The Underpraised Guitar Work of Elliott Smith

This article was originally published on Far Out

The fabled memory of Elliott Smith feels so complete that it often obscures the many ways his music deserves to be appreciated.

The vulnerability behind the late singer-songwriter’s voice and lyrics has dominated his legacy to the point where other, equally important elements of his craftsmanship have lost their distinction. Chief among them is his mastery of the guitar, because he never separated his playing from the songs he wrote them into.

To put this in perspective, consider Joy Division’s two-album catalogue. Unknown Pleasures is such an extraordinary force that it has effectively eclipsed Closer, which is itself a classic that is every bit as essential to post-punk and new wave. The group’s debut is just that good, so it’s necessary to recognise that the relative neglect of its sequel doesn’t stem from a lack of depth.

Smith’s instrumental work occupies a similar place in the broader picture. The deep impact of his songwriting has long overshadowed the framework that supports it, distracting from how his singing didn’t just sit atop the guitar but was in fact shaped by it.

Technical ability without taste is just spectacle, which is why skill on its own has limited mileage. A guitarist can shred endlessly and still fail to communicate anything meaningful, so what ultimately defines greatness is intent. Guided by that very principle, Smith’s instrumental creativity was architectural and catalytic rather than conspicuous. In other words, its purpose was always to give his ideas a cleaner shape and forward momentum.

This is most evident on ‘Independence Day’, which carries one of the most delicate and thoughtful guitar introductions in his entire catalogue. The opening section sets up an emotional terrain that nurtures and cultivates newer strains of life that take shape within. What makes this piece particularly important, though, is that it demonstrates how the guitar isn’t a mere afterthought to his words.

“Playing things too safe is the most popular way to fail. Dying is another way…” — Elliott Smith

That same compositional acuity underpins cuts like ‘Last Call’, ‘Between the Bars’ and ‘Sweet Adeline’. Although the chord progression in these songs may sound simple, their forensic positioning nourishes the songs with a level of complexity that most can only detect under the microscope.

When it comes to fingerpicking, Smith’s technical prowess becomes immediately apparent without ever feeling performative or cumbersome. Swift and precise, there’s a consistency to the rapidly changing mechanics of ‘Angeles’ that’s just as remarkable as it is intimidating; then again, it doesn’t feel right to label anything attached to his name ‘intimidating’ because he was essentially a fuzzy hug in human form, so ‘arresting’ might fit his character better. Deceptively easier on the ears because of its fairly-taleish cadence, ‘Memory Lane’ is just as intricate without ever sounding so. Of course, it’s not as though all his material was secretly otherworldly either, and the accessibility of pieces like ‘The Last Hour’ proves that.

Another hallmark of the late singer-songwriter’s guitar playing is the restraint, control and focus with which he made even the most basic stringwork sound full and cohesive. While ‘Southern Belle’ and ‘Big Decision’ are specimens of the interplay between poise and speed, a less confrontational tune like ‘Roman Candle’ is a reminder that rich texturing can greatly expand the presence of the most bare-boned guitar work. In the same vein, ‘LA’ reveals how seamlessly his acoustic-dominant instincts translated to electric form, since he knew exactly how to leverage distortion to punctuate his patterns rather than overburden them.

Ultimately, Elliott Smith was a great guitarist because he was a great songwriter. His weapon of choice was essentially a conduit for the devastatingly human perspective at the heart of his music, allowing him to convey his ideas with an economical precision that was uniquely his own. His command of the strings may always be underrated, but not criminally so, because it never demanded attention. For anyone who listens closely, though, its beauty becomes impossible to miss.

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