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XO
XO in Bloomington, MN
Current price: $29.99
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A year before his major-label debut,
XO
, was released, it seemed unlikely that
Elliott Smith
would even be on a major, let alone having his record be one of the more anticipated releases of 1998. He had certainly earned a great deal of critical respect with his low-key, acoustic indie records and was emerging as a respected songwriter, but he hadn't made much of an impression outside of journalists, record collectors, and indie rockers. An Oscar nomination can change things, however.
"Miss Misery,"
one of
Smith
's elegantly elegiac songs for
Gus Van Sant
's
Good Will Hunting
, unexpectedly earned an Academy Award nomination, and he was immediately thrust into the spotlight. He was reluctant to embrace instant celebrity, yet he didn't refuse a contract with
DreamWorks
, and he didn't shy away from turning
into a glorious fruition of his talents.
's songs remain intensely introspective, yet the lush,
Beatlesque
production provides a terrifically charming counterpoint. His sweetly dark melodies are vividly brought to life with the detailed arrangements, and they sell
's tormented songs -- it's easy to get caught up in the tunes and the sound of the record, then realize later what the songs are actually about. That's a sign of a good craftsman, and
proves that not only can
craft a song, but he knows how to make an alluring
pop
record as well. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
XO
, was released, it seemed unlikely that
Elliott Smith
would even be on a major, let alone having his record be one of the more anticipated releases of 1998. He had certainly earned a great deal of critical respect with his low-key, acoustic indie records and was emerging as a respected songwriter, but he hadn't made much of an impression outside of journalists, record collectors, and indie rockers. An Oscar nomination can change things, however.
"Miss Misery,"
one of
Smith
's elegantly elegiac songs for
Gus Van Sant
's
Good Will Hunting
, unexpectedly earned an Academy Award nomination, and he was immediately thrust into the spotlight. He was reluctant to embrace instant celebrity, yet he didn't refuse a contract with
DreamWorks
, and he didn't shy away from turning
into a glorious fruition of his talents.
's songs remain intensely introspective, yet the lush,
Beatlesque
production provides a terrifically charming counterpoint. His sweetly dark melodies are vividly brought to life with the detailed arrangements, and they sell
's tormented songs -- it's easy to get caught up in the tunes and the sound of the record, then realize later what the songs are actually about. That's a sign of a good craftsman, and
proves that not only can
craft a song, but he knows how to make an alluring
pop
record as well. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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