#GreatAlbums1990s – TOP 20: #ElliottSmith - #XO (1998). Smith’s melancholy drips through the Beatlesque charm of his melodies, creating an essential tension that inhabits songs like “Sweet Adeline” and “Independence Day.” Although some prefer the lower-fi sound of earlier discs like Either/Or, the fuller production here expands Smith’s palette with the Brian Wilsonesque flourishes of “Waltz #2” and straight-up rock of “Amity.” A brilliant artist, sadly doomed. #GreatRockAlbums, #AlternativeRock