EITHER/OR (ALBUM)

'''Either/Or''' is the name of the third album recorded by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. The album was released on Kill Rock Stars on 25 February 1997 on compact disc and vinyl LP.
The title is actually derived from the Søren Kierkegaard book of the same name, reflecting Smith's interest in philosophy, something he studied (among other subjects) at Hampshire College in Massachusetts. Smith stated in a few interviews that the album follows the Kierkegaard philosophy in relation with the absurdist struggle between choosing an aesthetic life and an ethical life.

Contents

Track listing

Notes

Outtakes, B-sides, non-album tracks

Officially released

Posthumously released

Unofficially released

Unreleased

Track listing

All songs written by Elliott Smith.
# "Speed Trials" – 3:01
# "Alameda" – 3:43
# "Ballad of Big Nothing" – 2:48
# "Between the Bars" – 2:21
# "Pictures of Me" – 3:46
# "No Name No. 5" – 3:43
# "Rose Parade" – 3:28
# "Punch and Judy" – 2:25
# "Angeles" – 2:56
# "Cupid's Trick" – 3:04
# "2:45 AM" – 3:18
# "Say Yes" – 2:19

Notes

★ All instruments on this recording were played by Smith.

★ "The Enemy is You" appears as the final track on Japanese pressings.

★ "Angeles", "Between the Bars", and "Say Yes" were used in the soundtrack for Gus Van Sant's film ''Good Will Hunting'', along with "No Name #3" from ''Roman Candle'' and an orchestral version of "Between the Bars."

★ "Between the Bars" was covered by Madeleine Peyroux on her 2004 release ''Careless Love''.

★ The Emperor X song "Raytrancer" includes the line "Did you ever get sad on your bed late at night, crying, listening to Either/Or?"

★ The 2004 film The Girl Next Door features a snippet of "Angeles" played during one of the film's opening scenes.

Outtakes, B-sides, non-album tracks

The following tracks were recorded and at least partially completed during the same sessions as ''Either/Or'' but ultimately did not make the album:

Officially released

★ "Angeles" (alternate version) (Featured on the Lucky 3 film)

★ "Between the Bars" (alternate version) (Featured on the Lucky 3 film)

★ "Bottle Up and Explode!" (later re-recorded and found on Smith's next album, ''XO''. One demo version from these sessions was featured on the "Baby Britain" single.)

★ "I Don't Think I'm Ever Gonna Figure it Out" (Featured on the "Speed Trials" single)

★ "Some (Rock) Song" ("Some Song" from the ''Elliott Smith'' sessions with more instrumentation)

★ "Thirteen" (Big Star cover) (Featured on the Lucky 3 film)

Posthumously released

★ "Either/Or" (Featured on New Moon)

★ "Fear City" (Featured on New Moon)

★ "Georgia Georgia" (Featured on New Moon)

★ "Go By" (Featured on New Moon)

★ "Going Nowhere" (Featured on New Moon)

★ "New Monkey" (Featured on New Moon)

★ "Looking Over My Shoulder" (Featured on New Moon)

★ "Placeholder" (Features on New Moon)

★ "Pretty Mary K" (Featured on New Moon)(an entirely different song to that of the same name found on the ''Figure 8'' album. Later re-recorded as "Everything's Okay")

★ "Seen How Things Are Hard" (Featured on New Moon)

Unofficially released

★ "Abused" (later worked on during the ''From a Basement on the Hill'' sessions)

★ "No More" (an alternate version of "Either/Or", featuring alternate lyrics and instrumentation)

★ "Now You Wanna Show Me How" (This song may actually be named "Burned Out, Still Glowing", unconfirmed which title was Elliott's final title for the song)

Unreleased

★ "Coast to Coast" (early recording, later re-recorded for ''From a Basement on the Hill''.