A deluxe edition of Elliott Smith’s Figure 8 will be coming to vinyl for the first time ahead of its 25th anniversary. This edition of Smith’s fifth and final album has been expanded to include all the B-sides, solo acoustic and alternate version tracks that were released on various singles, promos, and international editions. Figure 8 (Deluxe Edition) was first released as a digital exclusive in 2019 to commemorate what would have been Smith’s 50th birthday.
The first vinyl edition features the album presented on 45 rpm tri-color opaque white, black and red “Figure 8 Mural Vinyl” as a nod to the famous Los Angeles mural that Smith poses in front of on the album cover. The original tracklist is spread across two LPs while a third LP includes seven bonus tracks, six of which are making their vinyl debut. The audio has been mastered for vinyl by Justin Perkins at Mystery Room Mastering with lacquers cut by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound. This special 25th anniversary Deluxe Edition will be housed in a tri-fold sleeve and this exclusive vinyl colorway is limited to 3,000 copies globally. It is available exclusively via Interscope.com and ships around June 6.
The bonus tracks include the titular cover of the School House Rock classic, written by Bob Dorough and released as a B-side on the UK “Son of Sam” single along with the rollicking gem “A Living Will.” Three songs from the rare French promo 3 Titres Inedits are included: “I Can’t Answer You Anymore,” “Pretty Mary K (Alternate Version)” and “Happiness (Acoustic).” An acoustic version of “Son of Sam” is featured, as is Smith’s cover of The Beatles’ “Because,” which was featured in the film American Beauty and on its soundtrack, and included on the Japanese edition of Figure 8.
Elliott Smith made the ambitious and ornate Figure 8 in the aftermath of the breakout success of his major label debut, 1998’s XO. Smith teamed up again with producers Rob Schnapf and Tom Rothrock and recorded at several studios, including Sunset Sound and Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. Smith also worked out of London’s Abbey Road Studios, where he used the piano that The Beatles used to record “Fool on the Hill.” Figure 8 was released April 18, 2000 on DreamWorks.
Buy Elliott Smith’s Figure 8 (Deluxe Edition) on vinyl now.
