43. From A Basement on a Hill - Elliott "The Butcher" Smith

E-Smitty, it's incredible that I completely missed ya! In retrospect, I'm not sure if I heard From a Basement on a Hill first, or he Paul Pierced himself 2 times in the heart the first. What I do remember is how gay my friends got for this album. What's weird about me missing him, is that I believe nearly the entire city of Tampa did. I don't recall seeing him on jukeboxes or anything. The Elliott Smith collection on the Compound's MP3 collection rang zero until someone fell in love with this album. Can't remember found it first, I'm guess either Pete or Dillon, or maybe even Marisa, but all of a sudden, it just became the token album that's on everywhere you go.

Now, I know some people are going to be all, "No way man, E-Smitty has many more incredible albums than that one. In fact, it could be his worst one!" Um, yes and no. It's definitely not his worst, it's not. It may not be his best, but I don't care. See, what's so great about music is that what matters most when you like an act, is the first album you hear from said act. You don't know the artists shtick yet, so if he's doing something that he's already done a lot, you don't know that, so it's awesome. Then you go back and listen to the older shit, and it doesn't matter to you personally, because you've already heard the newer shit. It takes years for these decisions to be revered.

Favorite Mouse album - The Moon and Antarctica, the first one I heard.

Favorite Radiohead - Kid A, same difference.

Favorite Poison album - Open Up and Say Ahh may take it, but Look What the Cat Dragged in (my first) is very good as well. That's a tough one.

Favorite Wilco album - YHF.

Favorite Jacket album - Z

Favorite Beatle album - THAT's not a question that can so be easily discussed while discussing Elliott Smith

I'm going to stop now, but it's hard to go back with a band once you already love one album. Veddy veddy hard.