Hay!

Some bands from Portland wanted to pay tribute to the amazing, complex mind and melody of the late Elliot Smith. Their album came out a few months ago, and it's a covers album called To: Elliot, From: Portland. Reviews on it haven't been too good. If you're a big Elliot fan, you'll likely be upset by bands like The Helio Sequence and The Decemberists taking cracks at pieces of Smith's small, revered catalog.

But I implore you, please.
Give Matthews a chance. He's a real musician. Trained since a child, and still willing to learn and grow, all of his talents show in his number, "Needle in the Hay." Strings, horns, and chill, reverent vocals. I honestly think this is one track that Elliot would be proud of, if not be inspired by.

Thanks Eric, for doing the memory proud.

I notice there's already been a tribute to Elliot. If anyone has any words to say about that, or (of course) the To: Elliot disc, then by all means:

All assail!