Producers: Tom Rothrock, Rob Schnapf, Elliot Smith.

Engineers: Tom Rothrock, Rob Schnapf, Elliot Smith, Larry Crane.

Recorded at Sunset Sound, Sound Factory, Ocean Way, Sonora, Los Angeles, California; Jackpot!, Portland, Oregon.

Personnel: Rob Schnapf (guitar); Jerrod Goodman, Farhad Behroozi, Henry Ferber, Peter Hatch, Pamela Dealmeida (strings); Bruce Eskovitz (flute, baritone saxophone); Roy Poper (trumpet); James Atkinson (French horn); Jon Brion (chamberlin); Joey Waronker (drums).

Audio Mixers: Elliott Smith; Larry Crane ; Rob Schnapf; Tom Rothrock.

Recording information: Jac; Ocean Way, Los Angeles, CA; Sonora, Los Angeles, CA; Sound Factory, Los Angeles, CA; Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA.

Photographer: Eric Matthies.

A year before his major-label debut, XO, was released, it seemed unlikely that Elliott Smith would even be on a major, let alone having his record be one of the more anticipated releases of 1998. He had certainly earned a great deal of critical respect with his low-key, acoustic indie records and was emerging as a respected songwriter, but he hadn't made much of an impression outside of journalists, record collectors, and indie rockers. An Oscar nomination can change things, however. "Miss Misery," one of Smith's elegantly elegiac songs for Gus Van Sant's Good Will Hunting, unexpectedly earned an Academy Award nomination, and he was immediately thrust into the spotlight. He was reluctant to embrace instant celebrity, yet he didn't refuse a contract with DreamWorks, and he didn't shy away from turning XO into a glorious fruition of his talents. Smith's songs remain intensely introspective, yet the lush, Beatlesque production provides a terrifically charming counterpoint. His sweetly dark melodies are vividly brought to life with the detailed arrangements, and they sell Smith's tormented songs -- it's easy to get caught up in the tunes and the sound of the record, then realize later what the songs are actually about. That's a sign of a good craftsman, and XO proves that not only can Elliott Smith craft a song, but he knows how to make an alluring pop record as well. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Cinderella-esque climb from lo-fi indie cult artist to Grammy nominee/major label darling must have been a perilous one for Smith, who makes the leap to the big time here after three well-regarded albums on small labels. He's lost none of his bite, though. The production values on XO may be slightly higher, but Smith's vision remains undiluted.

The production, centered around acoustic guitar augmented by keyboards and lush vocal harmonies, recalls pop icons like the Beach Boys (especially on the closing acapella cut), Beatles and Big Star, but this is no sunny Cali-pop album. Leavening the instrumental brightness are Smith's Nick Drake-ish whisper and his thoroughly downcast lyrics, which cast him squarely in the Mark Eitzel/Smog camp of unrelenting self-effacement and misery. The combination of Smith's internal angst and his melodic pop constructions makes for a compelling artistic tension.