Christopher O’Riley
Home to Oblivion: An Elliott Smith Tribute (World Village)
The apparent suicide of singer-songwriter Elliott Smith in October 2003 hit like a death in the family. Concert pianist Christopher O’Riley didn’t share in this grief. Instead, as happened with many others, Smith’s passing served as an introduction to his music. With Home to Oblivion, O’Riley interprets Smith’s pure heartbreak as if “Waltz #1” were nothing more than a waltz. O’Riley’s previous two releases, True Love Waits and Hold Me to This, were grandiose reworkings of Radiohead’s massive textures and layers. On Oblivion, he’s found something more brittle in Smith’s songwriting. Spread from Heatmiser (“Half Right”) through Either/Or (“Speed Trials,” “Cupid’s Trick”), Figure 8 (a beautiful “Everything Means Nothing to Me”), and the posthumous From a Basement on the Hill (“Coast to Coast”), O’Riley delicately composes Smith. There’s no doubt O’Riley’s fingertips are bathed in talent, but aside from the passion of unreleased Smith tune “No Life,” the collection is more of a funeral medley than a fitting tribute. That panged conscience, that boyish innocence – all that set Elliott Smith apart from his peers – is missing. In its place are tinkling ivories that, while beautiful, are no match for Smith’s broken heart. And for that, there will never be another.
This article appears in July 14 • 2006.