A Fond Farewell to a Friend: A Review of Elliott Smith’s From a Basement on a Hill
Untimely death potentially overshadows an artist’s work, especially in the case of suicide. How many times has someone listened to a Joy Division song, and interpreted it as a cryptic suicide note by Ian Curtis? While an emotional link might exist, I always felt like such an interpretation of any song somehow limits the sentimental capacity under expression. Such a conflict certainly plagues Elliott Smith’s posthumous release From a Basement on a Hill. Released around a year after his apparent suicide in October 2003, this album certainly holds an important place in the hearts of Elliott’s fans. It is a chance to say goodbye to a talented, promising artist. Is it his suicide note? No, such a view is far too limited. The album is a collection of songs that show a clear development from Smith’s previous releases, demonstrated in song writing, as well as creating a definite atmosphere through music. And yet, it is something more. It is a compelling journey to the mind of a manic-depressive.

The opening track, “Coast to Coast” actually sounds fairly upbeat for an album of such emotional weight. The steady drumming provides the backbone to the song, accompanied with an electric guitar line that ought to sound comfortingly familiar to fans of Smith’s previous work. The occasional, well placed piano enriches the sound. Despite the more upbeat nature of the song, the lyrical content assures that this is still an Elliot Smith song, characterised by a gripping sensation of sadness and despair.

“Let’s Get Lost” is reminiscent of the work found on Either-Or, an acoustic song accompanied by vocals, containing lines such as “burning every bridge that I’ve crossed”. The experience grows with a sensation of loneliness, enhanced by the minimal involvement of instruments in the song. A solitary guitar and voice strengthen the atmosphere of seclusion.

However, when we travel to the sounds of “Pretty (Ugly Before)”, we encounter a strong development in Smith’s song writing. With the musical landscape similar to The Beatles, it might actually sound like one of the most positive songs Smith ever recorded. However, on a closer listen, lines such as “it’s not worth it to you/ because you gotta get high somehow” reveal that this song still dwells in darker waters.

“Don’t Go Down” intensifies the sound experience of the album. It is a song I have never heard Smith do before. The music sounds dirty, distorted, and frightening. While the tune is a slowly slouching beast, the lyrics show a great deal of vulnerability. As Smith sings, “don’t go down, stay with me, baby stay” the simple lyricism turns to poetry through the delivery. This is not singing per say, it is a sound of a man pleading.

“Strung Out Again” reflects another visit to the more stripped, acoustic sound that we witnessed during “Let’s Get Lost”, however enriched by the increasing involvement of subtle electric guitar undertones. Arriving to “A Fond Farewell To A Friend”, on the other hand is a surprise that shakes your whole body. It is one of the album’s standout tracks, perhaps one of the best in Smith’s career. Lead by the strumming on an acoustic guitar, the song is a tale of friendships collapsing.

The album tightens its emotional hold right afterwards, as we enter the realm of “King’s Crossing” another song proving Smith’s progress in song writing. From the introduction onwards, the song spreads an atmosphere of eeriness through the speakers. It builds up slowly, and explodes with force as the drums launch before the chorus. The lyrics accompany the eerie atmosphere of the song, with lines such as “it’s Christmas time, with the needles on trees/ a skinny Santa is bringing something to me/ his voice is overwhelming, his speech is slurred, and I only understand every other word” painting a gloomy image of alcoholism and drug abuse. The product is another stand out track.

“Twilight” is another excellent track. It is a peculiar case, because the style sounds like Smith’s earlier works, but yet it sounds like a new development. It is a love song such as “Say Yes” (which was featured on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack), but somehow, on a higher plateau, as the emotional landscape is increased by the tasteful use of strings and samples. Smith’s voice excels. The song’s beauty lies in the vocals’ tenderness, sorrow, and frailty.

After these three fantastic songs in a row, one is not surprised if the next couple of songs seem somewhat inadequate. Indeed, “Passing Feeling”, “Last Hour” and the guitar heavy “Shooting Star” are all good tracks, but somehow previous songs have raised the par of the album, and thus, these three unfortunately seem to come somewhat short. However, “Last Hour” contains great vocalisation, with Smith sounding like a frail nineteen year old, and thus these songs ought not to be disregarded.

“Memory Lane” however, provides another standout track. An acoustic track with a quicker pace, its lyrics are some of the best material Smith has ever written. It is almost deceiving, because everything about the song sounds fairly cheerful, but it still manages to include a line “this is the place where you end up when you loose the chase/where you’re dragged against your will/ from a basement on a hill”.

As the journey approaches its end, we encounter the closing song, “A Distorted Reality is Now a Necessity to be Free”. It is a monumental song. Smith’s Beatles influence comes through clearly, as one could expect similar guitar lines from any work of George Harrison. It is possibly the best song from the album. It seems to hold a plurality of meanings, both personal and global. The notion of drug abuse surfaces again, as Smith sings “my momma told my baby stay clean, there’s no in between”. The closing lines “shine on me baby/ cos it’s raining in my heart” touch deeply, as these might as well be considered Smith’s last words to his fans.

What can we bring out of this basement on a hill? Listening through the album, I am indeed left feeling as if I travelled through a mind that is severely depressed. However, limiting the album to a suicide note seems unfair, as the songs touch on many different levels of life. In the end, through its sadness, the album achieves a touching level of beauty, something that has been present in most of Smith’s work. To me, it ranks in the same category as Jeff Buckley’s Grace, John Frusciante’s To Record Only Water For Ten Days and Syd Barret’s Barret; an album that is crucial to own, and of personal significance. However, it does seem to lack that special something that would have me declaring it a classic. Regardless, From a Basement on a Hill provides a beautiful journey that leaves you sadly imagining what the future could have promised. Rest in peace Elliott.

By Juha Virtanen