Elliott Smith: Plain & Simple - RETROACTIVE REVIEW 

Elliot smith is my favorite artist

One of the greatest songwriters of our time. Rest in peace Elliott Smith.

In my view Elliott Smith is the best singer songwriter of the last 30 years. If you listen to his albums you will struggle to find a bad song on any of them. Writing consistently good songs is the sign of a great artist in my eyes. Also, since I discovered him about 6 years ago, I have barely stopped listening to his songs. 40+ years of listening to music and I can't think of any other artist that I haven't eventually gotten a little bored of listening to. Elliott is an exceptional artist who was the master of composition, chord changes and crafting really intricate but highly melodic, alternative pop songs. Also, he wrongly gets labelled as a depressed, navel gazing indie sad sack but he's nothing of the sort. Sure, some of his songs are low key and sad but he's writing about difficult subjects like addiction, co dependency, abuse etc. so he's hardly going to make those songs into jolly sea shanties! He writes just as many, if not more, uplifting songs. Figure 8 has a lot of really well crafted and high tempo songs for instance. Unfortunately, Elliott was a deeply troubled man and was unlikely to live to a ripe old age. It's an absolute travesty that he died so early as I think he would still be making amazing music today and we would be celebrating him a lot more. I only hope he gets the recognition he deserves in future.

My dad would replay songs from different artists such as Elliot Smith when I was little and Elliot Smith has always and will always be comforting. Even with my two brothers we each love different bands and artists from which we listened to as children but, each of us still love and enjoy Elliot's music. Idk just wanted to put this out there ( thanks dad :) )

For the record, that was Jon Brion in the beginning talking about Mary Lou Lord

Elliott was the brightest shooting star, we hardly caught a glimpse of but it was astounding.

Another fantastic video. Elliott is untouchable man. Either/or, XO, s/t, figure 8 and Roman candle are all absolute classics

3:28 I’d like to add on. His song “Go By” is life imitating art at its finest. He starts steady, speeds up, and then a complete breakdown. Hell, folks have literally studied his song Speed Trails. He was, in a way, a genius. His lyrics are always good too. I’m jealous of the way he can write and it all make sense in such a beautiful way.

You sold me on Elliott Smith

Thank you for this! There's never been a great deal of documentation on Elliott, most of it seems to veer off and either mystify him or obsessively pander to the tragic artist image. It's good to see a balanced documentary on him based on his talents and his work

This video was awesome and reminded me how much I loved Elliott Smith. I saw him play live 3 times and each time I was just mesmerized by the performance. A truly amazing songwriter. RIP Elliott Smith

Jon Brion, whom I also consider a musical genius...his opening remarks on Elliott are so spot on. :D

I wish more people watched ur vids!

The indie Kind sweet yet punk raw songs of today all rip off ELLOTT!. A pure genius. MISS YOU!!!!

Not too many artists like this that can play every instrument on an album. Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Piano, Clarinet, an actual song writer and lyricist; that’s true talent my friends.

I love him cause hes just that good.

Funny, I was just listening to Elliott Smith today.

I love all your videos, and this was no exception. Great work.

Loved that you use Condor Avenue in Roman Candle. Definitely his toughest song to play on the album

I just discovered your channel and watched a few videos. These are fantastic! Your commentary is adding new levels of value and appreciation i have to artists i already thought I understood! Keep making these!

"The guy you hate because he's just that good." That's a sentiment that I don't understand at all.

This is why your videos are so great, you managed to take an artist I've only occasionally heard of and in a couple of minutes, explain their appeal and make me love them.

“The guy you hate.” No.

Excellent video. I've watched it a few times and shared it with friends. One suggestion. Consider calling it a "retrospective" review rather than "retroactive". It makes more sense that way. Again, really enjoyed!

“The guy you hate” ????? Fucking no. Who could hate Elliott? Literally no one could hate him

Love your videos! I would love to hear your take on Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart or Mike Patton.

fucking fantastic video. thank you. I still can't stop listening to him. no words to describe the loss this world has from his death.

