Neutral Milk Hotel
 

While browsing a punk/emo/indie FTP I came across their In The Aeroplane... album and decided to grab it on a whim. Usually I'd have passed it right by because of their stupid name, but I've seen their name mentioned here many times so I decided to see what all the fuss was about. I'm glad I got it because I really dig this. I'm not sure why either, because it's pretty out-there and completely different than anything I normally listen to. I only dislike 2 of the songs on it (Fool, Oh Comely.)

So, thanks, and what are their other albums like?

They only have one other album: "On Avery Island."

It's a little lower-fi than ItAotS, and probably less "conceptual" and "inter-related" as ItAotS.

Definitely worth checking out, as is Jeff Mangum's "Live at Jittery Joe's." This just came out on the Orange Twin label, though it's a show from 1997; he's the singer-songwriter from NMH.

In the Aeroplane is definitely one of my favorite albums of all time. It gets better with every listen, or at least has so far.

Great album, good band, not a stupid name. What stevevt said about On Avery Island is accurate, it's rougher around the edges.

If you really like In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, that you pulled down, you should consider buying it so the band gets paid for their work. Good indie bands aren't exactly raking it in like most of the lesser, though more popular 'artists'. Just at thought.

<B>stevevt:</B>

Thanks for the info. I just found Avery Island to download and will give it a listen later on. I thought I saw 3 albums by them at CDNow though.

<B>reverb:</B>

Why's it not a stupid name? Does it have some deep meaning behind it or something? Either way, there's no accounting for taste.

Don't worry, I plan on buying it. All I listen to is little-known bands and when I like an album as much as this I'll buy it. My mom went to the mall last night so I told her to look for it, but she couldn't find it. I'll keep an eye out for it.

Why is it a stupid name? Does it have to have some deep meaning behind it or something? Either way, there's no accounting for taste.
;)

I think a common point eluded you - it's not a stupid name, you just don't like it. Incidentally, I don't have bad taste, you just may not agree with that. However, you do seem to agree w/me and my taste, as it applies to this topic, as you like this album that I've been listening to since it's release. I never said I liked the title, so you don't know whether I do or don't.
;)

:confused: OK?! -ptth-

Also be sure to check out Elf Power - http://www.elfpower.com

They are another Elephant 6 band and are very good - in fact you may like them better the NMH

better yet check out "The Coast Is Never Clear" by BEULAH
www.beulahmania.com

Even better, check out:

The Apples in Stereo (and the Marbles)
Olivia Tremor Control (and Circulatory System)
The Minders
The Gerbils
Dressy Bessy
Essex Green (and The Sixth Great Lake)

All Elephant 6 bands, to the first or second degree.

:)

Thanks for the reccomendations. :)

So where can I download some of these guys albums?

Did you go to the link in my last post (elephant6.com)?

That site has a bunch of mp3s for d/l. Let me know what you think of some of that stuff and I'll give you other recs. Make sure you try to support the stuff you really like.

http://www.elephant6.com/sound.html

Beulah downloads

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...264174-8818337

http://www.velocetterecords.com

http://www.beulahmania.com/sights/sights.html

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

Old thread, I know...but no one can ever accuse me of not using the search option!! :)

I found Neutral Milk Hotel about 2 months ago on Last.fm, and I have been absolutely enamored with the album for the past month and a half.

I can't even count how many times I'd seen the album cover posted on various sites/forums, and people gushing over the band, but I didn't bother to listen until they popped up on Last.fm on several different channels of my normal bands.

It really is an album that gets better with each listen.

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

You need to listen to the CD over and over. Oh Comely one of my favorites, and I put it on mixes for people all the time. Let us know when you love it too.

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

I have Marbles up for trade over at musicboomerang.com if you want it. I just couldn't get into that one.

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

My issue with their second is the amount of times "semen" is sung. Completely ruins the moment/feeling I had for that song.

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

Love the album...except for the part about Jesus Christ. Annoying.

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

Love it completely.

Song against Sex on On Avery Island is one of my favorite songs as well.

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

:lol: I remember the first time I heard that song I thought 'what the fuck is this?!'

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

Phish actually covered In The Aeroplane Over The Sea last month, for anyone interested.

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archive...covered_n.html

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

I love that part of that song. Mangum sounds like he's pulling himself inside about and then that crashing, all-destroying guitar chord/horn blast explodes. I think it's a contender for the single greatest moment on the record.

To the OP, defintely get a bunch of Elephant Six stuff. Olivia Tremor Controls first album is probably my favorite (Dusk at Cubist Castle). Also, it probably goes without saying that many of these albums are pushing 20 years old at this point (wow) and have been hugely influential with the whole "lo-fi-Americana-psychedelic-rock" thing. Many, many bands have used OTC/AIS/NMH/Elephant Six stuff as a starting point and gone on from there. The sound is omnipresent at this point. Look at Allmusic for the branches.

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

That part of the song is great. It's the lyrics that ruin it. Unless you into that sort of mumbo jumbo.

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

Responding to a post from three years ago: given that the rest of the album is metaphorical, cryptic and inscrutible, it's a safe bet that the song isn't literally about Jeff Mangum's love of Jesus Christ. In fact, note how in the next line he swaps the words around ("Jesus Christ, I love you, yes I do") and essentially blasphemes.

In today's WSJ, Jim Fusilli reviewed NMH's show in Asheville a few nights ago. He called it a "comeback triumph". 90 minute set. Sounds like the band is back in action and at the top of their game.

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

They better come to LA to perform.

Re: Neutral Milk Hotel
 

Damn, two shows in Philly and both sold out. Tons of shows in the NYC area.