I'm sure you other Elliott Smith fans have probably seen this before, but if not, this was a pilot(?) for The Jon Brion Show. Of course producer extraordinaire Brion produced some Elliott's albums. This is the whole show, and it's rough and awkward at times but the music is amazing.
Smith comes out around 3 minutes, and at 7 minutes you've got Brion on harmonium, freakin' Brad Mehldau (one of the best jazz pianists alive) on piano, and Smith singing Independence Day.
I think Elliott Smith was easily one of the best songwriters of the past 30 years. His songs are so harmonically complex and inventive, but he still always kept this very lovely pop melody over it all. He's a little bit Lennon, a little bit McCartney, but really unlike anyone else. There are other singers who have died young and I think their legacy or talent has been somewhat mythologized and overstated by the tragedy, but if anything Elliott Smith remains under appreciated.
Anyway, this is a great watch, an incredible songwriter playing with some incredible musicians:
Got into him around 05 or 06.. don't even remember where I first heard him, but picked up XO and it's one of my favorites (especially waltz 2). Never got into any of his other stuff though.
