The final chapter of his first period as a solo artist, Either/Or remains a cornerstone of folk/pop melancholia with aftershocks felt to this day. The constant push and pull between the dissonant and melodic, dealing with today's disappointment and loneliness knowing that things could change tomorrow. Smith's music usually revolves around him and an acoustic guitar which means that while the 2017 versions are sharper there is not a quantum leap in quality.

All that's left to say is Rest in Peace Elliott, and thank you for all the music that will continued to be enjoyed for many years to come.With distinct production, instrumentation, and vocals, the recordings found on Alternate Versions offer a new perspective on one of Smith’s most highly acclaimed albums, and separate them from the original cuts found on Either/Or. The previously unreleased 'I Figured You Out', is a great pop-rock track, and comes after 'I Don't Think I'm Ever Gonna Figure It Out', a catchy little tune which was originally issued as a B side, and really demonstrates the man's talents at picking away at a guitar. It contains the seminal "Between the Bars", his sweetest love song "Say Yes", the hurt tale of abuse "2.

To commemorate the 20th Anniversary of this masterpiece, Kill Rock Stars proudly presents Either/Or: Expanded Edition. Indeed, some will complain that the ramshackle charm and the little mistakes in the originals have been ironed out.marked a turning point in Elliott Smith's career, his music was featured prominently in Gus Van Sant's Good Will Hunting soundtrack, which led to the singer suddenly becoming the Oscar-nominated center of attention. Recorded in several locations mostly in Portland, Oregon while Smith was still in Heatmiser and produced by Smith, Tom Roth rock and Rob Schnapf, Either/Or was released on February 25, 1997 through record label Kill Rock Stars following the demise of Heatmiser.

I try to keep this disto’s choice of titles within the realms of volume eleven, but this is one of those folky, lo-fi albums that everybody needs to own and cherish, regardless of your religion. Mine always sounded great, but I figured because it was a later pressing it was sourced from the CD, or didn't sound as good as an original.To commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Elliott Smith’s best-selling and greatly beloved album, Either/Or, Kill Rock Stars proudly presents Either/Or: Expanded Edition.