“But there are only a limited number of things left over and you want to pore through them and see what’s there and how ideas were formed.” Crane’s archive work has unearthed treasures that are included on the anniversary edition, including an alternative version of Bottle Up and Explode! and Smith’s take on I Figured You Out, a song he later gave to his friend Mary Lou Lord to perform.

“Elliott would not have glorified remnants of his own past the way we do now,” said Crane, whose view was echoed by fans who complained about the reissue. Proof needed ? Well, two tracks are available to listen to right now – well in advance of the March 10th release date (19th for the LP).That “dark simplicity” is a hallmark of Smith’s work, particularly of his third studio album, Either/Or, which came out 20 years ago this week and to mark the anniversary, Smith’s record label Kill Rock Stars is releasing a remasteredversion of the album with added songs, Either/Or: Expanded Edition.įor the rerelease, tracks like Angeles and Rose Parade were remastered for the album by Larry Crane, a recording engineer who also serves as the archivist of Smith’s recordings, working with his family to catalogue the songs and demos that he left behind.

Whilst this surely makes for a gorgeous collection – the more important thing is that it’ll be an essential listen for longtime fans and newcomers alike. The double LP is packaged in a gatefold jacket that includes an insert of the original liner notes, a postcard of the original master tapes, and several never-before seen photos. The second disc features five live multi-track recordings from the Yo Yo A Go Go Festival in Olympia WA in 1997, as well as three previously unreleased studio recordings and one B-side gem. This expanded release fits on to a double LP or a double CD package and features the original tracks carefully remastered from original tapes under the supervision of Larry Crane. So here it is, the twentieth anniversary expanded edition of Either/Or. There’s been no dimming in the interest in his music, and there’s no reason why more of it shouldn’t be released. Fourteen years have passed since Elliot Smith died, and twenty have passed since the release of Either/Or.

Elliott smith either or remastered