Figure 8

Beatles-esque, folky staple indie pop. This is one of his more professionally-produced albums, and most songs feature a full band of Elliott Smith clones. Lots of reverb and more experimentation on this album. No FCCs on radio edit! All these songs are midtempo. Picks: 1,2,6,8,11

1) * Great intro track. Nice syncopated melody and harmonies. Full band with prominent piano.
2) * Very folky acoustic song with some nice fingerstyle work.
3) Mid-mid tempo bouncy song with several interesting instruments, sounds.
4) Calm, subdued, mostly acoustic song with plenty of reverb.
5) Quiet intro then breaks into this really cool part with haunting mellotron and echoed drums repeating, "everything means nothing to me"
6) * Upbeat song with countrified guitars and strong beat and syncopation.
7) Silence at the beginning. Quirkier track with repetitive toy piano. Builds up as it goes.
8) * Catchy 3/4 lilting rock song. Quaint sound.
9) Calmer, slower song with ooh's and ahh's and strings
10) Heavily drum-driven rock song. Cool organ stuff.
11) * 4/4 with strong upbeat, and piano stuff.
12) Slow walking pace with overlaid organ. Goes into this sing-along part that goes "... all I want now is happiness for you and me." Sing-along, that is, if you're in a failing relationship.
13) Quaint with barbershop-quartet-style harmonies.
14) Gentler, melancholy song
15) Starts low key, then starts building up and gets real dramatic with strings and other interesting songs. Repeated refrain.
16) Quiet solo piano that sounds like it was played on the other side of a cathedral. Dark n' mysterious.

- Dannyn