especially in his native Northwest. After his death, Gus van Sant was asked to surmise his music in the best way he could: after some thought, van Sant plainly but eloquently stated: "His songs sound like Portland." And what a truth that was. One can easily see the sweeping skyline, the cloudy skies and prolific bikers dodging traffic while listening to tracks like "Rose Parade". This album, like each of his efforts, truly paint a portrait.
He will forever be the truest and the bluest.
Choosing this album eventually proved not to be too difficult, but I did pass over some gems, including Radiohead's OK Computer, blink's Dude Ranch, Green Day's Nimrod, Biggie's Ready to Die and a few others.
Next week: 1998
Hint: Mugnam
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