Customer Reviews

Roman Candle

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I know that all albums, especially when compared by fans of an artist, come down to a matter of opinion, but I feel compelled to give mine: this is my favorite.

I own all of Smith's album releases and treasure them all, but while most people seem to rank Either/Or first on their lists, I put it at least third. It's just how I feel about the songwriting. Roman Candle is the second of his that I heard and the one I most often go back to. Here's why:

It's not the under-production, because I never really care about that. It's the simplified suggestiveness of the songwriting that tells you he can do more, but he knows he doesn't have to. The non-specific song titles (No Name #1) have never bothered me because they speak so well for themselves. It's not a long album, but it's strong from start to finish. It seems to reach its climax at "Last Call," a tremendous song by any standards, and then delivers the instrumental "Kiwi maddog 20/20" as a sort of afterthought. That last one is in a style that's hard for my friends and me to typify. And that lack of type is what makes this album so great to me.

It is his debut solo work, as far as I know, and it certainly sounds like a man finding his voice, which is not to say he is less than qualified (as my rating of 5 stars indicates) but rather he is new in his confidence as a writer.

Simply put, it's fantastic. There are few albums I can recommend as strongly.

Anyone familliar with Elliott Smith's work knows that to say his style is confessional is a severe understatement. You're heart breaks for him; the stories of late night drinking and aimlessly wandering around lost in a wistful blue circle of contemplation, the dangerously quiet anger that is only hinted at, the achingly sweet attempts to apologize. His tiny whispers emit more power than an air raid siren; try to conjure an image of a cartoon lion roaring and all the trees blowing back- it's kind of like that. In "Roman Candle" you get to experience the contradictory nature of Smith's songwriting that makes his songs so appealing. Recorded quite simply on a 4track, there is virtually no production and the songs get to speak entirely for themselves. And, boy, do they speak! Even without full instrumentation, Elliott manages to craft these intricate little gems that shine with no need for sunlight. Granted, it's rough, but i would rather hear this low-fi piece of genuine art than listen to a glossy album by some band whose songs wouldn't have a foot to stand on without the aid of a shrewd producer. Be patient with this album; it may take some time to really get it, but when you do, you'll be so glad to be there.

To those more familiar with Elliott's recent albums on Dreamworks (XO, Figure 8) the folky-minimalism of his debut will be a signifcant departure. "Roman Candle," recorded while he was still a member of the punk/grunge/whatever group "Heatmiser," is gloriously barren and unproduced. (Believe its to a four-track tape recorder in his living room) While the arrangements are fairly simple (rarely more than Smith and a guitar or two) his songwriting was already fully formed. Additionally, the sparseness gives way to the intensely personal lyrics which are his most troubled and intriguing.

The album is a bit brief (Only around thirty minutes) but there are no dud songs and a couple are among my very favorites. "Roman Candle" is a stirring portrait of bottled rage and "Condor Ave" is just absolutely haunting. I think comparisons of Elliott to Bob Dylan and especially Nick Drake are reasonable. His lyrics have that ineffability to them. An important aspect to his songwriting is his background in punk. His guitar technique is often pretty aggressive and he says what he needs to and gets out of the way, resulting in short effective songs. I can't really decide whether this, his self-title second album, or Either/Or is my album of his more spartan indie recordings but that consistency is a testament to the excellence of Elliott Smith's abilities. If you're an Elliott Smith album, his humble beginnings are a must hear. For anyone else Roman Candle, I think is the best introduction to him.

This is my favorite album of all time, so forgive me if I'm a little biased.

Elliott Smith recorded this album while still in the Northwestern indie-rock band Heatmiser, on a four-track in his bed room. The story goes that his girlfriend heard the demos and thought they were too good NOT to be heard, so she took them to a small indie label, and "Roman Candle" was released. Elliott's Heatmiser bandmate Neil Gust is on the cover.

