Elliott Smith

Smith's horrific early death has obscured an important fact of his musical life: He did not wallow in sadness; at his best, he found the singalong salvation inside. Unfinished when he died, completed by friends and family, Smith's final album is a gripping trip to oblivion, sparkling with barbed wit and elegantly tangled guitars, just enough light to help you find your way back -- sadly, without him.

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