4.3 + This might be my favorite Elliot Smith record and it's funny to me how underrated it is critically. Clearly Smith's pigeonholed into this persona of a depressive heroine addict living at the margins, à la "Needle in the Hay." And to be sure, he helped cultivate that image. But beyond the "honesty" and "intimacy" of his music, he was consistently a terrific songwriter, capable of penning pretty pop songs with catchy hooks. This record may not have the grime of "Either/Or" but the evolution towards a poppier sound makes this record just as worthwhile. Songs like "Everything Reminds Me of Her" and "Somebody That I Used to Know" are among my favorites of his.