While Elliott Smith certainly ranks as one of the finest singer/songwriters to come from the '90s alternative rock scene, Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield feared his songs were being forgotten in the constant onslaught of new music. For three years, the duo took their time in their homes and at Echo Mountain Studio in Asheville, N.C., to bring some of Smith’s songs to new life. Their choices reflect their great knowledge of Smith’s catalog, and they’re not afraid to reconfigure the songs to their strengths. In particular, Mayfield takes over for “Fond Farewell” and “Ballad of Big Nothing,” while Avett handles the strengths of “Angeles.”