Anyone miss Elliott Smith every single day? I know I do. Sigh.

After the gripping lo-fi indie-pop volleys that were 1994's Roman Candle and 1995's Elliott Smith, the late singer/songwriter expanded his musical palette and his fidelity juuuust a little bit on 1997's Either/Or. And while it's always up for grabs which Elliott Smith album is the best Elliott Smith album -- they're all fantastic, by the way, even the ones released after his untimely (and still somewhat mysterious) death in 2003 at just 34 years old -- this one felt like the best one yet at the time. In hindsight, too, you can see the elevated popcraft that would soon catch on with the fringes of the mainstream when Smith was gifted with bigger budgets and real studios on the major-label records XO and Figure 8 coming along quite nicely here. Indeed, it was indie director Gus Van Sant's adoption of several of the sadly beautiful pop tunes from Either/Or ("Between The Bars," "Say Yes" and the devastating "Angeles") for the Good Will Hunting soundtrack that would help pave the way towards his eventual deal with DreamWorks Records.

TRACKLISTING:

1. Speed Trials
2. Alameda
3. Ballad Of Big Nothing
4. Between The Bars
5. Pictures Of Me
6. No Name No. 5
7. Rose Parade
8. Punch And Judy
9. Angeles
10. Cupid's Trick
11. 2:45 A.M.
12. Say Yes