FROM A BASEMENT ON THE HILL - Elliott Smith

Don't Go Down tho

Voted for 'A Distorted Reality Is Now a Necessity to Be Free' - but gotta say the 45 version (some different lyrics/mix) kicks the LP version's ass.

that one might actually be on the only dud on here, I never liked it... I've come around on Pretty Ugly Before (that 45 was the first ES I heard, those songs and Speed Trials made me wait almost a decade before trying again)

he verges into self parody sometimes, often on opening lines... "I'm floating in a black balloon" and "I have become a silent movie" ... "amity amity amity amity amity"

but then there's something brilliant like "everything is gone but the echo of the burst of a shell" or "the lite brite's now black and white"

Voted for the (first) single.

“Distorted”

Voting Pretty (Ugly Before) because it's such a perfect little tune, I love that Big Star-style riff he throws in, and it's a good mix of optimism and soul crushing self-loathing.

Otm. Love that little piano lick on the chorus

Voted for the closer. Devastating.

Voted for 'A Distorted Reality Is Now a Necessity to Be Free' - but gotta say the 45 version (some different lyrics/mix) kicks the LP version's ass.

same

my favorite has always been "a fond farewell," but "memory lane" and "king's crossing" are close behind.

strong agree that the 7" version of "distorted" is superior.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

I don’t even remember voting in this poll but I probably voted for Twilight.

as long as we're talking ES + as long as i mentioned "king's crossing," this live version is the definitive one for me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiBTykpkT9E

so good

and nearly 4 years later, another incredible performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D7vRObaTyo

all other live versions of King's Crossing I've heard are really shaky performance wise