Elliott Smith

Elliott Smith was an American singer-songwriter whose hushed delivery and close, finely worked songs made him a singular presence in independent music. Born in Omaha, he first came to wider attention with Heatmiser before moving into a solo catalogue that ranged from the stripped-back Roman Candle and Elliott Smith to the fuller arrangements of XO and Figure 8.

Either/Or remains a key record in his work, balancing intimate acoustic writing with a sharper pop instinct. Smith also reached a broader audience with “Miss Misery”, which was nominated for an Academy Award after appearing in Good Will Hunting. He died in 2003, but the pull of his music lies in how quietly precise it is: intimate, melodic and unsparing without ever losing its warmth.