Fall’s Fresh Faces

Pop Music

Elliott Smith, 28, introspective singer-songwriter

Look for: Smith’s major label album debut, “XO,” and an extensive national club tour that includes stops Sept. 22-23 at the Roxy.

Why he matters: After a series of albums with the rock band Heatmiser and on his own, Smith began attracting mainstream attention late last year when several of his songs landed on the “Good Will Hunting” soundtrack album. One of them, “Miss Misery,” even won the New York-based writer an Oscar nomination for best song. But it’s his new “XO” album that should make him a star. The just-released collection, which is likely to be high on many critics’ 10-best lists, is one of those all-too-rare works that steps beyond the conventional boundaries of pop to assert a singularly arresting vision.

The thing that is so absorbing about Smith’s music is that he conveys in the lyrics a character and bite fully as rich and revealing as that of such prized wordsmiths as Elvis Costello and Tom Waits, yet he wraps the often dark views of life and relationships with the bright and comforting melodies that you’d expect from a Paul Simon or Paul McCartney. It’s a strange mix that has been called everything from post-grunge pop to alt-folk. Maybe the way to think of it is simply classic.

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Lauryn Hill, 23, hip-hop singer, songwriter, record producer

Look for: “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” album to be a strong factor on the pop charts and radio station playlists through Christmas.

Why she matters: Hill’s enticing vocal on the remake of “Killing Me Softly” on the Fugees’ Grammy-winning 1996 album, “The Score,” was a strong calling card, but even that dramatic mainstream arrival didn’t prepare the pop world for a remarkable creative and commercial spurt that is propelling Hill to a place alongside Mary J. Blige and Erykah Badu at the forefront of the hip-hop soul movement. This year’s ascent began behind the scenes as the New Jersey-based Hill wrote and produced Aretha Franklin’s best single in years: “A Rose Is a Rose Is a Rose.”

But the real breakthrough was “Miseducation,” a series of wonderfully convincing songs about social and personal issues. The highlights include a poignant tune about a single mother looking back on her decision to give birth to her child--a track that is all the more affecting because Hill is talking about her own decision. Her album entered the pop charts at No. 1 on Sept. 2, selling more first-week copies (423,000) than any other debut album by a female artist since SoundScan began monitoring U.S. record sales in 1991. A major star.

MORE FALL PREVIEWS

Friday Calendar: A phalanx of fall’s first movie reviews.

Saturday: Give a hand to puppets--they’re everywhere.

Sunday: Fall Sneaks--a look at the coming movies.

Sept. TK: Howard Rosenberg reviews the new television series.

Sept. 20 TV Times: Our complete season preview.