Elliott has been compared to Nick Drake by basically every major music publication in existence, and with good reason. While "Roman Candle" is not the glimpse into the rapidly faltering state of a singer's mind the way "Pink Moon" was, the concept remains the same. Elliott sings folk songs with hushed vocals that create a dark, moody atmosphere. While his lyrics never attempt the poetic verses of Drake, the words and images are haunting and powerful. In "Last Call" Elliott sings, "start to drink, and just want to continue...it'll all be yesteryear soon." Narratives of oblivion ("No Name #3"), suicide ("Condor Ave."), and the autobiographical images of a man who "at a party, he was waiting, looking kind of spooky and withdrawn." Is it Elliott? Perhaps. The emotions of being alone remain the same. In this, "Roman Candle" is comparable to "Pink Moon" - it is a starkly personal record. Like "Pink Moon," which was almost never released, this is what happens when talented musicians write songs purely for the joy of songwriting.
Musically the album is layered beyond belief. At first listen (the album starts with the title track) it sounds like one guitar. Then the second time, you realize it's two..."No Name #3" at one point has 4 guitars playing simultaneously. Elliott recorded this song on a four-track. Trust me, it sounds great on the record.
The best song on here is "Condor Ave." The way the two guitars intertwine is amazing. The lyrics...well you'll have to hear it for yourself. The way he closes the final verse is just beautiful, and the backing vocals (Elliott backing himself) are Elliott's trademark. All the songs on here are great, but another noteworthy song is "Last Call," which is the only song to feature extensive use of an electric guitar. The album closes with the instrumental "Kiwi Maddog," whose melody will lodge in your brain for days.
This album is the first recorded work of one of today's best songwriters and musicians. Go pick it up today.

I thought his first solo album would be the proper place to do this. Rest in peace Elliot, we're all going to miss you.

Like a previous reviewer, I don't understand why this would be rated even a 10th of a star less than any of his later releases. The recording is not as "slick" as any his later albums, but as is his way, Elliott turns the 4 track to his advantage, though he said it was a "complete mistake" that it ended up sounding this good.

Some of these songs were written when he was still a teenager, a testament to his natural talent. I would not consider the straight-forward lyrical lines to be any less poetic than his later writing. He sets down some themes on this record wich he revisits again and again on later albums from different angles.

Everything about this album is unique.
The guitar work is beautiful, and distinct, the sounds, while limited by the four-track, resemble (after a manner) his later big-studio releases. Anyone who says this sounds like Simon and Garfunkel or Nick Drake is grasping at straws, because so little music of this nature finds the light of day. Elliott eschews typical folk sounds and chords, preferring (for lack of a better metaphor) to make chairs that stand on three legs, instead of four.

This album is not garnish to his other releases, it is key.

quietly stirs the heart in a bowl of yesterday's leftover sorrows and sighs of regret, guilt, addiction, misunderstandings and the need for someone or something to share all of his grief and loneliness with. On this album he stands alone. He sings alone. And if you reach out to him you can only really touch the space that surrounds the solitude he protectively dwells in and emotes so eloquently in his songs...when and if this is done by the listener, only then can we connect with what is so real that it never leaves us alone even when we stop believing in it ourselves and that is the will of life that goes on within us and without us.

This album is a hushed and tender reminder of how lovely it is to visit solitude but not to remain too long in its presence or be swept up by the vitality of it's poison and crumbling beauty.

Please whatever you do, listen to the spaces elliot sings about in all the sweetly understated songs as well as the deceptively simple guitar he so gently strums unnervingly throughout the entire album.

So go ahead and buy this album if you want to touch and feel the alienated space Elliot Smith fought and sang so valiantly to preserve, deflect and impossibly share with his audience.

It will leave you tirelessly faint with hope encumbered ever so silently.

I highly reccommend this album for those who like their music melancholy and tinged with an optimistic bitterness.

Wonderfully personal. For those of you who are heartsick fans of Elliott Smith, you will find Roman Candle(1994) to be the album which best describes Elliott Smith and his style of music. Recorded in J.J, Gonson's(ex-girlfriend) basement in Portland, Oregon, the quality is minimal due to the mic being very cheap. That gives it the feeling that he's sitting right in front of you, singing to you, and only you.
This album is definitly recommended to any fan.

Roman Candle is one of the best CD's I own. Elliott Smith has his own unique sound. When you hear his music you automatically know it's him. Although he has a distinct sound, no two songs on this CD sound the same.

Unlike many other artists, Elliott Smith's lyrics are meaningful and well written. When you listen to Roman Candle you really feel like you know him. And everyone, at one point, can relate to his words. Not only are they great songs, but they are all written and composed by him. Each and every track on Roman Candle is creative and original.

As someone who owns all of Elliott Smith's albums, this album has become easily my favourite. I love all his albums, including his dreamworks albums, but this album still stands out to me as the best. I find it hard not to draw comparisons with Nick Drake's Pink Moon, which achieved a sense of intimacy and melancholy that did not exist to such a degree on his earlier more produced albums. When people say the production on this album is poor, do not expect a grainy sound or inaudible vocals. The production creates an extremely sparse sound that complements Smith's haunting, fragile voice perfectly. As you listen to this album, the amazing interplay between the vocals and unique guitar melodies on each track emerges. This, combined with the albums short (30 minute) length, results in an album without filler that never loses your attention. I think this will remembered in a similar way to Nick Drake's Pink Moon - as the masterpiece of his tragically short career.