Finally, Elliot Smith has returned with his new album, “An Introduction to Elliot Smith.” Of course, he’s still dead after having stabbed himself in the heart, and all of the songs are old. So why does it matter?

It matters because it takes serious clinical depression and suicidal tendencies to get into most of Smith’s music. Most people, hopefully, aren’t suicidal.

Thankfully, Domino Records has sifted through all of Smith’s albums for the greatest songs and put them together, making Smith listenable to people who aren’t prescribed meds.

However, it’s more than a posthumous greatest hits album. It’s a reminder that honest music is brilliant, beautiful and therapeutic. It’s also a way to show Smith’s emotional musical range of talent in one place.

Listening to only one of Smith’s records is like picking up just one piece of a jigsaw puzzle and assuming it’s the entire image. “Introduction” is a glimpse of the many fragments of his broken self.

“Needle in the Hay” introduces Smith’s cynical junkie. This song is like riding the city bus through Portland, Oregon without money with a junked-out gothic girlfriend to score heroin from her ex-boyfriend. It’s uncomfortable, yet feels so normal.

“Waltz #2” is like accidently waltzing off that bus in the wrong neighborhood and bumping into a different boyfriend who has cash and leaves with her. The only thing to do while listening to this one is drink hard alcohol.

“Between the Bars” is like later finding her at a bar and trying to get her back while simultaneously putting her down for what an awful person she is.

All three of these songs originally appeared on separate albums surrounded by a fringe of songs that aren’t as important to listen to. “Introduction” is a safe listen for those in therapy, even if you forgot your medication.

Of course, this is a 5 star record.