In fact, the sparser the arrangement the better Crane’s scrub down of the original material sounds. And on “Ballad of Big Nothing,” the drums provide a solid foundation for Smith’s vocals and acoustic strumming. This approach works well on songs like “Angeles” with every finger-picked note coming through loud and clear atop an almost spectral drone. Both Smith’s voice and guitar now sound more distinct, and the same goes for all other instrumentation present. Instead of radically altering the mix, Crane goes for a more cleaned-up take. Tasked with remastering a work that straddles two different worlds, recording engineer and Smith friend Larry Crane, who also helped produce the posthumous Smith compilation “New Moon” in 2007, appears to have chosen the path of least resistance. Thus, the sound captured on “Either/ Or” could best be encapsulated as resembling a bridge between his earlier lo-fi acoustic recordings and the more ornate orchestrations of his later releases. Recorded while he was still a member of the alternative rock band Heatmiser, the record would also be Smith’s last release before being signed to the Dreamworks label. The original version of “Either/ Or” was released at a pivotal time in Smith’s career. For whether you’ve listened to “Either/ Or” a million times or not even once, the release is worth a closer look. But newcomers to the artist’s discography should rejoice too.
“Either/ Or,” Smith’s third solo release, has been repackaged by the label into a new expanded edition featuring a collection of previously unreleased rarities and live tracks, as well as a remastered version of the original album.įor fans, this news is a welcome reinvigoration and reason to revisit Smith’s work all over again. Now to celebrate the 20 th anniversary of his best-selling album, Kill Rock Stars is again shining the spotlight on the work of such a tortured and talented figure.
Smith lived his whole life between such dichotomies. Either you are an Elliott Smith fan, or you are not.įor some, Smith is the singer and songwriter who contributed a handful of heart-rending songs to the soundtrack of the film “Good Will Hunting,” including the Oscar-nominated number “ Miss Misery.” For others, he remains a cult-figure, known equally for his delicate artistry and his sudden death in 2003.
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