Elliott Smith
XO LP

XO is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. It was recorded from 1997 to 1998 and released on August 25, 1998 by record label DreamWorks; Smith's first solo album on a major record label. Two singles, "Waltz #2 (XO)" and "Baby Britain", were released.

Having earned himself a cult following with indie LPs Roman Candle, Elliott Smith and Either/Or, the hugely talented multi-instrumentalist Elliott Smith gained worldwide attention after several of his tracks featured on the soundtrack to the Oscar-winning 1997 movie Good Will Hunting. Indeed, Smith earned himself a nomination for Best Original Song with “Miss Misery.” Though he ultimately lost out to the juggernaut that was Titanic’s “My Heart Will Go On,” Smith was thrust into the spotlight to perform his track live at the awards ceremony – and things were never quite the same again. DreamWorks managed to woo Smith away from Kill Rock Stars for his fourth outing, XO, released on August 25, 1998, to a shower of critical praise. And while fans might initially have fretted that corporate megabucks would throw Smith off course, they had nothing to worry about.

That’s not to say he didn’t take full advantage of an increased budget. Opener “Sweet Adeline” appears to set the scene with Smith’s trademark acoustic guitar and intimately recorded vocals, but then the drums, piano, and multi-tracked vocals cascade down, imbued with Smith’s innate knack for a Beatles melody, couching barbed lyrics in arrangements that are subtly yet undeniably effective. And if the likes of “Amity” fizzes with distortion, recalling Smith’s early days as part of Portland punk outfit Heatmiser, “Bottle Up And Explode!” sees him tap into Big Star power-pop with added strings.

Two waltzes, “Waltz #1” and “Waltz #2 (XO),” catch Smith at his most graceful: deceptively simple instrumentation and, in the case of the latter, boasting devastating lyrics that manage to encapsulate small-down ambitions, dashed hopes and an expression of isolation that’s at once heartbreaking and utterly relatable.

At just 44 minutes, the album feels like it contains a lifetime of experience, as if, despite his indie beginnings, Smith had been working towards this moment all his life. The results are at once glorious and devastating, catching Smith as he revels in all that he could master, while making his deeply personal songs resonate with his widest audience yet.

NEW / Released in 1998 / Reissue 2017

Tracklist:

A1 Sweet Adeline

A2 Tomorrow Tomorrow

A3 Waltz #2 (XO)

A4 Baby Britain

A5 Pitseleh

A6 Independence Day

A7 Bled White

B1 Waltz #1

B2 Amity

B3 Oh Well, Okay

B4 Bottle Up And Explode!

B5 A Question Mark

B6 Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands

B7 I Didn't Understand