Sold Date: January 2, 2015
Start Date: November 19, 2014
Final Price: $29.66 (USD)
Seller Feedback: 9059
Buyer Feedback: 18

ARTIST: Elliott Smith
TITLE: Figure 8
FORMAT: 2xLP (180 Gram)
LABEL: Plain
CATALOG #: PLAIN-127

RECORD CONDITION: NEW
JACKET CONDITION: NEW

DESCRIPTION: Elliott Smith's fifth album is a lush and beautifully melancholy collection of pop songs. Gone is the intimate lo-fi feel of his earlier records, replaced by intricate arrangements and orchestration. Reissued on 180-gram vinyl.

"Judging only by his earlier, bare-bones indie-label albums, it seemed highly unlikely that Elliott Smith would turn into the ambitious arranger and studio craftsman of his lushly textured Dreamworks debut, XO. A big part of that shift, of course, was the fact that Smith had major-label finances and equipment to work with for the first time; this allowed him to fuse his melancholy, slightly punky folk with the rich sonics of pop artists like the Beatles and Beach Boys. Smith continues in that direction for the follow-up, Figure 8, an even more sonically detailed effort laden with orchestrations and inventive production touches. With a couple of exceptions, the sound of Smith's melancholy has largely shifted from edgy to sighingly graceful, although his lyrics are as dark as ever. Even if the subject matter stays in familiar territory, though, the backing tracks are another matter -- a gorgeous, sweeping kaleidoscope of layered instruments and sonic textures. Smith fleshes his songs out with assurance and imagination, and that newfound sense of mastery is ultimately the record's real emphasis; there's seemingly a subtle new wrinkle to the sound of every track, and yet it's all easily recognizable as trademark Smith. Figure 8 comes tantalizingly close to establishing Elliott Smith as the consummate pop craftsman he's bidding to become." -  Steve Huey & allmusic.com

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