Album Rating: 4.0

Having a harder time with this. Some great songs for sure but also some of the weakest ones in Smith's discog. A lot of the more rocking ones don't sit too well with me.

Album Rating: 4.5

What do you think of the 3 (4) song stretch from fond farewell to twilight?

Album Rating: 4.0

I do like all those. I think I may have actually spoken a bit too soon - this is growing on me. Definitely not the most cohesive album and it could have probably omitted 2-3 tracks, but I guess that's the best you can expect from a posthumous album. All things considered this seems to have been pretty respectfully made (even though it kind of sucks that they booted the producer Smith had been working with for these sessions in place of the one he had made the past several albums with).

Album Rating: 5.0

Maybe you already know this but Elliot actually intended this to be a double album but his family decided to cut a lot of the songs for whatever reason

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah I read that - though I thought the reason the album was going to be a double was because of his contract and that they didn't do a double because there weren't enough completed songs. If he was actually going to stretch this into a double then it may well be better than the product he would have actually put out.

Album Rating: 4.5

revisit my review of this :D



think it might grow on you Boney

Album Rating: 4.5

'Even disregarding the fact this album was posthumously released it’s hard to shake the feeling that ‘From a Basement on the Hill’ would always have come across as an outlier among Smith’s canon; previous to this the beauty of his music painted him as passive and contemplative, even if his words often betrayed his ugly feelings, but here the lyrics are more straightforward in their cynicism and the sounds are starting to mirror his inner turmoil all too closely. We’re left to conclude that now we’re dealing with a man unafraid to openly vent his anger and frustration; where in the past there was an undeniable romance to Elliott’s troubled tales now he does away with any pretence stating plainly ‘I’ve seen the movie and I know what happens’. As a result ‘From a Basement on the Hill’ casts Smith as far less likeable and attractive, possibly even less sympathetic, and when you add this to the less agreeable musical approach it becomes all too easy to dismiss this work as being unrepresentative of the man. In truth, though it’s hard to make a case for this adding up to his finest collection, the album still contains some of his most fascinating and revealing songs.'



I still stand by that!

Album Rating: 4.0

Interesting analysis Doof, I still have to dig into the lyrics a bit more but I think I can agree with most of that take.

Album Rating: 4.0

Ok listening a bit more closely to the "Fond Farewell"-"King's Crossing"-"Twilight" trio and that's a pretty crazy run of songs.

Album Rating: 4.5

don't sleep on 'Memory Lane' !

Album Rating: 4.0

Memory Lane is a top ten Elliott song, probably

Album Rating: 4.5

Agreed

Album Rating: 4.5

'isolation pushes past self-hatred, guilt and shame

to a place where suffering is just a game' as perhaps Elliott's hardest hitting lyrics. I do think this is top 3 elliott, glad you're coming to the light Boney

Album Rating: 4.5

Honestly though any pick for Elliott's top 3 isn't the wrong pick. In a league of his own

Album Rating: 4.0

She had a dream, woke up in shock

She had seen her own body outlined in chalk...

Album Rating: 4.0

"Little One" is very Radiohead circa Hail to the Thief, which Smith could very well have been listening to in his final months.

Album Rating: 4.5

he wasn't that depressed

Album Rating: 4.0

Lol, fair

Album Rating: 4.5

the fact that stickman isn't on any official release is a crime

Album Rating: 4.5

Pretty (Ugly Before) is gut wrenchingly good