A number of notable Portland bands cover the late singer/songwriter on To: Elliott From: Portland, out early next year. This is a confirmed songlist, but the track order is TBA:
1) The Decemberists – Clementine
2) Helio Sequence – Satellite
3) The Thermals – Ballad of Big Nothing
4) Crosstide – Angeles
5) Amelia – Between the Bars
6) Dolorean – The Biggest Lie
7) Sexton Blake – Rose ParadeSwords – I Didn’t Understand
9) Sean Croghan – High Times
10) Lifesavas – Happiness
11) Jeff Trott Wouldn¹t Mama Be Proud
12) Society of People of Ambiance and Elegance – Speed Trials
13) To Live and Die in LA – Kings Crossing
14) We Are Telephone – Division Days
15) Eric Matthews – Needle in the Hay
“High Times” is a previously unreleased Smith song. Sean Crogan, Elliott’s friend and former roommate, explains the selection in the liner notes:
“After Elliott died I spent a lot of time listening to these tapes he had given me of his various recordings he made at home. ‘High Times’ hit me like a brick in the face. I recalled him playing the song live, years earlier, but I had never heard the recorded version. The song itself is a story, ultimately prophetic in regard to Elliott’s relationship with drugs, of some soul here in Portland (oh yes it reeks of this city) trying to cop for the first time. … I wanted to try to create the tension I felt in the lyrics, the sense of a fate that is unavoidable and catastrophic. Even as the protagonist is telling us ‘I feel fine’ it is obvious he has given in and the ride to hell has started, albeit on a fluffy pink cloud. Hopefully we recreated the anxiety, the feeling of Burnside with its pushers, homeless, and drunks, the sound of Portland in the 80s and 90s before developers tried to turn Portland into Disneyland.”
Looking for a live MP3 of “High Times” for you guys. In the meantime, here’s a boot of the song that first got me into Elliott.
Elliott Smith – “Angeles (Live At Studion, Stockholm)” (MP3) (Deep link to No Name #3 MP3 removed per request of site owner.)
That whole Stockholm whole show is available at No Name #3. (Deep link to No Name #3 MP3 removed per request of site owner…bandwidth ain’t free. If you donate money, he’ll turn it back on.) Nice Big Star encore.
Elliott’s fans loved him so much. Check out this gallery of XO tattoos.
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Angeles is such a great song. It’s the song that got me into Elliott as well– just so beautiful, so melodic and catchy, really sinks in your brain. I love it.
It sucks that he’s gone.
thank you stereogum for the mp3
is this a just recently released or the one that’s floating around? because this list was around awhile ago and the decemberists said they aren’t participating in it. did they change their mind? Colin said this on their board: “Just wanted to let you know — in the wake of all these little news blurbs — that we are not, in fact, involved in the Elliott Smith tribute project. We were approached, mulled it over, and decided we just didn’t have the time to devote to the project. As is wont to happen in this industry, some hasty folks decided that they’d go ahead and attach our names to the project anyway.”
Hoarse, I definitely have an mp3 of Clementine done by the Decemberists, though. never heard Elliott’s original but I assume it’s the cover.
I think it predates Elliott’s death, though, since it was on Castaways & Cutouts.
Jim – Clementine on Castaways and Cutouts is a Decemberist’s original, not an Elliott Smith cover. No relation of the two – so I wouldn’t be surprised if someone was mistaken and the Decemberists actually aren’t involved.
Thanks, Tully!
I recently picked up “A Tribute To Elliott Smtih” from Amazon and was pleasantly surprised. I had only heard of a few of the bands on the CD but it’s really great. I think it’s on itunes too…
When I saw Colin do a solo show in LA, someone requested “Clementine” and he sang a few verses and then jumped into Elliott Smith’s “Clementine.” Pretty awesome. Also, at the Elliott Smith tribue show in LA (shortly after he died), Jenny Lewis did a heartbreaking a capella version of some song, but I can’t remember what it was… Anybody know what I’m talking about?
im kind of scared about this tribute.. it’s a wonderful idea, but do you think these people can really capture what elliott did?
