Heatmiser was an American alternative rock band, formed in Portland, Oregon in October 1991. Consisting of Elliott Smith , Neil Gust , Brandt Peterson and Tony Lash , they were known for their well-crafted lyrics and songs often featuring the juxtaposition of melancholic and cheery words and melodies. The pop-oriented songs of Neil Gust were a contrast to the darker songs of Elliott Smith, while both Smith and Gust's songs touched on subjects such as anger, alienation, loneliness and despair.