Kill Rock Stars has released Elliott Smith’s “Some Song,” a song from the unreleased live album by the late songwriters, Live in Umbra Penumbra, on August 28.
“Some Song” first appeared on the seven-inch single “Needle in the Hay” in 1995. “I have a rock song I’d like to play,” Smith tells the crowd on the live recording, playing the guitar. acoustics. “It is a drug addict’s dream, it makes you so tense / Yes, it is Halloween tonight and every night”, he sings before approaching the melancholic chorus: “Help me kill my time / Because I will never be well”.
Live in Umbra Penumbra It took place on September 17, 1994 at the Portland, Oregon cafe of the same name. It marks the first known recording of the late solo composer. The album was produced and designed by Larry Crane, the official archivist for the Smith family, who created it from a high-quality cassette provided by Casey Cyrnes. “Some Song” follows the previously released song “Big Decision”.
In addition to the live album, Kill Rock Stars reissues Smith’s 1995 self-titled LP, Elliott Smith – 25th Anniversary Extended Edition. A 52-page coffee book accompanies both the reissue and Live in Umbra Penumbra, with handwritten lyrics and two dozen never-before-seen photos by JJ Gonson, who also took the album cover photo.
“I was around Elliott a lot, so I was very familiar with my camera, and you can see it in the way it looks, or doesn’t look, at the lens,” says Gonson. Rolling Stone. “Honestly, there are times when I wonder why I opened these files, because it is not easy to look at someone close to me who is gone. I take photos because they are my way of making art, which I have to do. “
JJ Gonson
“In this shot, the Coffee People hot cup and the wet streets tell a story; I love the way the stray light hits her shoulders, the tops of her hands, and her hair, emphasizing the bright colors, ”says Gonson. “This is a photo that artistically satisfies me, yet there is no way I won’t realize that I am fully focused on a subject that I am emotionally linked to. So at the end of the day, I’m happy to see him. I miss him and I hope I can help people see silly Elliott as a puppy I remember. ”
“At KRS we follow the lead of the Elliott family,” adds Slim Moon, founder of Kill Rock Stars. “They have always expressed their desire to honor his legacy by keeping albums available and bringing their music to new generations of listeners. As the industry has changed, we have worked hard to make sure Elliott’s legacy is available for new fans to discover and old fans to rediscover. He was a genius songwriter and great musician, and we are honored to be able to help keep his legacy vibrant for each new generation. “
“As the person who originally signed for Kill Rock Stars, starting with the single ‘Needle in the Hay’ and this self-titled album, I am especially passionate about presenting reminders of this phase of his career: his magic as a solo artist and songwriter. just for guitar and vocals with little or no accompaniment, “he continued.” I also want him to be remembered for his humor, warmth, and absurd sense of irony. “
Elliott Smith: 25th Anniversary Extended Edition Currently available to preorder. Gonson’s photo of Smith can be found here.
