Product Description

The Cinderella-esque climb from lo-fi indie cult artist to Grammy nominee/major label darling must have been a perilousone for Smith, who makes the leap to the big time here after three well-regarded albums on small labels. He's lost noneof his bite, though. The production values on XO may be slightly higher, but Smith's vision remains undiluted.
The production, centred around acoustic guitar augmented by keyboards and lush vocal harmonies, recalls pop icons like the Beach Boys (especially on the closing acapella cut), Beatles and Big Star, but this is no sunny Cali-pop album. Leavening the instrumental brightness are Smith's Nick Drake-ish whisper and his thoroughly downcast lyrics, which cast him squarely in the Mark Eitzel/Smog camp of unrelenting self-effacement and misery. The combination of Smith's internal angst andhis melodic pop constructions makes for a compelling artistic tension.

Track Listing

1. Sweet Adeline
2. Tomorrow Tomorrow
3. Waltz #2 (XO)
4. Baby Britain
5. Pitseleh
6. Independence Day
7. Bled White
8. Waltz #1
9. Amity
10. Oh Well OK
11. Bottle Up And Explode!
12. A Question Mark
13. Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands
14. I Didn't Understand

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7129 in Music
• Released on: 1999-03-20
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 45 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
On XO, Elliott Smith leaves the indie doldrums behind and takes wing to new, lush surroundings. By adding full instrumentation to his acoustic reveries, Smith has ascended to a new level of song-writing that shores up his gentle voice and country-tinged guitar playing with extra layers of vocal arrangements and charming piano vamps. Strains of classic rock filter into the Beatlesque "Baby Britain" and the Beach Boys-inspired "I Didn't Understand"- but Smith succeeds in adapting them to his style rather than the other way around. A foot soldier in DreamWorks' war on standard-issue rock & roll, Smith joins new label mates Rufus Wainwright and Morphine as sophisticated interpreters of the new male psyche. XO is a stunning shadow print of a soul adrift in the music industry, a dark place indeed. --Lois Maffeo

Customer Reviews

"forget that I said that just listen to it and enjoy it"
I tend to describe this album as a cross between late Beatles meets Nick Drake and then I tend to add "forget that I said that just listen to it and enjoy it" because it is so much more than that! I aquired this album many years ago it was I think one of the last albums I bought of his.

I think its a fantastically produced studio album by an artist that made 5 very different albums. This was his forth album and the first in which he utilised the instruments of a full band. In some ways this album might be the best to start on if you are new to the artist....if you prefer pure stripped down accoustic material then check out one of his earlier albums possibly Either/Or may be a good starting point in that case.

If you like melodies, chord changes and catchy intelligent pop songs grounded with the lyrics of a singer songwriter then this is the album to buy, there is a healthy 60's influence as well. I can say without hesitation that this is a great album. Like all albums really worth hearing it will take a few listens....before you "get it". I've seen James Blunt mentioned here but with respect it really is very different to anything like that...."forget that I said that just listen to it and enjoy it".

Not as good as Jame Blunt! ( I don't think)
This Album transports me elswhere! Poor Elliott! Why is some of the best music made by depressed souls? And not by stupid ex army blokes who sing rubbish melody fm fodder! I can't believe that one star review!! Wot an idiot with no music taste that geezer is!!

Melodic, Thoughtful, Rich, Sweet, Understated.
My mate made me a copy of this and after a week of it I've gone out and bought it. To be honest I haven't listened to the second half as in-depth as th first but this is a staggeringly beautiful ablum. Being a fan of his earlier, more stripped down stuff I was concerned that by beefing up the sound - the intimate, personal quality would be lost. It actually has the opposite effect... The tunes shine through and Elliott demonstrates his gift as an aranger. Its never over produced - pianos, drums, guitars, strings and even some horns all work together tell the tale of each song --- there is light and shade..... always - as ever beautiful melodies and insightful, emotive lyrics.

Please buy this album! - if only to hear "Waltz #2"