“The songs came from Elliott,” his friend Sean Croghan wrote in the liners for rarities collection New Moon. ( Tracklist and legal download here) Le Pavillon Lion // Bourges, France // April 17, 1999
Less than a year later, he’d be performing at the Oscars, thanks to the inclusion of “Miss Misery” on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack. As uncomfortable as Smith sounds when not singing his songs, this was just the start of his time in the spotlight. His whisper-thin vocals cut to the quick with every phrase, while his elegant-yet-urgent guitar playing is note-perfect-check out the bone-chilling rendition of “Needle in the Hay” or the deceptively breezy “Say Yes” for proof.
Awkward interview segments aside, the music here is captivating, a crystal clear example of Smith’s growing power as a live performer. But he did have Morning Becomes Eclectic’s inquisitive host Chris Douridas’ questions to deflect, whether about his influences (“I was really into Kiss and the Beatles”) or his upbringing (“let’s not get into that”). Promoting Either/Or in the cozy confines of KCRW's studio a few years later, Smith didn't have inattentive bar patrons to deal with.
