Singer-songwriter Elliot Smith was found dead on Tuesday, apparently by suicide. This is very sad news for me and other Elliot fans around the world. I’ve loved his bittersweet lyrics and skilled guitar playing ever since my sister gave me one of his albums for christmas, and this along with the other albums I’ve aquired have been frequently played.
Here are some news sources about his tragic death: Aftenposten (in norwegian), Slate, and Pitchfork Media. Update 24.10: In relation to Elliot’s death, Paul Ford has written a thoughtful essay on the relationship between creativity and destructiveness, entitled Easy Way Out.