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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 XO into a glorious fruition of his talents. Smith'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 Smith'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 XO proves that not only can Elliott Smith craft a song, but he knows how to make an alluring pop record as well.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Larry Crane, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Mixer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Joanna Bolme, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Larry Crane, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer - Rob Schnapf, Producer - Elliott Smith, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer - Rob Schnapf, Producer - Elliott Smith, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer - Rob Schnapf, Producer - Elliott Smith, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer - Rob Schnapf, Producer - Elliott Smith, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer - Rob Schnapf, Producer - Elliott Smith, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer - Rob Schnapf, Producer - Elliott Smith, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer - Rob Schnapf, Producer - Elliott Smith, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Larry Crane, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Joanna Bolme, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Rothrock, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rob Schnapf, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Elliott Smith, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Larry Crane, Producer - Elliott Smith, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1997 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
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 XO into a glorious fruition of his talents. Smith'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 Smith'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 XO proves that not only can Elliott Smith craft a song, but he knows how to make an alluring pop record as well.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 23 track(s)
- Total length: 01:11:11
- Main artists: Elliott Smith
- Composer: Elliott Smith
- Label: Geffen
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
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