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The music world suffered a great loss in 2003, when singer-songwriter Elliott Smith took his own life. The work he left behind remains, to this day, a powerful legacy of raw, visceral emotion — and in a certain light, a battle against the demons he finally succumbed to. Every word he sang, every note he struck, embodied the realities of his struggles against depression, and his remarkable catalog will remain a focal point of study, discussion, and deconstruction for singer-songwriters for decades to come. In this context, it’s easy to understand what Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield were trying to accomplish with their tribute album Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliott Smith, even if the first released track doesn’t necessarily hit the mark.
Taken purely on its own, “Somebody I Used to Know” typifies the fun-loving, Devil-may-care flippancy that’s the bread and butter of the Avett Brothers’ output. It’s a rollicking jam, showcasing two amazing vocalists at the height of their powers. Avett and Mayfield balance well together, creating beautiful and resonant harmonies. Indeed, it’s hard to listen without getting excited about the possibilities this union implies. However, taken as a performance of song written and performed by a troubled and depressed artist, something is lacking.
Perhaps it’s unfair to compare the two versions of the song, but that feels warranted. While the duo deserve credit for reimagining the tone of the original, something feels lost in the translation. Smith’s original exudes the sort of forlorn regret only he could manage; his voice, tinged with remorse, belies the meaning of his words. In Smith’s hands, “Somebody” was a ballad about these sort of conflicting emotions and thoughts that underpin the dissolution of any relationship.
Here, the song almost feels as though it’s relishing; “you’re just somebody that I used to know” becomes, in a certain sense, “your broken heart is your problem, not mine.” While that isn’t necessarily a bad foundation for a solid song, the difference is jarring, at first — almost creating the impression of an entirely different (and possibly less satisfying) song. On the other hand, note-for-note covers are boring and lifeless, and this is an exception — it’s also interesting to hear the range of emotions Smith’s words can have in the mouths of others. But the tonal shift is a bit disheartening, and it’s easy to sympathize with the legions of Smith fanatics taken aback by the change.
Despite the change in tone, Avett and Mayfield are reverent to the life and legacy of Elliott Smith. Both artists owe a debt to Smith, and this is more than acknowledged. But more intriguing than the song, or the album itself, are the potential implications of this collaboration. While it’s unclear whether either singer can pack the same weight of emotional desolation that Smith could into the words, this pairing deserves more time in the sun. Hopefully Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliott Smith begets a long term, multi-album collaboration.
(Stream “Somebody That I Used to Know” at NPR.)
