90s Album Thread: Elliott Smith: “XO” (1998)
The tragic troubadour who left a mark
Elliott Smith arrived on my doorstep as he did for many people; I heard his songs while watching the movie “Good Will Hunting.”
Not since the pairing of Cat Stevens with “Harold and Maude” or Simon & Garfunkel with “The Graduate” had I heard and seen such a powerful combination of music and film. It was jaw-dropping. The biggest difference was that Cat Stevens and Simon & Garfunkel were known quantities when those two films were released. And with my apologies to those who had been fans of his music up to that point, when Elliott Smith’s songs appeared in “Good Will Hunting,” many of us were left wondering, “Who is this?”
“XO” was, in fact, his 4th studio album. It was the first to appear on a major label (Dreamworks) which was most definitely a result of the attention brought about by the success of “Good Will Hunting.” Yet that sudden burst of fame didn’t derail Elliott all that much, at least from his output as an artist. “XO” was a continuation of his journey and the one album of his that stands out for me amongst the many.
As a songwriter, I’ve studied many other songwriters. And Elliott Smith might be the most enigmatic and awesome one I’ve ever encountered. His talent is otherworldly. After breaking down one of his songs…
