An Introduction To… Domino ***

Elliott Smith completists need read no further. This collection offers no alternate takes, no previously unreleased gems. For the uninitiated, An Introduction To… gathers 14 songs from Smith's seven albums in an effort to entice a new generation of listeners to explore the late singer's strong back catalogue. Presented in non-chronological order, the material weighs heavily in favour of earlier output. If Smith had what could be called "hits" then they're here: Needle In the Hay, Happiness, Miss Misery. The songs, always personal, mostly engaging, veer towards the less-produced scale of Smith's releases, and first-time listeners might find the consistent melancholy too heavy to handle. For his legion of fans every album was the soundtrack for a scene in the troubled singer's life, although whether this particular collection does justice to that appeal is debateable. See dominorecordco.com

Download tracks: Ballad of Big Nothing, Needle In The Hay