The 2000 DreamWorks release Figure 8 would be Smith's final album released in his lifetime. Smith's DreamWorks debut, XO, appeared on the heels of his Academy Award-nominated success 'Miss Misery' as featured in director Gus Van Sant's Good Will Hunting. Smith went on to record one more album for Kill Rock Stars (1997's Either/Or, which was also expanded a few years ago) before being snapped up by the fledgling major label DreamWorks. Smith had performed 'Christian Brothers' with his band Heatmiser their full-band rock arrangement appeared on the soundtrack of the 2014 documentary about Smith, Heaven Adores You.

Another track off the album, 'Clementine,' was inspired by the traditional folk ballad 'Oh My Darling, Clementine' (perhaps best known as Huckleberry Hound's unofficial theme song). The LP's lone single 'Needle in the Hay' would later be used in Wes Anderson's film The Royal Tenenbaums it's since been covered by artists from drone metal duo Nadja to pop singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton. Darkness pervaded the album, from the cover depicting people jumping out of windows to the drug-influenced lyrical content. On August 28, the Kill Rock Stars label will reissue his 1995 self-titled sophomore album in a 2-CD deluxe edition to commemorate its 25th anniversary.Įlliott Smith continued in the acoustic singer-songwriter vein of its predecessor, Roman Candle, with the solo artist's guitar backed up only by an occasional other instrument such as harmonica or drums.

Seventeen years after Elliott Smith's tragic death at the age of 34, his spare, haunting music continues to resonate.

Elliott smith either or bandcamp