Editing Elliott Smith (section)

=== 1995–1997: ''Elliott Smith'' and ''Either/Or'' ===
{{listen
| filename = Elliott Smith - Pictures of Me (sample).ogg
| title="Pictures of Me"
| description = Sample of Elliott Smith's "Pictures of Me", from ''[[Either/Or (album)|Either/Or]]'' (1997), showing his style of vocal harmony through multi-tracking. The track also showcases the album's expanded instrumentation, with all instruments being played by Smith.
| format = [[Ogg]]
}}

In 1995, Smith's [[Elliott Smith (album)|self-titled album]] was released on [[Kill Rock Stars]]; the record featured a style of recording similar to ''Roman Candle'', but with hints of growth and experimentation.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}} Though the majority of the album was recorded by Smith alone, friend and [[The Spinanes]] vocalist Rebecca Gates sang harmony vocals on "St. Ides Heaven", and Heatmiser guitarist [[Neil Gust]] played guitar on "Single File". Several songs made reference to drugs, but Smith explained that he used the theme of drugs as a vehicle for conveying dependence rather than the songs being about drugs specifically.<ref name="Shutt page 7">{{cite web |url=http://www.sweetadeline.net/bio7.html |title=Elliott Smith: Biography – Page 7 |last=Shutt |first=S. R. |website=Sweet Adeline |access-date=December 8, 2015}}</ref> Looking back, Smith felt that the album's pervasive mood gave him "a reputation for being a really dark, depressed person" and said that he later made a conscious move toward more diverse moods in his music.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.well-rounded.com/music/reviews/elliottsmith_intv.html |title=Elliott Smith Interview: Well Rounded Entertainment |last=Peisner |first=David |website=Well Rounded Entertainment |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000919124038/http://www.well-rounded.com/music/reviews/elliottsmith_intv.html |archive-date=September 19, 2000 |access-date=June 24, 2013}}</ref>

[[File:Elliott Smith live 1997.jpg|thumb|left|Smith performing at Brownies, New York City, in April 1997, shortly after the release of ''Either/Or'']]

In 1996, filmmaker [[Jem Cohen]] recorded Smith playing acoustic songs for the short film ''[[Lucky Three]]: An Elliott Smith Portrait''.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Up Close: Conversations with Filmmakers Presents Jem Cohen|journal=The Independent Film & Video Monthly |year=1999 |publisher=Foundation for Independent Video and Film |volume=22 |page=58 |url=https://independent-magazine.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2014/09/independentfilmv22foun1.pdf|access-date=October 25, 2021}}</ref> Two of these songs would appear on his next album ''[[Either/Or (album)|Either/Or]]'', which was another Kill Rock Stars release. ''Either/Or'' came out in 1997 to favorable reviews.{{CN|date=December 2023}} The album found Smith venturing further into full instrumentation, with several songs containing bass guitar, drums, keyboards, and electric guitars, all played by Smith. The album title was derived from the two-volume [[Either/Or (Kierkegaard book)|book of the same name]] by Danish philosopher [[Søren Kierkegaard]], whose works generally deal with themes such as [[existential despair]], [[angst]], death, and God.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

By this time, Smith's already-heavy drinking was being compounded with use of antidepressants.<ref name="D'Angelo, Perez">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/s/smith_elliott/news_feature_102903/ |title=mtvnews.com: Elliott Smith |last1=D'Angelo |first1=Joe |last2=Perez |first2=Rodrigo |publisher=[[MTV News]] |access-date=April 17, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121126125518/http://www.mtv.com/bands/s/smith_elliott/news_feature_102903/ |archive-date=November 26, 2012 }}</ref> At the end of the ''Either/Or'' tour, some of his close friends staged an intervention in Chicago,<ref name="D'Angelo, Perez" /> but it proved ineffective.<ref name="Gowing" /> Shortly after, Smith relocated from Portland to Jersey City, New Jersey, and later Brooklyn, New York.<ref name="Kelley">{{cite web |url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2003-10-30/music/xo-elliott/ |title=XO, Elliott – Page 1 – Music – Phoenix |last=Kelley |first=Brendan Joel |date=October 30, 2003 |website=Phoenix New Times |access-date=April 17, 2013 |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104183832/http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2003-10-30/music/xo-elliott/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>