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From A Basement On The Hill
 
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From A Basement On The Hill [CD]

Elliott Smith | Format: Audio CD
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
Price: £6.29 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Biography

Elliott Smith was born Steven Paul Smith in Omaha, Nebraska on August 6, 1969. His father Gary Smith was in medical school at the University of Nebraska, and his mother Bunny was an elementary school teacher. When Elliott was one year old his parents divorced, and he moved with his mother to Dallas, Texas. That same year, his father was drafted, assigned to the U.S. Air Force, and sent to the… Read more in Amazon's Elliott Smith Store

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Frequently Bought Together

From A Basement On The Hill + XO + Figure 8
Price For All Three: £16.07

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  • In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
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  • XO ~ Elliott Smith Audio CD £4.79

    In stock.
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  • Figure 8 ~ Elliott Smith Audio CD £4.99

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Product details

  • Audio CD (18 Oct 2004)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Domino Records
  • ASIN: B0002U0O8Q
  • Other Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 28,632 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s

Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Samples
Song Title Time Price
Listen  1. Coast to Coast 5:34£0.79
Listen  2. Lets Get Lost 2:27£0.79
Listen  3. Pretty (Ugly Before) 4:45£0.79
Listen  4. Don't Go Down 4:34£0.79
Listen  5. Strung Out Again 3:12£0.79
Listen  6. A Fond Farewell 3:58£0.79
Listen  7. Kings Crossing 4:58£0.79
Listen  8. Ostrich and Chirping0:32£0.79
Listen  9. Twilight 4:30£0.79
Listen10. A Passing Feeling 3:32£0.79
Listen11. The Last Hour 3:27£0.79
Listen12. Shooting Star 6:01£0.79
Listen13. Memory Lane 2:30£0.79
Listen14. Little One 3:15£0.79
Listen15. A Distorted Reality is Now a Necessity To Be Free 4:34£0.79

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

There's always a stigma attached to posthumous albums; witness the releases of Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley, even Jimi Hendrix and see the formula repeat-most releases are of a standard far below the artist's established catalogue, but are lapped up eagerly by the devoted. The posthumous release of From a Basement on a Hill from Elliott Smith, a man so often on the cusp of commercial acceptance, means that this album, regardless of its quality, will always tagged his 'death disc'. The injustice is that it is without doubt the most enjoyable album that Smith ever produced. Sounding as potent as ever with his trademark sound (imagine George Harrison permanently fronting The Beatles, but with power chords), the opening rock 'n' roll crunch of "Coast To Coast" sets out the blueprint for this excellent album, taking in acoustic delicacy and squalling guitars in equal measure, offering only an ambiguous hint of his passing on "A Fond Farewell", but flooring the listener with its sheer brilliance. The collision of chaos and melodic beauty puts this album in the five-star bracket and should be heard by all rock-music fans; it's just a shame Elliot Smith isn't around to enjoy the acclaim. --Thom Allott

BBC Review

When American songwriter Elliott Smith was found dead a year ago, he'd almost completed work on his first album in nearly four years. From A Basement On The Hill is destined to build on Smith's iconic status, but it's hard to listen to it without the tragedy of his untimely death overwhelming the music.

From the opening track "Coast To Coast" it's clear that the listener is in for an emotional ride. The track opens with the chaotic sounds of ghostly voices before launching into a breathtaking sonic assault.

"Let's Get Lost" and "Twilight" are sublimely beautiful songs where Smith's voice almost cracks in its fragility. "Burning every bridge that I cross to find some beautiful place to get lost", is sung with heartbreaking poignancy.

The grungey "Strung Out Again" sees the singer in self-loathing mode, whilst "Pretty (Ugly Before)" mixes country-tinged sounds with his trademark stripped-down, lo-fi acoustic style. The powerful "Kings Crossing" is an expose of the music industry with Smith singing of the frustrated fireworks inside his head.

The final track "A Distorted Reality Is Now A Necessity To Be Free" is my favourite on the album. It's a drugged-up symphony, full of disturbing fuzzed up, distorted guitars and strange sonics.

From A Basement On The Hill is possibly one of the saddest records ever made. With songs full of death, drugs, and destruction Smith's lyrics veer from love to loathing and from playful to poisonous at a moments notice. In one barbed aside he can easily switch from passion to vitriol.

Smith's music transcends the bland work of songwriters such as Damien Rice, Ryan Adams and David Gray - there's real emotion here.

On 21 October, 2003 Elliott Smith disappeared into the oblivion that had long threatened to swallow him up when he allegedly took a kitchen knife, and stabbed himself through the heart in one of the most brutal suicides in rock history.

