![]() Is a column in which Tyler Wilcox scours the internet for the best (and strangest) bootlegs, rarities, outtakes, and live clips. Like, the singer-songwriter he’s most often compared to,’s tragic death inevitably casts a pall over his music. Smith’s songs were already dark, but his passing at the age of 34 in 2003 (perhaps a suicide, perhaps not) turned them pitch black. Next week’s reissue of Either/Or is surely a different listen now than it was in 1997, and not just because of a few. It can be difficult to hear his work—as masterfully written, performed, and produced as it is—without a gloomy specter creeping into one’s mind. But another way back into Elliott Smith’s music awaits on Archive.org, that hosts several dozen live recordings of the songwriter, uploaded by fans and collectors with the permission of Smith’s estate. These tapes, stretching from his first solo forays to his final appearance in 2003, give an alternate view of the musician. The darkness lingers, of course, but the songs have room to breathe a bit more in a live setting, allowing us to appreciate Smith’s craft afresh. We even get to hear him crack a joke or two. Club Congo // Scottsdale, Arizona // late 1994 or early 1995 In 2017, with Smith's legend firmly in place, it’s easy to say that the songwriter's early solo shows should have been met with a hushed, respectful silence. But in the mid-’90s, some audience members just didn't give a shit. This tape, one of the oldest known documents of Smith as a solo acoustic performer, is a battle between a chatty Club Congo crowd and Elliott's early repertoire. Elliott Smith Rarities Archive - The Moon is a Sickle Cell Elliott Smith fans have had a rarities collection available for download for a long while called Grand Mal and it has circulated quite well in fan communities. Elliott Smith’s Seminal ‘XO’ and ‘Figure 8’ Albums Get Vinyl Reissues. Elliott Smith’s Seminal ‘XO’ and ‘Figure 8’ Albums Get Vinyl Reissues. Published on. April 6, 2017. Youtube iru malargal tamil serial yesterday. “You guys always pay $7.50 to come and talk?” he complains half-heartedly at one point. But if anything, the distracted crowd—which, to be fair, does seem to include plenty of fans—seems to intensify Smith's delivery. Of special interest is the skewed remake of the old folkie number, “Little Maggie,” with Smith locating the harrowing heartbreak lurking in the timeworn lyrics. () Morning Becomes Eclectic // May 6, 1997 Promoting in the cozy confines of KCRW's studio a few years later, Smith didn't have inattentive bar patrons to deal with. But he did have Morning Becomes Eclectic’s inquisitive host Chris Douridas’ questions to deflect, whether about his influences (“I was really into Kiss and the Beatles”) or his upbringing (“let’s not get into that”). Awkward interview segments aside, the music here is captivating, a crystal clear example of Smith’s growing power as a live performer. ![]() His whisper-thin vocals cut to the quick with every phrase, while his elegant-yet-urgent guitar playing is note-perfect—check out the bone-chilling rendition of “Needle in the Hay” or the deceptively breezy “Say Yes” for proof. As uncomfortable as Smith sounds when not singing his songs, this was just the start of his time in the spotlight. Less than a year later, he’d be performing at the Oscars, thanks to the inclusion of “Miss Misery” on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack. () Le Pavillon Lion // Bourges, France // April 17, 1999 Smith came to prominence as an acoustic troubadour, but he had his sights set on a bigger sound. To support the more lushly produced XO, the songwriter toured with a lean trio made up of Quasi’s Sam Coomes on bass and backing vocals and Paul Pulvirenti on drums. This tape of the band in France is a high-energy thrill ride, with Smith leading his cohorts through hopped-up versions of XO’s highlights and rearranged older favorites, as well as a few previews of Figure 8. Any fans expecting a mellow night must’ve been surprised by the explosive readings of “Son of Sam” and “Baby Britain,” among others, showcasing Smith’s scratchy, urgent electric guitar.
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