Throughout his career, Elliott Smith garnered praise for his ability to convey raw emotion through his songs. His intimate performances drew listeners in with their vulnerability and honesty. Whether he was singing about heartbreak or inner turmoil, Smith's music resonated with fans who found solace in his poetic lyrics.

By the time Either/Or was released in 1997, Smith was no stranger to the cynical machinations of the post-grunge major label gold rush. A year prior, his former band Heatmiser had been put through that very ringer, an experience captured in Either/Or standouts “Pictures of Me” and “Angeles.” Either/Or sounds like the work of somebody who has zero interest in either conforming to or directly transgressing the “commercial” sounds of the day. It’s too ambitious to read as “lo-fi” and too gritty to read as straightforward pop classicism. Thankfully, this 20th anniversary remaster doesn't smooth out too many of those rough edges—if anything, it brings the unique sound of the record into even clearer focus.