Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

[Soapbox Monkey]

Everyone needs to hear this album before they die.

That is all.

[Freejooky]

Easily one of my top-20 albums of all time.

Also, listening to it takes me right back to '98....

[The Universe Lashes Out]

Excellent album. I have played "Holland, 1945" for people who had never heard of the band and then demanded that they tell me why they aren't blown away by it. It seems incredible to me that some people can listen to that album and not love it. Probably not in my top 20, but definitely top 50.

[ZebraShaSha]

I was just thinking about that. I think I will put it in...

but seriously, why are we posting this in May '04?

[DoctorJ]

A brilliant album--easily the best disc to come out of the Elephant 6 crew, and that's coming from a big Apples in Stereo fan.

My favorite track is probably "Two-Headed Boy".

Does anyone have "Live at Jittery Joe's" (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005M09D/qid=1083845474/sr=8-4/ref=pd_ka_4/002-7744924-5633636?v=glance&s=music&n=507846)? It seems like it would be cool, but I've never heard it.

[Dignan]

I was just thinking about that. I think I will put it in...

but seriously, why are we posting this in May '04?


No kidding. I've been pushing NMH for a while, and I thought I was behind the times.

[Soapbox Monkey]

Jesus, I'm sorry. It's not like they advertise for much good music here in the states, so I usually have to search pretty hard for good stuff. I just got this album recently.

[Green Cymbeline]

I have never heard of this band, but your post intrigued me. I Googled the band and have been reading up on them. What I am wondering is, why does their last appearance on Earth seem to be 1998? Where are they now?

And can anyone tell me in simple terms what their sound is? And how did you learn of them?

[Green Cymbeline]

This FAQ on the band seems to give some basic info: http://sadtomato.net/NMH_faq.htm

It describes their music as "psychedelic, '60s oriented, positive music," which I am not really sure what it means. Guess I'll have to listen to them to find out!

[Soapbox Monkey]

I'd say there is a very heavy folk music feel to it, but then again, I am neither good at, nor do I like trying to "genre-ize" music.

[i am a scientist]

the most accurate description of them I have heard paints them as a marching band on acid.

Holland 1945, Ghost and King of the Carrot Flowers Parts 2 & 3 are my favorites.

nyctea scandiaca I have never heard of this band, but your post intrigued me. I Googled the band and have been reading up on them. What I am wondering is, why does their last appearance on Earth seem to be 1998?

legend has it, jeff mangum, the brains behind NMH just melted down and got gun-shy after ItAOtS was released - it was his first success and hailed as one of the best records of the decade when it was released, I guess he just couldn't deal.

Picking up Mangum's torch of wild-eyed, rocking geekiness is Colin Meloy from The Decemberists (http://www.decemberists.com/) who have 3 recent releases and are great, I highly recommend them.

[vl_mungo]

Also picking up the torch is (are?) The Eagles of Death Metal (http://www.eaglesofdeathmetal.net/).
Check out their album, "Peace Love and Death Metal". Don't worry, it's not Death Metal... not like there's anything wrong with that. :D

[Freejooky]

I'd call NMH "acid folk" or "psychedelic folk." If you've heard Syd Barrett's post-Pink Floyd solo record, "The madcap laughs," it's very similar. But NMH often flesh out the sound with weird extra instruments like singing saw, horns, and zanzithophone, a toy saxophone synthesizer.

But I wouldn't call their music happy or positive- if anything, it has more than a twinge of darkness to it, with often grotesque (but not offensive- just really weird/Heironymous Bosch-ish) imagery.

After "in the aeroplane..." came out in '98, Jeff just sort of did his own thing. He went to some obscure foreign country and made a bunch of field recordings, and later turned up DJ'ing on WFMU, where he reportedly played a recording of a low sine wave for several hours. He's a genuinely weird guy, not one of those affected "kooky" guys.

I think that NMH was never supposed to be a "career band" - it was a personal statement, and having made it, he saw no need to do more.

Also- "live at jittery joe's" is neat. It's jeff solo, doing some "on avery island" stuff and a few songs that would later turn up on "in the aeroplane...". It's not essential, but if you're a fan, worth hearing.

[pilzner]

"Live at Jittery Joe's" (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005M09D/qid=1083845474/sr=8-4/ref=pd_ka_4/002-7744924-5633636?v=glance&s=music&n=507846)? It seems like it would be cool, but I've never heard it.

I've got it. It isn't a *must have*. I'm a die-hard NMH fan, but its not the sort of record that is worth listening to over and over again ( like avery island or aeroplane ) . From what I remember, its just Jeff Mangum playing acoustic, and most of the songs are on the other albums. It is a ~very~ casual live performance. At one point the audience requests the Jesus song ( which has horns ) and he has to fake his way through the trumpet solo. Rather humourous. :) Its ok, but only the most devout fans should really seek it out.

[gentle]

He went to some obscure foreign country and made a bunch of field recordings ...
Jeff Magnum went to Hungary (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/hu.html). You may have heard of an obscure little European city called Budapest.

Your American ethnocentrism and ignorance of the world at large is showing. Please cover yourself.

[gallows fodder]

He's a genuinely weird guy, not one of those affected "kooky" guys. Thank you for confirming what I've always suspected to be true. A friend of mine has been pushing me to love the Decemberists, saying they're similar to NMH. But....just....no. The Decemberists' singer sounds so self-concious and deliberatey eccentric, whereas Jeff Mangum seems like he has no idea his voice and music are a little weird -- that's just the way he is.

I think my favorite NMH song is "3 Peaches." When he sings, I'm so happy you didn't die, in that miserable voice, it makes me want to cry. "Oh Comely" and "Two headed Boy, Pt. 2" are also great.

[gallows fodder]

Uh, excuse the typos above.

But since I'm here...I've heard a song called "The Gifted Children" that's purported to be by NMH, but it doesn't sound like Jeff Mangum is singing. Have any of you heard this?

[gentle]

Thank you for confirming what I've always suspected to be true. A friend of mine has been pushing me to love the Decemberists, saying they're similar to NMH. But....just....no. The Decemberists' singer sounds so self-concious and deliberatey eccentric, whereas Jeff Mangum seems like he has no idea his voice and music are a little weird -- that's just the way he is.
I agree. For another convincingly authentic weirdo, check out Roy Harper (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?P=amg&sql=roy+harper&opt1=1), almost certainly an influence on NMH. His 1970s repertoire is brilliant, chock full of his trademark surreal, pointed lyrics and complex acoustic guitar work; like NMH his music sounds simultaneously epic and personal. (You may already know him as the guy who sang on Pink Floyd's Have a Cigar.)