Figure 8 (album)

Figure 8
Studio album by Elliott Smith
Released	April 18 2000
Recorded	Abbey Road Studios, London Capitol Studios, Hollywood Sonora Studios, LA Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood
Genre	Indie rock
Length	52:06
Label	DreamWorks Records
Producer	Tom Rothrock Rob Schnapf Elliott Smith
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Pitchfork (6.9/10) 4/1/2000 Robert Christgau link Rolling Stone 4/27/2000
Elliott Smith chronology
XO (1998) Figure 8 (2000) From a Basement on the Hill (2004)

Figure 8 is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. Released by DreamWorks Records on April 18, 2000, it became Smith's second release on a major label and the last album he would complete before his death. It was recorded at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, Sonora Studios in Los Angeles, Capitol Studios in Hollywood, and Abbey Road Studios in London ("Stupidity Tries", "In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)" and "Pretty Mary K"). The album was also released on double vinyl 12" on Bong Load Custom Records, though it is no longer in print in this format. It is also available as a digital download. The title is thought to be taken^{[attribution needed]} from a song by Schoolhouse Rock!; Smith covered this song, but it did not make the final track listing. Smith also explained the rationale for the title thusly: "I just like the idea of a figure eight, of figure skaters trying to make this self-contained, perfect thing that takes a lot of effort but essentially goes nowhere."

Contents 1 Additional musicians 2 Track listing 3 Alternate releases 4 Outtakes, b-sides, and other non-album tracks 4.1 Officially released 4.2 Posthumously released 4.3 Unofficially released 4.4 Other Figure 8-era tracks 5 Cover photo 6 External links

Additional musicians

• Sam Coomes - bass on "Everything Means Nothing to Me," "In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)," "Stupidity Tries," and "Pretty Mary K"
• Pete Thomas - drums on "Junk Bond Trader," "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?" and "Can't Make a Sound"
• Joey Waronker - drums on "Stupidity Tries"
• Jon Brion - backup vocals on "Happiness/The Gondola Man"

Track listing

(All songs written by Elliott Smith)

1. "Son of Sam" sample (help·info) – 3:04
2. "Somebody That I Used to Know" – 2:09
3. "Junk Bond Trader" – 3:49
4. "Everything Reminds Me of Her" – 2:37
5. "Everything Means Nothing to Me" – 2:24
6. "L.A." – 3:14
7. "In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)/The Roost" – 4:32
8. "Stupidity Tries" – 4:23
9. "Easy Way Out" – 2:44
10. "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?" – 3:25
11. "Color Bars" – 2:19
12. "Happiness/The Gondola Man" – 5:04
13. "Pretty Mary K" – 2:36
14. "I Better Be Quiet Now" – 3:35
15. "Can't Make a Sound" – 4:18
16. "Bye" – 1:53

Alternate releases

The Japanese release of this album included Smith's cover of The Beatles' song "Because" and "Figure 8", an abridged cover of a Schoolhouse Rock! song . The promotional CD for Figure 8 featured cover artwork by Mike Mills, director of Thumbsucker. Smith contributed songs to the Thumbsucker soundtrack.

Outtakes, b-sides, and other non-album tracks

Officially released

• "A Living Will" (included on the "Son of Sam" single)
• "Figure 8" (Schoolhouse Rock! cover, included on the "Son of Sam" single)
• "I Can't Answer You Anymore" (included on the French 3 Titres Inedits promo)

Posthumously released

Unofficially released

• "Brand New Game" (two versions of differing quality, sourced from a cassette tape of a demo allegedly stolen from Abbey Road Studios)
• "No Life"
• "Place Pigalle" (assumed to be from this era, may have been recorded later)
• "Sorry My Mistake" (instrumental only, thought to have had vocals recorded)
• "Stained Glass Eyes"
• "Tiny Time Machine" (instrumental, worked on later as "Suicide Machine" for Smith's next album, From a Basement on the Hill)

Other Figure 8-era tracks

• "Confidence Artist" (played live in 1999. Unknown if a studio recording exists)
• "Flowers For Charlie" (played live in 1999 and 2000. Unknown if a studio recording exists)

Cover photo

The wall Smith stands in front of in Autumn de Wilde's photograph on the cover of the album exists in Los Angeles, and since his death it has become a memorial to him. It is covered with graffiti and written messages containing lyrics and personal messages to Smith. It is located at 4334 W. Sunset Boulevard, which is a store by the name of Audio-Video Solutions, just south of the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Fountain Avenue.

External links

• Sweet Adeline: The Official Elliott Smith website
• The Official Elliott Smith online store
• Figure 8 on Amazon.com
• Trash Treasury - Download hub and webforum; largest collection of live recordings on the web.

•  • e Elliott Smith
Discography Albums: Roman Candle · Elliott Smith  · Either/Or · XO · Figure 8  · From a Basement on the Hill Posthumous collections: New Moon Songs: "No Confidence Man" · "Needle in the Hay" · "Say Yes" · "Miss Misery" · "Baby Britain" · "Happiness" · "Son of Sam"
Films: Lucky Three · Strange Parallel Associated acts: Heatmiser