Over the course of four outstanding CDs released between 1996 and 2002, Duncan Sheik established himself as one of the best singer-songwriters working today. Rhino offers a comprehensive overview of the early years of his career with Brighter/Later: A Duncan Sheik Anthology, a two-CD set that showcases the emotional highs and lows of Sheik's songs. The compilation will be available October 24.

The iTunes version of the release will include alternate versions of the cover art, and a digital interactive booklet featuring an exclusive video interview in which Sheik discusses the compilation, his songwriting methods, and individual tracks. The digital extras are available only with a full-album purchase.

Its name a play on and tribute to singer-songwriter Nick Drake's second album, Brighter/Later surveys Sheik's three Atlantic Records CDs (Duncan Sheik, Humming, and Daylight) as well as the Nonesuch release Phantom Moon. Duncan Sheik says of the set's concept: "I wanted to have these two CDs where you would kind of stay in a particular mood and wouldn't be sent back and forth-where, as you listen to each CD, you could get into one headspace and stay there for a while." He selected the track list based on that idea. Disc One, "Brighter," showcases Sheik's more energetic pop-oriented songs, while Disc Two, "Later," highlights his more contemplative compositions.

In addition to singles, album cuts, and concert favorites, Brighter/Later contains a number of rarities and previously unreleased tracks: a studio recording of "Lost On The Moon" (from the international-only version of the Daylight CD), which is a live concert favorite; "Wishful Thinking" from the Great Expectations soundtrack; an unreleased recording of Joni Mitchell's "Court And Spark"; an unreleased remix of "For You"; and a new live recording of "Home." The collection also offers the "hidden" tracks from Humming (the eight-minute epic "Foreshadowing") and Daylight ("Chimera"), available here as stand-alones for the first time ever.

Duncan Sheik's latest CD is White Limousine, released earlier this year by Rounder Records. His most recent project, the German Expressionist play Spring Awakening, for which he wrote music to Steven Sater's lyrics, moves from Off Broadway to Broadway's XX Theater, opening TBA.

Brighter/Later: A Duncan Sheik Anthology
Track Listing

DISC 1-Brighter
1. "That Says It All"
2. "Court And Spark" *
3. "Lost On The Moon"
4. "Wishful Thinking"
5. "Genius"
6. "Bite Your Tongue"
7. "She Runs Away"
8. "Rubbed Out"
9. "Mr. Chess"
10. "Half-Life"
11. "The Winds That Blow"
12. "In Between"
13. "Mouth On Fire"
14. "Barely Breathing"
15. "Home" (Live) *
16. "On A High"

DISC 2-Later
1. "Memento"
2. "Chimera"
3. "For You" (Jamie Myerson Mix) *
4. "A Body Goes Down"
5. "Reasons For Living"
6. "Foreshadowing"
7. "Sad Stephen's Song"
8. "Longing Town"
9. "Lo And Behold"
10. "November"
11. "Days Go By"
12. "Requiescat"
13. "Little Hands"
*previously unreleased