Roman Candle (album)

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Roman Candle
Studio album by Elliott Smith
Released	July 14, 1994 1998 (UK)
Recorded	Late 1993
Genre	Indie rock
Length	30:28
Label	Cavity Search Records CSR13 Domino Records (UK) REWIGLP2
Producer	Elliott Smith
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Elliott Smith chronology
Roman Candle (1994) Elliott Smith (1995)

Roman Candle was Elliott Smith's debut album as a solo artist, even though he was still a singer and guitarist for the band Heatmiser. The album has a raw, homemade sound (see Lo-fi), with Smith playing each instrument and recording it on his four-track recorder. Kid Tulsa (Pete Krebs) played snare and cymbal on tracks "No Name #1" and "Kiwi Maddog 20/20". According to the Elliott Smith biography, Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing, Elliott recorded the album in the basement of the home of then-girlfriend and Heatmiser manager J.J. Gonson. The album was never intended for release, as Smith only expected to get a deal for a seven-inch record, however, after Gonson played the album for Cavity Search Records, they immediately requested permission to release it in its entirety. Smith at first hesitated, and then allowed permission.

Contents 1 Track listing 2 Trivia 3 External links 4 References

[edit] Track listing

(All songs written by Elliott Smith except as noted)

1. "Roman Candle" – 3:37
2. "Condor Ave" – 3:34
3. "No Name #1" (Elliott Smith, J.J. Gonson) – 3:03
4. "No Name #2" – 3:34
5. "No Name #3" – 3:13
6. "Drive All Over Town" – 2:36
7. "No Name #4" – 2:30
8. "Last Call" – 4:38
9. "Kiwi Maddog 20/20" – 3:40

Available on CD. Import LP also available. A Cavity Search Records release.

Roman Candle was recorded and produced by Elliott in the basement. The record was recorded in 1993 but it was released in 1994.

Mixed with help from Tony Lash. Sleeve by Neil Gust. Technical help by Pete Hawkinson.

Cover photo by J.J. Gonson. Other photos by Neil Gust. Elliott was still in Heatmiser when Roman Candle came out. If you look in the liner notes, Elliott appears courtesy of Frontier Records for his own record.

Two ex-Heatmiser members sort-of make an appearance on Roman Candle. Neil Gust appears on the cover along with a friend of Elliott’s. Tony Lash helped mix the record.

Posters used to promote the record were actually just 8 1/2 x 11 copies of the back cover with a picture of Elliott.

[edit] Trivia

• "No Name #3" appears in the film Good Will Hunting.
• "Kiwi Maddog 20/20" is the name of a fortified wine Smith liked. According to Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing, the wine was purchased for its strange color, and Smith and a roommate drank it on a dare.

[edit] External links

• Sweet Adeline: The Official Elliott Smith website
• Cavity Search Records

[edit] References

• Sweet Adeline: The Official Elliott Smith website
• Cavity Search Records
• Nugent, Benjamin. Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing. Da Capo Press, 2005. ISBN 9780306814471

v • d • e Elliott Smith Discography Albums: Roman Candle · Elliott Smith  · Either/Or · XO · Figure 8  · From a Basement on the Hill Posthumous collections: New Moon Songs: "No Confidence Man" · "Needle in the Hay" · "Say Yes" · "Miss Misery" · "Baby Britain" · "Happiness" · "Son of Sam" Films: Lucky Three · Strange Parallel Associated acts: Heatmiser