His final album is a masterpiece of raw emotions, sublime melodies, and achingly beautiful lyrics. A fitting epitaph to a musical genius. --Sue Wilkinson

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Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Pretty flippin good 31 Mar 2006
By ThommyV
Format:Audio CD
Well, this album contains possibly the best song ever written. This song being "twilight". Other stand out tracks include "coast to coast", "Last hour" and "lets get lost".
Elliot Smith was a fantastic talent and is a massive loss to the music business. He hasn't made one poor album and this, though not his best, is his final stamp on all things beautiful and twisted. If you're not too sure about buying an elliott smith album you should listen to key tracks first. i promise you will feel you NEED every album after listening to "needle in the hay" "coming up roses" "clementine" "rose parade" "miss misery" and the fore mentioned songs. this'll learn ya!
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
An essential purchase, as all of the other reviewers have stated. Not easy listening at times (but Elliott never was!), but an infectious, broody and contemplative masterpiece that is definitely my album of the year, and would certainly be one of my desert island discs. My words could never describe this album, but I urge you to let the words and music do that for you - this is one of the most 'real' records I have ever had the privelege to hear, with elements of Neil Young's 'On The Beach' or 'Tonights The Night', The Beatles, The Beach Boys, echoes of The Smiths, and yet a unique take all of its own. Such a sad loss for music - RIP Elliott. 5 Stars, without a shadow of a doubt.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
As other reviewers have pointed out, it's easy to overpraise posthumous albums of the sadly departed, partly out of grief and canonisation. Not so in this case.

Having been a huge fan of Elliott Smith since hearing his songs on Good Will Hunting, it's hard to be objective whilst reviewing his swansong in the context of his untimely passing. I'm certainly getting the impression that it's his best work yet. Even more tragic.

The quality and passion of his songwriting remains, as ever, exceptionally high. His ear for a strong melody and interesting chord progressions elevated him way above his contemporaries, though on this release, he seems to have surpassed even his own peaks. A special mention must also be made for his lyrics, which are poetic, evocative and achingly heartfelt.

There's a rawness and emotional snappiness to this album which draws you in immediately on a trip into a troubled and extremely gifted mind. Reference points for comparisons would be The Beatles, Paul Simon, Big Star, Neil Young and Nick Drake. Though Smith paints a beautiful soundscape all of his own on this brilliant album.

Forget my rambling, if you've got a pair of ears and enjoy good music, buy this album with confidence and celebrate the work of an artist who deserves to be greatly missed.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Took me on a trip...
I first discovered Smith's work with the album Elliott Smith, I researched him and listened to songs online and in the process came across Twilight, I have never been so desperate... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Rebecca
Bloomin' amazing.
Although I have only recently discovered Elliott Smith, he has quiickly become one of my favourite arists-simply due to his songwriting talent and melodic charm. Read more
Published on 9 Oct 2007 by Mrs. J. Graham
A Fond Farewell
I haven't got much to say that hasn't been said before, but this is one of my all-time favourite albums and I just wanted to add to the long list of tributes. Read more
Published on 10 May 2007 by International Cowgirl
i like alot
if you've never heard him, or of him then you should. quite the best singer/songwriter of the nineties. if you have heard of him you're already his biggest fan. Read more
Published on 31 Jan 2007 by A. J. Donohue
How do I get this out of my CD player...!?!
This album is so good that four months after getting it, it is still in my CD player! Just buy it - I'll refund your money if you don't like it!
Published on 12 Mar 2005 by Mr. Simon Watson
The most fantastic thing I've heard in quite some time
This album was the first Elliott Smith album I've ever bought, and just two months afterwards, I would consider myself a fan.

It simply is fantastic. Read more

Published on 15 Jan 2005
Fantastic gem
Buy this album whilst the great public carries on with their life, head in the clouds unaware of the sheer beauty that was Elliott Smith. Read more
Published on 21 Nov 2004 by S. Mills
Another awesome record
I was a little dubious about this release. Almost expecting a stitched together collection of unfinished tracks. But we are talking about an Elliott Smith record. Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2004 by Leon
A heartbreaking goodbye to an incredible songwriter
From A Basement On The Hill is much more than a suicide note. Like Warren Zevon's The Wind, Joy Division's Closer or Hope Of The States' debut The Lost Riots, it is too good an... Read more
Published on 3 Nov 2004 by Mike Mantin
Masterpiece
For me, this is his finest ever work. You are instantly drawn into his world and although it's very dark and depressing, it somehow keeps you wanting more. Read more
Published on 2 Nov 2004 by A. Bowen
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