There is a live track called “Amanda Cecillia” that has made its way around the networks, but I don’t think Elliott ever recorded. Does anyone know if that was ever on an EP or import disc? Would love to hear a studio version of that one.
there’s a “studio outtake” of amanda cecilia going around the fileshares. it’s halfway decent quality i suppose. i doubt it was ever on any actual releases.
i think jenny lewis did “i didn’t understand” at the tribute show.
here’s a demo version of amanda cecilia…other than live recordings, this is all i know of at this point. it’s possible elliott recorded a “legit” version of it that will eventually see the light of day.
enjoy!
http://s53.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1MDJXHTEBQ0J02X4EOEO4W1879
and here’s the decemberists covering elliott’s “clementine” at a show in toronto:
http://s53.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=348AUK5BQQT40188QIU26M2S1J
“do you think these people can really capture what elliott did”
If anyone can do it, it would be bands from Portland, which has, in my completely biased opinion, one of the most fertile scenes right now. And Portlanders are weirdly possessive of their city, as Elliott was . . . I really think they can channel that.
“do you think these people can really capture what elliott did?
If you want to hear a band capture what elliott did then you need to listen to Earlimart’s “Treble & Tremble”
I saw Earlimart wednesday night. They were really good and the lead singer sounds almost exactly like Elliott Smith. I know they were real close and “Tremble and Treble” was written mostly about Elliott. That said, I just can’t imagine the Thermals doing an Elliott Smith cover, it will be interesting.
thanks skot!
“XO” is one of the best albums I’ve ever heard.
It’s interesting that there aren’t many songs from it on that tribute, but I guess it’s safer not to touch Elliott’s incredible delivery on some of those songs.
With this album and that Christopher O’Riley cover album in the works, in early 2006 we’ll be up to our ears in Elliot Smith covers.
That Elliott show from Stockholm is probably the best performance and best audio quality of any his bootlegs. Incredible stuff.
there are two free mp3′s from “A Tribute To Elliott Smtih” here:
http://doubledrecords.com/elliottsmith.html
(click my name if the link doesn’t work)
Memories: http://www.rookiecardthemovie.com/elliott.html
Last Waltz #3 by Rookie Card (still unreleased, e-mail us thru website for mp3)
I sure like your untitled songs.
That’s sure one way to not get it wrong.
Shot through the heart & you’re to blame.
You should call all of your songs “No Name”.
Repeating yourself just might bore us.
‘Specially in the chorus.
What are you wearing to the Oscars this year?
You look an angel in white, my dear.
Woe is you singin’ your favorite ditties.
Don’t Fear The Reaper & Isn’t It A Pity?
Come over here, you big lug
I don’t want your fucking hug
You cut the power on me and yourself.
It came back on the clocks all flashed 12 12 12 12
Now everything here just screams your name.
I wish that it could be quiet again.
This is the last waltz of the year.
These things happen in 3′s so I hear.
Sorry you wanted to leave so fast.
This waltz is the last.
should someone who doesn’t know elliot smith songs from decemberists songs be writing this blog?? it’s fucking elliot smith. just sayin.
i got that elliott smith tribute on itunes a few weeks ago, pretty good
elliott is the greatest thing that ever happened.
i love elloitt smith as an artist and i think he would have been a pretty cool and down to earth person, i love theypaied tribute to his amazing music that never had all the time to become popular. i think if he were still alive everbody would be listing to elliotts music this is a great way to recognise it
loveeee abby
i love elliott.. really do. sometimes i wonder if his death makes him more desireable? his new album new moon is out now so go get it! it is amazing as usual
Very nice. If your a fan of Elliott Smith and Baby Britain check out this cover done by Australian band Circle.