In July of 1995, when Elliott Smith was released through Kill Rock Stars, it was widely ignored by both the press and the public. Coming from a label known for the raucous sounds of its Riot Grrl and indie rock roster, it wasn’t a huge surprise. Smith’s self-titled album was raw yet delicately in your face. His whispered vocals and acoustic guitar begged for multiple listens.
Though the press was behind the buzz on the album, it slowly grew. Larger acts like Fugazi and the Beastie Boys mentioned Elliott Smith in interviews and soon bands like Sebadoh were taking him on tour. It set into motion the groundwork for 1997’s Either/Or, which went on to be a defining record of the decade.
“I’ve always felt like this record is under-appreciated,” says Kill Rock Stars founder Slim Moon. “A lot of people overlook Elliott’s first two records—they think of them as a prelude to the bigger albums that followed—but when you go back, you discover they’re really great. This is Elliott’s most fragile and delicate music, and we wanted to honor that with a special and beautiful package.”
In honor of the the twenty-fifth anniversary of Elliott Smith, Kill Rock Stars has released a deluxe merchandise package featuring a new remastering of the record, a bonus disc of the earliest known documentation of Smith performing, and a 52-page coffee table book featuring handwritten lyrics, notes from friends, and never-before-seen photographs by JJ Gonson, longtime friend of Smith’s and the photographer behind the iconic artwork of Elliot Smith and his first album Roman Candle.
Photo By JJ Gonson
“This project has shone a light on the deep joy that this record brings to so many people. I’m honored to be a part of it all, still, after all these years.” Says Gonson.
Gonson’s photography has been published in books including “Torment Saint: a Biography of Elliott Smith”, “Cobain Unseen” and “Cobain on Cobain,” various fanzines such as xXx and Suburban Voice, and magazines like Rolling Stone, Mojo, Q and Spin. Her iconic photos are on display through the Morrison Hotel Gallery and also available for purchase on her website.
As COVID-19 continues to thwart all hopes of live music and normalcy, Gonson has stayed as one of the hardest working photographers, chefs, and rockstars in the business. Scheming, not only with Kill Rock Stars to release this definitive homage to one of the generation’s most revered artists, but also at the helm of the ONCE Virtual Venue, and slinging Mac and Cheese at Club Mac through her catering business Cuisine en Locale.
The remastering process was done by producer/engineer and official archivist for the Smith family, Larry Crane, who searched tirelessly through files, reels, cassettes, and DAT tapes to get as close to the first-generation mixes as possible.
Photo By JJ Gonson
The bonus CD features the earliest known recording of Smith performing as a solo act from September 17, 1994 at Portland, OR’s café and “art salon” Umbra Penumbra. The show, recorded on cassette by Casey Crynes and digitally transferred by Crane, shaped up to be a historic moment in Elliott’s career, as he struggled with his musical identity as both a solo artist and a rocker in Heatmiser.
The Umbra Penumbra show gives a sense of the contrast between Smith’s live and studio approaches. “He was goofier on stage, making jokes and messing with his own words,” says Gonson. “I got to watch these songs go through different versions. He worked the words very carefully—he was very admiring of Joni Mitchell and how she wrote. So it was fun, you’d hear a song and then it would change.”
The deluxe release is sure to satisfy the hunger of Smith’s notoriously dedicated fans. “This has always been my favorite record,” says Moon. “I know people tend to like a band’s period when we first fall in love with them, and this is the Elliott Smith I first discovered. But I also think the greatest thing in the world is someone who can deliver with just voice, an instrument, and songs. It’s the hardest thing to do, and the most engaging when it’s done well.”
You can listen to the remastered tracks here and purchase the deluxe Elliott Smith package here.