#235 Elliott Smith – Waltz #2 (XO)

There are certain songs that catch you at just the right time and shape the way you experience and appreciate music forever. Elliott Smith’s Waltz #2 (XO) is a song that did that to a host of impressionable music lovers in the late 90s. The song is Smith’s crowning glory – rather than have us tell you why, you should read this wonderful Slate article by his biographer William Todd Schulz, or just let the track speak for itself. In the week that marks 10 years since Smith’s death, there can’t be many better ways to celebrate him.