Original post - http://robinplayschords.tumblr.com/post/1367215579/elliott-smith

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In the same way that people can't walk on cracks in the pavement, I can't go shopping for music and come home with an odd number of items. So whilst in FOPP in Leamington, some time during the school holidays of 2004, I found myself armed with Sigur Rós' Ágætis Byrjun, which now holds the lofty position of being my favourite album of all time, but I was still scanning the shelves to help tick this ridiculous self-created box that could only be ticked by leaving with two albums. (Worst case scenario would have been to give up and go home empty handed.) And then I found XO.

Elliott Smith had only been a name seen in passing; where it was, I'm not sure. Maybe from the many issues of the NME one of my music teachers gave to me. Still, it was enough to get me to pick up XO, pay for both albums, and spend the rest of the summer holidays around my CD player. Both albums seemed to come from other worlds, far apart from each other - Ágætis Byrjun sounded like it came from a lone supernova in a far-off universe, whilst XO was the soundtrack to the life of The Tramp in an alternative version of City Lights, where God makes problems "just to see what you can stand before you do as the devil pleases" ('Pitseleh'). At the age of 15, having one album take you to heaven and one drag you kicking and screaming to the gutter worked out quite nicely.

About 18 months later, I finally got my mitts on another of Elliott's albums - this time it was Either/Or. From the moment 'Speed Trials' kicked in, it felt like falling in love. I'd take my acoustic to school and practice songs like 'Angeles' continuously in the playground before, between, and after lessons. It devoured my ears, my fingers, and got me through my GCSEs at a time where I was desperately trying to kick against the pricks and everything else that was close. It's a wonderful record that will still be as revered, if not more so, in another 50 years from now.

Below is 'Angeles' from the mini-film Lucky 13. Music doesn't get much better - and if it does, let me know.