Figure 8 (album)

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Figure 8
Studio album by Elliott Smith
Released April 18, 2000
Recorded 1999–2000 at various studios
Genre Indie pop, indie folk, indie rock, chamber pop
Length 52:06
Label DreamWorks
Producer Tom Rothrock, Rob Schnapf, Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith chronology
XO
(1998)		 Figure 8
(2000)		 From a Basement on the Hill
(2004)
Singles from Figure 8
  1. "Happiness"
    Released: 1999
  2. "Son of Sam"
    Released: 2000

Figure 8 is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. It was released on April 18, 2000, through record label DreamWorks. Figure 8 was Smith's second release on a major label and the last album he would complete before his death.

Contents

Background [edit]

It was recorded at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, Sonora Studios in Los Angeles, Capitol Studios in Hollywood and Abbey Road Studios in London.

The title is thought to be taken from a song by Schoolhouse Rock!;[1] Smith covered this song, but it did not make the final track listing. Regarding the album's title, Smith said this in a May 11, 2000 article in The Boston Herald:

I liked the idea of a self-contained, endless pursuit of perfection. But I have a problem with perfection. I don't think perfection is very artful. But there's something I liked about the image of a skater going in this endless twisted circle that doesn't have any real endpoint. So the object is not to stop or arrive anywhere; it's just to make this thing as beautiful as they can.[citation needed]

Compared to Smith's earlier work, Figure 8 is more instrumentally ornate, and the lyrics are more impressionistic. Smith described the songs on the album as "more fragmented and dreamlike".[2]

Cover photo [edit]

The Figure 8 wall on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

The wall Smith stands in front of in Autumn de Wilde's photograph on the cover of the album exists in Los Angeles, and since his death it has become a memorial to him. It is covered with graffiti and written messages containing lyrics and personal messages to Smith. It is located at 4334 W. Sunset Boulevard, which is a store by the name of Solutions Audio-Video Repair, just south of the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Fountain Avenue.

In 2007, the painting was returned to its original state after being vandalized. Since then, it has again been painted over with unrelated graffiti.

In May 2010, the wall was covered by marketing material for Roger Waters' The Wall Live. After finding out what had happened, Waters ordered for it to be removed.[3] In 2011, the wall was restored in celebration of the artist's birthday, including a stencil of Smith in order to mimic the photo on the album cover.[4]

Track listing [edit]

All songs written and composed by Elliott Smith. 

No. Title Length
1. "Son of Sam"   3:04
2. "Somebody That I Used to Know"   2:09
3. "Junk Bond Trader"   3:49
4. "Everything Reminds Me of Her"   2:37
5. "Everything Means Nothing to Me"   2:24
6. "L.A."   3:14
7. "In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)/The Roost"   4:32
8. "Stupidity Tries"   4:23
9. "Easy Way Out"   2:44
10. "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud"   3:25
11. "Color Bars"   2:19
12. "Happiness/The Gondola Man"   5:04
13. "Pretty Mary K"   2:36
14. "I Better Be Quiet Now"   3:35
15. "Can't Make a Sound"   4:18
16. "Bye"   1:53

Release [edit]

Figure 8 peaked at number 99 on the Billboard 200.[5]

Critical reception [edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 81[6]
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 3.5/5 stars[7]
Mojo 4.5/5 stars[6]
NME 8/10[8]
Pitchfork 6.9/10[9]
Q 4/5 stars[6]
Rolling Stone 3.5/5 stars[10]
Spin 4/5 stars[6]

Figure 8 was very well received by critics, albeit slightly less so than his previous efforts. AllMusic wrote, "Even if it is a very impressive statement overall, Figure 8 isn't quite the masterpiece it wants to be".[7] Pitchfork, too, opined, "Figure 8, ultimately, isn't as good a record as XO or Either/Or, though the man's not out of the picture yet."[9]

A more positive review came from NME, who called it "Smith's best effort to date".[8] Spin wrote, "The record is not a disappointment, it's a progression."[6]

Accolades [edit]

Pitchfork placed Figure 8 at number 190 on their list of the 200 greatest albums of the 2000s.[11] Rolling Stone placed it at number 42 on their list of the 100 greatest albums of the decade.[12]

Legacy [edit]

The indie rock band BOAT parodied the album's cover art, among several others, on its 2011 release Dress Like Your Idols.

