Either / Or is Elliott Smith's main album. The record was the breakthrough of the American singer / songwriter in 1997. Smith previously played in the rock band and hadn't really chosen for himself yet. His solo albums were actually kind of hobby projects. Either / Or still sounded like a hobby project, but eventually brought him world fame. The album was recorded with simple equipment, sometimes
… even at home. The songs therefore sound very intimate. You can hear Smith whisper and strum his songs softly. As if he plays them especially for a small club of friends, of which you can of course belong. That is of course not really the case. Smith's music was simply too good to go unnoticed. Just over a year after the release of Either / Or, Elliott Smith took the stage at the Academy Awards. He played his nominated song for 57 million American television viewers. Smith did not win the Oscar, but would remain a well-known cult figure until his (self-elected) death in 2003. Either / Or was the key to that. It is a masterpiece that no pop lover should miss. (JE)more
