R.I.P., Elliott Smith

The singer-songwriter Elliott Smith died yesterday, apparently of a self-inflicted stab wound. Smith, who reportedly had battled drug and alcohol addiction, gained critical acclaim for his work in the mid-1990s and snared an Oscar nomination for "Miss Misery," one of several delicate, moving songs he contributed to the excellent Good Will Hunting soundtrack. I can't say I was a huge fan, but his Hunting work perfectly complemented the movie's combination of melancholy, solitude, and optimism.