You put a lot of effort in your videos earned a subscriber.

This video was what got me into Elliot Smith when i was in high school. Im 22 now, and im still really thankful for that. Hope you're doing well man, miss your stuff ✌️

Great video! I would love to see your take on Sigur Ros

Great video as per usual, would you ever consider making a video about frank oceans representation in the public eye, and how he stays as far away from media as possible and instead uses his music as views into his personal life? In a time where artists say that they prefer to be isolated and don't want to do interviews, I feel frank ocean truly practices what he preaches, as he stays quite an illusive character. I feel like this builds into his music and his hype. I would really love to hear you thoughts on this, especially after his latest little interview saying his latest records are autobiographies

Man, what a great video. And what a wonderful comment section. Elliot fandom is the best. I love you guys. I wish I knew more Elliottheads in real life 😂

He was the greatest..I think he’s the best late songwriter of our time..a kind of genius that comes very rarely but also such a unique artist that no one could ever be like him. Wish I was old enough to see him when he was alive

I'm glad I found this

Well done review!

please make a retroactive of layne Stanley* my second pettition*

Very underrated channel. Keep it up man.

Thank you sir, that was beautiful

Lovely video, criminally underviewed!

Elliott isnt totally minimalist. Figure 8 and XO were so complex

Awesome, I wish the video was a little longer though.

Your videos are phenomenal.

You deserve more viewers

what a talent crazy instrumentation beautiful lyrics songcraft like the Beatles

Subbed! Amazing Video

great video!!!!

Fantastic.

Elliott's guitar style was completely unique.

Very well done!

great review.

I'd love to know your thoughts on Earl Sweatshirt, with your Danny Brown video being so good i can't imagine how amazing an earl video would be.

This was a great video. Love how you analyze Elliott.

An absolute musical beast. Love him so much

No entiendo mucho, pero veré todo lo que tenga que ver con Elliott Smith.

nice video! i like it

This channel inspires me to make videos.

so beautiful

Do one on Nick Drake

Best progressions of all time

is there an update on the danny brown on youtube?

Also I’m a alt-country musician and all my buddies wonder why I rarely ever use a pick, have a odd alt style of Travis picking, and use a bunch of chords. I wanted to be a master of chords progressions like ES so much I had to calm down. Didn’t even learn scales until my mid 20’s.

Also I don't know how you feel about recommendations but I'd definitely be interested in a video about Tame Impala if you're familiar with Kevin Parker's music

Publicaron esto el día de mi cumpleaños, y lo vi un año después, el mismo día :_)

Gone from “Loud to Soft” seems to be the way to do it.Heatmiser- Elliott Alexisonfire- City &Colour

Need to listen to elliot more. He looks like a young Gira lol.

Nothing but love for Elliot Smith

He consciously and subconsciously influenced my music..im still growing

If you are reading this.. Congrats on having awesome music taste..

Man this is like, perfect music for me. No idea why I've never bothered checking him out before, even though I've always been aware of the name

the greatest ever

I would love something about layne staley or Alice in Chains from you. Anything

Elliot Smith is the most important American songwriter since Cole Porter.

I could never hate Elliott. How could you even close with that?

Never for a moment did I begrudge him his immense abilities. Even when he took them away.

Still seeing fantastic Still hearing the sad The measures I take are minimal We've been dodging the ride ...

Elliott Smith and the closing scene for Good Will Hunting inspired me to write a song back in 1998. Here it is, recorded a few years later: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eGlNCreFabY.html Thank you from the heart, Elliott.

Do one on the pixies!

What a guy

A true genius if there is such a thing.

