Albums Under The Radar
An educational history of under-appreciated, under-rated, undiscovered or fading albums that are under the radar but need to shine.
Albums Under The Radar
Elliott Smith's Figure 8
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In this episode of Albums Under The Radar, we take a deep dive into Elliott Smith’s 2000 album Figure 8. Blending intimate songwriting with rich, Beatles-inspired production, the record captures Smith at his most ambitious. We explore the album’s creation, its standout tracks, and why it remains an essential—yet often overlooked—part of his catalog.
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Shun the light and the shadow sound. Gold belief where dust is found. Shine a light, shining bright. Albums under the radar.
SPEAKER_08Hello and welcome to Albums Under the Radar, the show where we dig into incredible records that deserve a little more attention than they sometimes get. On this episode, we're stepping into the lush, layout, sometimes fragile world of Elliot Smith and his 2000 album, Figure 8. Now when people talk about Elliot Smith, a few things usually come up first. The whisper-soft angelic voice, the emotionally devastating songwriting, and of course the moment he stepped onto the stage in Hollywood in the ill-fitting white suit and that nervous deer quarter the headlights expression to sing his Oscar-nominated song, Miss Misery, from the film Goodwill Hunting, and one over the house and everyone watching from home. But what sometimes gets overlooked is that Elias Smith wasn't just a master of quiet acoustic confessionals, he was also a meticulous studio craftsman, deeply inspired by the layout pop production of Artists Like the Beatles.
SPEAKER_06Let me take you down, cuz I'm going to Strawberry Field.
SPEAKER_08Released in 2000, it's a record full of sweeping arrangements, stat comedies, psychedelic flourishes, and some of the most intricate songwriting of his career.
SPEAKER_03Yet compared to his earlier albums like Either Or Say through the eyes of a girl who's still around the morning after.
SPEAKER_08Or XO.
SPEAKER_03That's the man she's married to now.
SPEAKER_08Figure eight often flies a little under the radar. Today we're going to take a deep dive into the album, how it came to be, how it was recorded, and why its songs still resonate more than two decades later. Alright, let's get into Elliot Smith's background. Elliot Smith was born Stephen Paul Smith in 1969 in Omaha, Nebraska. But he grew up primarily in Portland, Oregon, where he became a central figure in the city's indie music scene during the early 90s. His songs were more introspective, more melodic, and often felt like they belonged to a different universe entirely. And then his self-titled album, Elliot Smith. These albums were famously intimate, orphaned just Smith, a guitar and a microphone, but his reputation as a songwriter grew quickly. Then came 1997's Either Or. Which many fans consider a masterpiece, and shortly after that something unexpected happened. Hollywood came calling. Director Gus Van Sant included several Elliott Smith songs in Goodwill Hunting, including a new track, Miss Misery. Which ended up receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, and Smith suddenly found himself performing at the Oscars. There he was, a quiet indie songwriter from Portland, Oregon, standing on one of the biggest stages in the entertainment industry. And even though he didn't win, the moment introduced millions of listeners to Elliot Smith. Alright, let's talk about the album background. After the Oscar moment, Elliot Smith signed with DreamWorks Records and released XO in 1998. The album XO marked a shift. Suddenly Smith was working in larger studios, using full arrangements, orchestration, and lush multi-tracking. But for his next album, he pushed those ideas even further. Figure eight became the most ambitious and expansive record of his career. Instead of the bedroom recording aesthetic of his earlier albums, this was a technical up-pop record, filled with orchestral touches, piano-driven songs, and elaborate production. Smith himself once described the album simply as I wanted to make something that sounded like a big pop record. Check. Mission accomplished. But the emotional core of his songwriting remained intact. Behind all the studio polish, there still was the same introspective lyrics. Songs about loneliness, addiction, self-doubt, and fragile moments of clarity. The recording sessions for Figure 8 took place across several studios, most notably the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. Yes, the same studio where the Beatles recorded much of their classic catalogue. Lay it harmonies, orchestral flourishes, unexpected chord changes, and playful studio experimentation. Fun fact, while working at Abbey Road, Elliot Smith reportedly became fascinated with the studio's famous echo chambers and vintage equipment, tools that helped shape the classic Beatle sound of the 1960s.
SPEAKER_03Because the world is round, it turns me on.
SPEAKER_08You can hear that influence throughout Figure 8, especially in the layered vocals and psychedelic textures, as in this outtake from the Figure 8 sessions that was used in the movie American Beauty. The album also features contributions from producer and musician John Bryan, who we will be hearing more about in our upcoming episode on Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine. John helped Elliot bring some of the elaborate arrangements to life. Figure 8 was a studio symphony disguised as a singer-songwriter album. The meaning of the album title. Why the title Figure 8? Figure 8 shape is often associated with infinity loops and repetition, and thematically the idea runs through the album. Many of these songs explore cycles, addiction, emotional patterns, relationships that repeat themselves. Smith once hinted that the title represented the idea of going around in circles trying to break free, but often ending up back where you started. Okay, it's time for the track-by-track analysis. The album opens with Son of Sam, one of the most energetic songs Elliot Smith ever recorded. The title references the infamous serial killer David Berkowitz, though Smith uses the image metaphorically. The song explores the idea of destructive impulses, forces inside us that we struggle to control. Musically though, it's pure sunshine. Classic example of Smith's ability to pair bright melodies with heavy themes. Next up, somebody that I used to know. Smith's somebody that I used to know is a gentle acoustic song about emotional distance and fading relationships. Strings swell, guitars build, and the rhythm section adds a cinematic sense of tension. Lyrically, it's cryptic, filled with fragmented images and abstract phrases, but emotionally it captures the feeling of disorientation and frustration. One line sums it up perfectly. You're a junk bond trader trying to sell a sucker a stock. Next up, everything reminds me of her. This song is one of the Alma's most heartbreaking moments, just acoustic guitar, soft vocals, and sparse instrumentation.
