ELLIOTT SMITH
„XO"

This is the fourth Elliott Smith album this year and he still doesn't get a bit boring.
The artist from Portland is not to blame for the short period of his record's releases.
It's just that the public's attention was drawn to Smith after having done the „Good
Will Hunting" soundtrack and now his old records are being released.
Elliott Smith is the shooting star of the American singer/songwriter scene and his
new album has a clearly produced sound, better than the three previous recordings
and it is even more variable in instrumentation. But a comparison from „XO" to
„Either/Or" and the very acoustic „Roman Candle" and „Elliott Smith" seems un-
suitable because a four year musical evolution lays between these records.
In 1994 there was only space for a glass of whiskey between Smith's voice and his
wonderful guitar melodies. Today a chorus with a lot of voices seems possible.
Smith has become more open with his song structures. His major ability which is
to write excellent folk pop songs that warm your soul is still there.
But one thing is for sure : This is no longer a guitar devotion in a silent room,
this is pop music. Everyone who stumbles across Smith now should not miss to
listen to the early recordings.

(4 points out of 5)

published in : VISIONS, edition No. 71, November 1998.

thanks to olsen for translating this from german to english!