The problem
with good albums is that they're bloody difficult to talk about. There's
so much happening on "XO" by Elliott Smith, that I've had trouble getting
a clear picture. Every time I put the record on and try and take each song
apart I find myself drawn in by the album's bitter sweet melodies and carried
along by its haunting strains. It's the whole "suspension of disbelief"
thing: you find yourself thrown into the fray and enjoying every minute
of it. That's what rock'n'roll's about, I suppose. A sense of immediacy,
of intense emotional involvement. So, in this way, "XO" paints an emotional
picture. Or several pictures, for that matter.
There seem to be several albums within the album. There's the acoustic side, of course. Smith relies heavily, throughout the album, on ditties strummed or picked out on his acoustic guitar.
This acoustic side tends to accentuate the feeling of fragility and sincerity that runs through the album. The playing is sometimes halting, voluntarily highlighting "feeling" over "technicity". You can sometimes hear the metallic rasp of Smith's fingers sliding up and down the fretboard. So, on a first listen, you may come away with the impression that "XO" is something acoustic, voluntarily clumsy, verging on what is called "lo-fi".
You couldn't be farther from the truth, however, because another side of this album is the intricacy of some of the arrangements, both instrumentally and vocally. Underneath this acoustic seemingly simple front are some truly breathtaking compositions. Indeed, Smith proves himself to be a master of the recording studio on this album.
And of course, the two main references that come to mind are the two all-time greats of pop music: The Beach Boys and The Beatles.
As far as the Beach Boys are concerned, Smith's intricate working of the recording studio could be compared to Brian Wilson's. Equally, the complexity of the vocal harmonies resembles Brian Wilson's. The way these harmonies suddenly burst
out
and soar to unexpected heights. The album also contains good examples of
Brian
Wilson style piano-playing.
As for the Beatles, one can only conclude that Smith makes definite references to the band in several songs. In "Baby Britain" he even mentions the Beatles' album widely recognised as the band's finest: "Revolver". However, some moments look more like "Sergeant Pepper's" than "Revolver". For example, the percussive repeated guitar chord in "Baby Britain" brings to mind "Getting Better" from Sergeant Pepper's. Also, some of the complex orchestrations, especially the brilliant ending of "Everybody cares, everybody understands" brings to mind the "Sergeant Pepper" album. On "Oh well, okay" there is a very Beatle-esque guitar break and on "Bottle up and explode !" there's another one. Finally, the last number, "I didn't understand", a moving piece built on vocal harmonies alone, has something of "Because" from Abbey Road. Ok, so it's also very different from "because" in its mood and tone, because Elliott Smith is an artist in his own right. Don't get the wrong idea. Smith makes references to the two great bands and uses their techniques, up to a point, but produces something both original and very personal.
And this is where it gets difficult. How to describe this guy ? How to explain his particular charm ? Obviously, the guy seems to be putting himself on the line here, or at least making a good appearance of it. The lyrics seem very personal and the singer seems to throw himself into his songs (and especially the choruses) with abandon. The mood is a very melancholy one, desperate and lost. In many songs there's a movement from the fragility of the melodies, the isolation of a naked guitar and voice to the redeeming aspects of the soaring, booming choruses where every instrument fits into a transcendent whole.
Elliott Smith expresses despair, loss, regret and pain. Still, like many greats who express similar feelings, Nick Drake to name just one, his work isn't depressing. In fact there's something cathartic about it. He achieves this, at least partly, in much the same way as Brian Wilson does, by his incredible use of harmonies. Intricate, imaginative choruses, suddenly rising, ever climbing, attaining true beauty.