Elliott Smith

"Punch and Judy" (Alternate Take)

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Aug 9, 2012

Last week, Kill Rock Stars announced plans to release Elliott Smith outtakes over the course of August to celebrate what would have been the late songwriter's 43rd birthday (which would have been on August 6). Last week, we heard a new twist on Either/Or track "Alameda," and this week mines the same time period via an alternate take of that album's "Punch and Judy."

While the original played soft and heavenly, Smith strips away the sweetness in favour of tension-building, snickety hi-hat hits and '70s-style arena rock riffs. The chorus has some sort of demented flamenco feel, but overall it plays like a sad-sack attempt at Manfred Mann's "Blinded by the Light."

It's interesting to track the evolution of "Punch and Judy," but this isn't the most essential B-side we've heard so far. Either way, you can stream it down below or buy the track on Bandcamp.

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