Alternate releases [edit]

The Japanese release of this album included Smith's cover of The Beatles' song "Because" and "Figure 8", an abridged cover of a Schoolhouse Rock! song.

The promotional CD for Figure 8 featured cover artwork by Mike Mills, director of Thumbsucker. Smith contributed songs to the Thumbsucker soundtrack.

Personnel [edit]

  • Elliott Smith – string arrangement, production, all other instruments
Additional personnel
  • Sam Coomes – bass guitar ("Everything Means Nothing to Me", "In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)", "Stupidity Tries", "Pretty Mary K")
  • Pete Thomas – drums ("Junk Bond Trader", "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?", "Can't Make a Sound")
  • Joey Waronker – drums ("Stupidity Tries")
  • Jon Brion – backing vocals ("Happiness/The Gondola Man")
  • Suzie Katayama – string conduction and orchestration ("Junk Bond Trader", "In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)", "Color Bars", "Can't Make a Sound")
  • Matt Dunkley – string conduction and orchestration ("Stupidity Tries")
Technical
  • Rob Schnapf – production
  • Tom Rothrock – production
  • Don C. Tyler – mastering
  • Paul Hicks – engineering assistance (Abbey Road Studios)
  • Charlie Paakkari – engineering assistance (Capitol Studios)
  • Dann Thompson – engineering assistance (Capitol Studios)
  • Jimmy Hoyson – engineering assistance Capitol Studios)
  • Steve Genewick – engineering assistance (Capitol Studios)
  • Richard Baron – engineering assistance (Sonora Studios)
  • Geoff Walcha – engineering assistance (Sunset Sound Recorders)
  • Monique Mizrahi – engineering assistance (Sunset Sound Recorders)
  • Autumn DeWilde – sleeve art direction, design and photography
  • Dale Smith – sleeve art direction and design

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Sweed Adeline | Figure 8". sweetadeline.net. Retrieved February 18, 2013. 
  2. ^ Wohlfield, Carsten. "Luna Kafe E-Zine – Elliott Smith: The Hamburger Interview". lunakafe.com. Retrieved February 18, 2013. 
  3. ^ Turner, Gustavo (May 13, 2010). "Roger Waters vs. Elliott Smith's Wall – Page 1 – Music – Los Angeles – LA Weekly". laweekly.com. Retrieved February 18, 2013. 
  4. ^ Fitzmaurice (August 12, 2011). "Elliott Smith Mural Updated for Smith's Birthday | News | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 18, 2013. 
  5. ^ "Elliott Smith – Chart History | Billboard". billboard.com. Retrieved February 18, 2013. 
  6. ^ a b c d e "Figure 8 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More – Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved February 18, 2013. 
  7. ^ a b Huey, Steve. "Figure 8 – Elliott Smith : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2013. 
  8. ^ a b "NME Album Reviews – Figure 8 – nme.com". nme.com. April 14, 2000. Retrieved February 18, 2013. 
  9. ^ a b Schreiber, Ryan (March 31, 2000). "Elliott Smith: Figure 8 | Album Reviews | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 18, 2013. 
  10. ^ Pareles, Jon (April 27, 2000). "Figure 8 | Album Reviews | Rolling Stone". rollingstone.com. Retrieved February 18, 2013. 
  11. ^ "Staff Lists: The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 200–151 | Features | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. September 28, 2009. Retrieved February 18, 2013. 
  12. ^ "100 Best Albums of the 2000s: Elliott Smith, 'Figure 8' | Rolling Stone". rollingstone.com. Retrieved February 18, 2013. 

External links [edit]

Elliott Smith
Studio albums
Compilation albums
Singles
Other songs
Film appearances
Tribute albums
Related articles
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