Elliott Smith:Overrated

PoolGuy · 07-15-2011, 03:30 PM

Don't get me wrong, I loved XO but he is a very overrated musician. Anyone agree? Disagree? I feel like he is one of those musicians that someone likes to get indie cred points.

~~[MERIT]~~ · 07-15-2011, 03:32 PM

Completely disagree. He may get too many brownie points for his suicide/death (similar to Kurt Cobain), but that doesn't detract from how good his music was.

Surell · 07-25-2011, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oojay

Completely disagree. He may get too many brownie points for his suicide/death (similar to Kurt Cobain), but that doesn't detract from how good his music was.

Just about any artist that passes prematurely or dies in their prime gets inflated appraisal.

But I find Elliot Smith entirely deserving of the praise he gets as a songwriter. His self titled is on my list for favorite album of all time, after all. Amongst other singer/songwriters, especially making music these days, i find him lacking enough praise.

Also, I agree, XO is great, but not my favorite.

BastardofYoung · 07-15-2011, 03:51 PM

No. If anything he is underrated.

~~[MERIT]~~ · 07-15-2011, 03:57 PM

"From A Basement On A Hill" is one of the rare albums that I can put on and enjoy from start to finish.

BastardofYoung · 07-15-2011, 04:03 PM

Yeah, that was the album that got me into his music. Heatmiser was a great band as well.

~~[MERIT]~~ · 07-15-2011, 04:10 PM

Pool Guy, is your beef that you dislike his music, or that it is overrated regardless of how good it is?

Charlemagne · 07-15-2011, 04:14 PM

XO is one of my all time favorite albums and I love a lot of his other stuff too, like Either/Or I can kind of see where you are coming from musicianship wise, his stuff is pretty simple, but his lyrics are fantastic and I for one am a huge fan of simple/acoustic music, so I don't see him as overrated at all.

duga · 07-15-2011, 06:56 PM

Either/Or is a guitar player's acoustic album. It sounds simple on first listen, but it is actually quite complex. He is really creative in his chord progressions. "Alameda" is actually a challenge to play before you really sit down and get the hang of it. Either/Or is far and away my favorite album of his.

In general, I also think he is underrated. He is one of the rare occasions where someone has indie cred because he is actually good and not just because it's "cool to like him".

richie1 · 07-15-2011, 07:52 PM

Elliott Smith overrated? I don't think so at all. Not only are his lyrics brilliant, his guitar playing is fantastic as well. I'd have to agree with Duga. Either/Or is my favorite ES album as well.

07-15-2011, 03:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
PoolGuy Groupie Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 15	Elliott Smith:Overrated Don't get me wrong, I loved XO but he is a very overrated musician. Anyone agree? Disagree? I feel like he is one of those musicians that someone likes to get indie cred points. __________________ [This is a music forum, not a pool business advertising opportunity. Read the forum rules.]

07-15-2011, 03:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
BastardofYoung Buzz Killjoy Join Date: May 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 2,692	No. If anything he is underrated. __________________ last.fm ‎"I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people." - Jack Handey.

07-15-2011, 04:03 PM	#6 (permalink)
BastardofYoung Buzz Killjoy Join Date: May 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 2,692	Yeah, that was the album that got me into his music. Heatmiser was a great band as well. __________________ last.fm ‎"I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people." - Jack Handey.

07-15-2011, 04:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
Charlemagne Say something vague Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,551	XO is one of my all time favorite albums and I love a lot of his other stuff too, like Either/Or I can kind of see where you are coming from musicianship wise, his stuff is pretty simple, but his lyrics are fantastic and I for one am a huge fan of simple/acoustic music, so I don't see him as overrated at all. __________________ Charlemagne had eyes like a lover, but last winter there was weather and his eyes they iced right over. My Last.fm

07-15-2011, 06:56 PM	#9 (permalink)
duga MB quadrant's JM Vincent Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 3,762	Either/Or is a guitar player's acoustic album. It sounds simple on first listen, but it is actually quite complex. He is really creative in his chord progressions. "Alameda" is actually a challenge to play before you really sit down and get the hang of it. Either/Or is far and away my favorite album of his. In general, I also think he is underrated. He is one of the rare occasions where someone has indie cred because he is actually good and not just because it's "cool to like him". __________________ Confusion will be my epitaph...

07-15-2011, 03:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
~~[MERIT]~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Missouri, USA Posts: 4,823	Completely disagree. He may get too many brownie points for his suicide/death (similar to Kurt Cobain), but that doesn't detract from how good his music was.

07-15-2011, 03:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
~~[MERIT]~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Missouri, USA Posts: 4,823	"From A Basement On A Hill" is one of the rare albums that I can put on and enjoy from start to finish.

07-15-2011, 04:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
~~[MERIT]~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Missouri, USA Posts: 4,823	Pool Guy, is your beef that you dislike his music, or that it is overrated regardless of how good it is?

07-15-2011, 07:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
richie1 Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: South Florida, USA Posts: 109	Elliott Smith overrated? I don't think so at all. Not only are his lyrics brilliant, his guitar playing is fantastic as well. I'd have to agree with Duga. Either/Or is my favorite ES album as well. __________________ Well a person can work up a mean mean thirst after a hard day of nothin' much at all Summer's passed, it's too late to cut the grass There ain't much to rake anyway in the fall [link removed by mod - no advertising permitted]