For a singer/songwriter who first recorded with Fugazi-inspired alternative rock band Heatmiser, and who was once involved with a record label called Kill Rock Stars, Elliot Smith has a canny knack of sounding like a particularly sensitive guy.
From independent labels and a spartan folk style that draws firm references from Nick Drake to major label backing and a loose, slacker rock band, Smith has beaten any begrudgers he might have with a stick marked "winner".
A packed venue also marks him out as an essentially modern folk singer with enough clout and cool songs to cross over from cult to commercial artist. The basis of this Saturday night gig was Smith's recent Figure 8 album, one of the year's best and a record pulsating with balladic Beatles influences from start to finish.
Smith adapted quite a number of songs from Figure 8 in his live set (including Son Of Sam, Stupidity Tries, LA, Everything Means Nothing To Me, In The Lost And Found) to ensure that amongst the lyrics lost in the maelstrom of people incessantly talking to each other were melodies circular and strong enough to make themselves heard.
The band format suits Elliot Smith to a tee, his songs robust enough to withstand (indeed, take on board) low-slung guitars and squishy keyboard runs. The man himself showed as little on-stage personality as a switched-off spotlight, but his songs proved themselves to be little stars: glinting, bright and hard.
