"Not terribly exciting, but something I kinda like about that."

[Amotis]

Elliot Smith talks about Songwritting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgNAXlBDeZw)

I thought this was really cool. Simple, really him (he talks so friendly), and I was excited I found it.


"It has some implied melody." I loved that, exactly what I hear.

*shrug* Maybe it's just me but I thought it deserved it's own thread. :smallbiggrin:

[ZombieRockStar]

Nice.

"Sorta...half-chords." I like that.

[Ego Slayer]

Heh. Yeah, I've watched that before. 's cool. ^_^

[Nightmarenny]

Elliot Smith talks about Songwritting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgNAXlBDeZw)

I thought this was really cool. Simple, really him (he talks so friendly), and I was excited I found it.


"It has some implied melody." I loved that, exactly what I hear.

*shrug* Maybe it's just me but I thought it deserved it's own thread. :smallbiggrin:

I'll watch it in a bit. Sounds cool. :smallwink:

[FdL]

Ohhh great, gotta watch that. Songwriting is a topic that interests me a lot. If you listen to his stuff, you can certainly get some pattern, some things he does. He plays little melodies over chords that he simultaneously sings. Also he uses certain chord shapes and moves around chords with the bass in interesting, recognizable ways.

On the Elliott subject, I found a video with an interview he made to Lou Barlow. Haven't watched it yet but i love the concept.

[Jibar]

Okay then. This will help me for when I watch this thing, but... well... who is Elliot Smith?
And why did that sound like a future Lost plotline?

[Amotis]

Songwriting is a topic that interests me a lot.

Then let's talk about it! :smallbiggrin:

I also think that while Smith said he wasn't really into the riff thing, his (vocal) melodies are a huge focus (at least to me) in his songs. As much as they change in a single song they really stand out to me, more so then other artists like Magnum or Red House Painters.

[FdL]

Then let's talk about it! :smallbiggrin:

I also think that while Smith said he wasn't really into the riff thing, his (vocal) melodies are a huge focus (at least to me) in his songs. As much as they change in a single song they really stand out to me, more so then other artists like Magnum or Red House Painters.

What do you mean by change? His melodies are always the strong part. But he writes songs that are really interesting, because they are pretty simple in appearance, but have a lot going on, even with just acoustic guitars. It does help that he's such a great guitar player.

His songs are so dynamic, the stuff on the self titled is mostly all with just acoustic but never gets repetitive, and it's such a great album.

Also, though some people would because of the vocal+acoustic thing, I wouldn't say that he's a folk artist. The term singer/songwriter is not really a description of the actual content of the music.
It's interesting how he draws from more traditional rock sources (Beatles, etc), but has made a language of his own that includes many influences, not tying himself to only one style.

[Rama_Lei]

My older sister got me interested in Elliot Smith, in particular, Junk Bond Trader.

[Amotis]

What do you mean by change? His melodies are always the strong part. But he writes songs that are really interesting, because they are pretty simple in appearance, but have a lot going on, even with just acoustic guitars. It does help that he's such a great guitar player.

His songs are so dynamic, the stuff on the self titled is mostly all with just acoustic but never gets repetitive, and it's such a great album.

Also, though some people would because of the vocal+acoustic thing, I wouldn't say that he's a folk artist. The term singer/songwriter is not really a description of the actual content of the music.
It's interesting how he draws from more traditional rock sources (Beatles, etc), but has made a language of his own that includes many influences, not tying himself to only one style.

I mean that he changes and augments his melody more often then most singer/songwriters do. Like beyond the A (verse) and B (chorus) melodies, he adds a lot of C's, D's, and slightly different (I noticed he extends a lot of them more then anything) A's and B's, messes with the order of them, etc. He explores his melody a lot, keeps you guessing. Great ear for it, he has.

Indeed. His albums are all real treasures. And, as I've heard proven over and over; extremely hard to cover just right. Subtle stuff. And when it's off you know.

Yeah, he's more of a pop artist then a folk artist. Iono, I hesitate to call him rock as he didn't think of himself as a rock star...and nor do I. But *shrug* good songwriters defy genre. :smalltongue:

[ZombieRockStar]

On that topic: I've been hearing way too many covers of his songs on the radio, and it's a little annoying.

I've noticed it too that his songs can be deceptively simple. I love playing them on my guitar.

[Closet_Skeleton]

Also, though some people would because of the vocal+acoustic thing, I wouldn't say that he's a folk artist. The term singer/songwriter is not really a description of the actual content of the music.
It's interesting how he draws from more traditional rock sources (Beatles, etc), but has made a language of his own that includes many influences, not tying himself to only one style.

You can be a pop singer songwriter. It's just that large ammounts of singer songwriter fans are too pretentious to admit to liking pop.

[FdL]

You can be a pop singer songwriter. It's just that large ammounts of singer songwriter fans are too pretentious to admit to liking pop.

True. Also consider that when I say "rock" I'm really thinking about pop/rock. I use as a broad term.

[Amotis]

Speaking of singer/songwriters; anyone have an opinion of Andrew Bird? He's very fresh, to me at least.

[FdL]

Yeah, he's very talented. At first I thought he was pretentious and before I heard his stuff I was prepared for something intellectual and maybe interesting but cold. But everything I've heard from him is really creative and also fun to listen to, besides being interesting from a musical and technical perspective.

I mean, I like geniuses like the next pretentious guy :smallwink:, but it's all about songs for me, and Bird does deliver. Plus, check out his appearance in Sesame Street or something in YouTube (don't have the link and maybe I got it from this forum :p It's a small square world after all)

[FdL]

Hey, just saw the video that started the thread...I had downloaded from p2p and didn't know until now. It's really good. I think I've seen other clips from Musician.com, one of Steve Albini talking about his favorite distortion pedal, in stilts.

Anyway, I love actually seeing the hands to figure out how/what he plays. I feel the need to look at the hands of someone who's playing guitar live, it's something I do.

He is a creative guitarist and songwriter because he doesn't limit himself to traditional guitar playing. I liked his "half-chords" and now I understand a little more about his style. I guess songwriting is all about relaxing and playing with music, as he says. I should give that a try.

BTW, Amotis, I'm listening to the next Spoon. Check it out.

[Tom_Violence]

I'll watch it in a bit. Sounds cool. :smallwink:

I too would like to let you know that I have not seen it yet, but may do so at some time in the future. Just in case you were wondering.

[Amotis]

one of Steve Albini talking about his favorite distortion pedal, in stilts.

BTW, Amotis, I'm listening to the next Spoon. Check it out.

Haha! I saw that one too. :smallbiggrin:

Gagagagagagagagaggagaga one? Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. :smallamused:

[FdL]

Haha! I saw that one too. :smallbiggrin:


The pedal was cool...But it everyone who sees it is going to want the original pedal which is impossible to find, of course, nobody's going to settle for the copies. Still really cool.
Albini is scary.



Gagagagagagagagaggagaga one? Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. :smallamused:
[/QUOTE]

Pretty good, like every Spoon record lately is strange and different, and requires more listens. But it's there.