SPEAKER_03But everything reminds me of her deceiving.
SPEAKER_08Next comes everything means nothing to me. Next comes LA. LA is one of the album's most rocking tracks. Driving guitars and propulsive drums create a sense of motion. The song reflects Smith's complicated relationship with Los Angeles, where he had moved during this period in his all but too short life. Another fun fact, the famous Figure Eight Mural in Los Angeles, featured on the album cover of Figure Eight, became a pilgrimage site for Elliott Smith fans for years. Listeners from around the world would visit the wall to take photos recreating the album artwork. The mural, in more or less the same form, is still up on Sunset Boulevard in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Okay, next up in the Lost and Found Honky Bach. Within the Lost and Found Honke Bach, Smith leans further into Baroque Pop territory. The piano arrangement has a playful, almost classical feel. The title itself hints at the influence of composer Johann Sebastian Bach. Then comes the track Stupidity Tries, one of the standout tracks on Figure Eight. A mid-tempo pop song with gorgeous harmonies and a bittersweet melody. The lyrics explore regret and self-reflection. At one point, Smith sings, I'm a little like you, more like Son of Sam. It's a line that ties the album's themes together, acknowledging darker impulses while trying to move past them. Next up, wouldn't Mama be proud? This track has one of the album's most upbeat melodies.
SPEAKER_03The question It's Wouldn't Mama Be Proud. There's a silver lining in the corporate cloud.
SPEAKER_08But like many Elliot Smith songs, the brightness masks a deeper emotional complexity. Wouldn't Mama Be Proud deals with themes of disappointment and self-perception. The contrast between cheerful music and conflicted lyrics' classic Elliot Smith. Then we have the song Color Bars. With color bars, the album shifts into a darker mood. The arrangement features sweeping strings and a slow dramatic build. It feels almost cinematic, like the emotional climax of the record. Then we get the song Happiness. The melody is warm, almost whimsical, but peaceful. It has a dreamlike quality, drifting forward in slow motion. Smith paints a portrait of a mysterious character, Pretty Mary Kay, while exploring themes of loneliness and longing. The arrangement builds with layered guitars and subtle percussion, giving the song a quiet momentum. Next, I Better Be Quiet Now. I Better Be Quiet Now is one of the most delicate moments on the album. There's a fragile quality here that feels almost like a late-night confessional. The lyrics suggest a quiet ache of unspoken feelings, wanting to say something important but holding back. Smith's soft harmonies float just beneath the lead vocal, creating a warm, intimate atmosphere. With Can't Make a Sound, the album opens up again into something much larger and more cinematic. Layers of guitar, keyboards, and harmony stack together, creating a huge almost orchestral sound. As the arrangement swells, Smith's voice rises with it, giving the song a cathartic intensity that makes it one of the standout tracks on the entire record. The influence and legacy of Figure Eight. Although Figure 8 wasn't a massive commercial hit, its influence has grown steadily over time. Many modern indie artists cite Elliot Smith as a major influence, including Adrian Lenker from Big Thief. His ability to blend intimate songwriting with elaborate production opened the door for a whole generation of artists, and figure eight in particular showed that being vulnerable and ambitious studio craft could coexist beautifully. Okay, so why does Figure 8 still feel a little under the radar? Part of it is timing. It arrived at the very end of the 1990s in the era, just as musical taste was shifting again. It also came after the emotional impact of either roar, which many fans still see as Smith's defining album. But figure eight deserves equal attention. Before you made another single movie It's the moment where Elliot Smith fully realized his vision as both a songwriter and producer. Okay, my closing thoughts. In many ways, figure eight feels like the culmination of Elliot Smith's musical journey. It takes the emotional intimacy of his early work and expands it into something grander and more colorful. Lay it harmonies, complex arrangements, and songs that reveal new details every time you listen. And John Leonard. Elliot Smith's life was tragically cut short in 2003, at the age of 34. The music he left behind continues to resonate deeply with listeners. His songs still offer comfort, honesty, and a quiet kind of beauty that keeps drawing people back. And on figure eight, those songs express that helplessness and the timeless nature of the body of his work. I hope you have enjoyed the album featured on this podcast as much as I have. You can head over to the Albums Under the Radar Spotify page to listen to it. The link is in the show notes. And get ready for some exciting upcoming episodes. We'll be diving into albums under the radar from artists, including Nick Drake. Jonathan Richmond and the modern lovers.
SPEAKER_02One, two, three, four, five, six. Run, runner, run, run up.
SPEAKER_08Paul McCartney and Eldus Costello.
SPEAKER_05Is it all in that pretty little head of yours? What goes on in that place in the thought? Well, I used to know a girl, and I could have sworn that her name was Veronica.
SPEAKER_08Fiona Apple.
SPEAKER_00I certainly haven't been spreading myself around. I still only travel by foot and by foot. It's a slow climb. But I'm good at being uncomfortable, so I can't stop changing all the time.
SPEAKER_08And Tom Petty. And don't forget to drop us a note on our social, on our email, or on the website to let us know what your favorite album under the radar is. And if you could leave us a rating and a review on the Apple Podcast app, that would be greatly appreciated. Okay, thanks for listening. Until next time, stay curious and remember the best albums always loop back around from under the radar.
SPEAKER_04Albums under the radar.