Elliott Smith’s all-too-brief career inspired a generation of artists taken by his piercing lyrics and delicate melodies. On this loving, hit-or-miss tribute, Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield draw largely from Smith’s 1997 breakthrough, Either/Or, and his posthumous work. Mayfield provides the highlights with her grunge rendition of “Roman Candle” and her elegant take on “Twilight.” But the real revelation is how well such deeply personal material lends itself to interpretation. You’re left marveling less at these adequate covers and more at Smith’s foolproof songbook.
Elliot Smith released five albums in his lifetime and died in 2003 from two stab wounds to the chest; he’d left a suicide note. His songs, which often dealt with depression and desperation, were beautiful and frequently quiet.
This album, by Jessica Lea Mayfield and The Avett Brothers‘ Seth Avett, was made over a four-year period with great love for the man and his songs. The production is lean, the harmonies are beautiful, and the words and melodies are kept at the center of all 12 songs. Hear “Somebody That I Used To Know”
The Fat Angel Sings 