for fans of Elliott Smith

and this:

http://www.archive.org/details/esmith1998-04-17.flac

Thanks Jeff, will definitely be checking them out.

Ryan

amazon came through early and I received "New Moon" yesterday (Mon).

This is amazing stuff ! The only qualifier is the "two disc" reference is slightly misleading as each disc is under 40 minutes - that is the only criticism I have - I will always wish there was more, as I could listen to it endlessly.

If you believe in magic, buy two copies - one for you and one for a friend.

Highly recommended.

Jeff A

Just purchased Jeff along with from a basement on the hill. i have 3 other records by him, but cmae to his music after his death unfortunately.

Ryan

quote:

Originally posted by ryan_d:
Just purchased Jeff along with from a basement on the hill. i have 3 other records by him, but cmae to his music after his death unfortunately.
Ryan

I hope you enjoy them. New Moon is very much like Either/Or which is my favorite Elliott period.

I listened to ES music prior to his death but never took the opportunity to see him when he lived in Portland - I deeply regret that now.

There is a delicacy to New Moon which is very hard to describe. During this time, Elliott was a very gentle person, though there are hints of his coming troubles. A tragic loss.

Jeff A

Jeff,
it would definitely appear so.....i need to do some fact finding on him. ONly know the basics.

Ryan

I think I may have to give him another listen. Just couldn't get into him when I heard his first disc all those years ago.

Ewemon,
like gomez hes another one if you give it the time then hes great. i got into him after watching Good Will Hunting.

Ryan

Jeff,
just got New Moon today. Like you said tis very similar to either/or which is great. Just started listening to it now and i'm impressed so far.

Ryan

I hope you like it, Ryan.

As I have continued listening to it this week, I continue to be amazed at how he deals with difficult life situations lyrically, often using "aggressive" language and references but somehow doing so with the gentleness I referred to above and which is so obvious in the live link above from the same time period. I have suffered numerous periods of deep depression the past five years due to medical problems/life-saving prescription drugs and that is a very fine line, and possibly a line he ultimately crossed, willingly or not.

Ray LaMontagne travels this same road, particularly in "Empty" from his second album, notwithstanding the subject matter, one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard.

Good listenin', and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this and the Gomez thread. I have been listening to some Gomez stuff the past couple days and enjoying it very much.

Jeff A

I shall Jeff,
I have no personal experience with depression but I have professional experience of working with people who experience it, and like you say its a fine line.

Thanks for te info and your candour with regards the subject matter........music does seem to be able to strike a chord (pun intended) on so many levels.

All the best

Ryan

My copy arrived at the end of last week and it took until last night to have a really good listen to both CDs. The first CD is the more immediate and contains stuff that immediately had me agreeing with those critics who suggest that these songs could so easily have sat upon the albums he made in that mid 90s period. The second CD is less immediate but in some ways more impressive both musically and lyrically. I suspect it will grow. These are just first impressions mind. I am sure there is more to come.

What I did find disheartening though were some of the sleeve notes, which moved toward that Ian Curtis uncritical hagiography that mythologises tragedy for profit. Shame - fortunately the overall package is great.

Mike

Mike,
I agree with pretty much everything you have said.....i also prefer the 2nd cd ahving spent some time with both now. But like you said, they could quite easily have made it on to any of his seminal records.

Ryan