The Good Reverend Approves

There’s something so unique about his guitarplaying , I’ve never ever heard anything similar

OMFG THANK YOU

Lie Likes Music "They took your life apsty, they called your failures art, they were wrong though,/...- Elliott Smith. ... in a few years after XO cake out, he would be dead, I would be bought out of my nascent contract with another label and I have a nice evening to remember when we played across the street from each other in Cleveland before he was famous, we had a quick sound check (1 person, vocals and instrument. The club I played had a piano there, and he had minimal gear& opening 4 Mary Lou Lord. I remember hearing that same song from XO around 6 year years and a couple months after his death (near Xmas) and the lyrics were eerie, but the meaning had reversed. The art in him, and the rest of the simplicity of the silliness, and the whole.... I have a great time in making peace with that. I will refer people who are certain that he is an open and shut case of suicide to the Justice For Elliott Smith page by Alyson Camus. The website I have seen which has more compelling insights into the world of the man especially near the end of his short life. . I am not going to be able to make a call from Chicago and 16 years ago. .. I just have a few feelings of "off" when I am thinking of evidence that I have read along with the music he was working on, and the other part, the way that I can not get outside of my own experiences with the life I am bringing in with me. . I met smith within weeks of my brother's suicide. I am not going to bullshit you by saying that I talked to him about it, I was just getting to the place where I was able to make a few hours pass without thinking of him, and obsessing over the past few weeks, but I don't think I was just going to be able to do talk with the guy who was bumming smokes with me, I remember liking his name. I had a cat called Elliott. But, I ramble...my life on Earth is now a year longer than with my brother dead than it was here with an older brother. I am older than he was, than he will ever be. If you have any experience with this, I am sorry for this, and I am not going to get over the weirdness, and that is OK. I am just sad to see the light attached or detached from the last few moments of a person's life. You can be so much for the world or so little, but I have met some of the most important people who have played an integral part in this person I know that I am, and am becoming. The only thing I can show them of Bobby is a few photos and a lot of stories, but I think the last few years it has been a little bit more like a myth to ME. I'M the same one on the same motorcycle in my early memories. If you have a suicide as the last act of a life, that's going to be a little bit more. ....of all the ways that you can have a last word, there's nothing quite as effective as a shell casing hitting the ground after a burst of cordite. You can not recant it. I have a great doubt that smith took his life. But I know that there is a good amount of erroneous info out on the Internet and I have had 5 FIVE yes 5 people who were well versed in his discography yet misinformed that Elliott died in the same way as Kurt Cobain did. ..self inflicted gunshot. Regardless, I am indebted to the man and his music for pulling me back from the same path as my own brother... I have images from the lyrics to Bottle Up & Explode tattooed on my arms and I am grateful to have shared a planet simultaneously with this guy. And the conversation and my cigarettes. RIP, Steven Paul from Nebraska.

Scott green is taken from Dune Rats?

Thanks Elliott_ R.I.P

Miss u Elliott

If it says elliot smith I thumbs up regardless

Elliot reminds me alooot about St. Thomas. Fans of Elliott Smith should really check him out.

check out Bill Fox! He's amazing

He’s a genius oh my God

Elliott smith is so good bro

After listening to him, it's hard to listen to anyone else, because they just don't stack up. He was light years ahead of the rest.

Radiohead. Especially In Rainbows.

I think you need to look at his death. It’s as interesting as his life and even his music.

Really, the review is finished by 1:00. Nothing more needs to be said. And doesn't Jon Brion looks like the mad-scientist version of Neil Young?

I feel bad for that girl friend of Elliott’s at the beginning of the video they talk about lolzzz

many people consider his music depressing,i .think it is uplifting

Elliott smith is my all time favourite. Nothing original to say i see, but had to be said anyhow.

On pluck over strum: Picasso said he had to lean how to draw like an adult just so he could get good at drawing like a child. Well, when we're first learning guitar they teach us strummed chords but the only reason I learned them was so I could turn into arpeggio on my own. In other words: strumming never really did it for me and it you made a list of your top 10 favorite riffs. Chances are 8 of them were plucked.

i really really really fcking hate how unbelievably disgusting and tragic his own career ended up being. Because I have no doubt that Elliott Smith is someone who is head's and shoulders above the other songwriters/musicians during his time. Had he looked like, John Meyer or even Conor Oberst. His name would be known by most everyone. I hate saying something that lame; but vanity is important in such a world.