During his award show performance, Smith looked as out of place and fragile as his song did, amongst the other nominees and their big, insincere songs. The soundtrack spawned the Academy Award-nominated “Miss Misery”, which led to an Oscar night performance, wedged between Trisha Yearwood and Celine Dion, of all people. Film director Gus Van Sant was an early fan of his solo work, using many songs from either/or to underscore the drama of his 1997 film Good Will Hunting. His bleak, Dylanesque lyrics have garnered a large, rabid, though specific audience, an indie-rock fanbase who can see the truth in the visuals Smith conjures. His own music was much more sparse and personal than that of his previous group, which in no small part led to his breakout success. Smith shared lead vocal duties with Neil Gust in Heatmiser, though he found himself recording and releasing his own acoustic-based material. With his admitted past drug use and problems with relationships (both family and otherwise), it seems clear these songs are him, raw and unedited.Įlliott Smith was still a member of Portland’s Heatmiser at the time he recorded either/or, though that group would be broken up when it was released.

It would be hard to imagine that the majority of his lyrics, so sincere and detailed, could be a work of fiction. Over the course of his first two solo outings, Roman Candle (Cavity Search) and his self-titled second effort (Kill Rock Stars), his fans are left to wonder if he isn’t writing entirely autobiographically. Not that Elliott Smith the songwriter or performer isn’t making the most of his own potential here. It’s as good a statement as any to describe the mood of this collection of songs about drug abuse, failed relationships and the pitfalls of stardom.

So starts “Between The Bars”, from Elliott Smith’s third solo album either/or. “Drink up baby / Stay up all night / With the things you could do / You won’t but you might / The potential you’ll be / That you’ll never see / The promises you’ll only make”.

Elliott smith either or button