He laments the possibilities of what could have been: “The potential you’ll be/That you’ll never see…” This is an achingly tender portrait of resignation, as only Smith could paint it.Įither/Or’s spare atmosphere works well with its often gritty and downtrodden lyrical content, as on “No Name No. Favorite “Between the Bars” depicts a tale of doomed romance between the protagonist and his demon-in this case, the bottle.
#ELLIOTT SMITH EITHER OR TRACK SERIES#
Opening track “Speed Trials” is introduced in a series of whispers, Smith’s mellow guitar weaving a bleak tale of loneliness and denial, the singer delivering some of his finest lines, inquiring, “You little child, what makes you think you’re tough/When all the people you think you’re above/They all know what’s the matter.” The subsequent “Alameda,” a standout, is a bouncy ode to affectation and alienation, Smith sounding at once patronizing and empathetic, singing, “Nobody broke your heart/You broke your own ‘cos you can’t finish what you start.” Album gem “Ballad of Big Nothing” remains one of Smith’s most moving portraits of Gen X disillusionment and the resultant drive for personal freedom, as its coke-addled narrator comes down at last.
Greeted with critical acclaim upon its release, Either/Or was by no means a Smith sellout, as his music remained as raw and vital as on Roman Candle and Elliott Smith.
Recorded in Heatmiser’s twilight and released after its dissolution, the impending separation of Smith from his group can be discerned in the sound of Either/Or, which sees the guitar balladeer embracing a more pop-friendly style. Few artists have been able to fully embody the nature of Portland in its heyday as influential cult singer/songwriter Elliott Smith did on his classic third album.
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