His first album, On Avery Island (1996), showed flashes of promise but had its sludgy and spotty patches.

You know what? F*ck you, Slate, that's what. I'm sick of hearing this. It's the same morons who say that "Pinkerton" is the best Weezer album.

Someone tried turning me on to Neutral Milk Hotel about four years ago. When I told them I didn't like it, they literally stopped returning my phone calls for awhile.

Listening to it now...I still don't like it. To be honest, I find some of it annoying. I also don't see it as a shock that the guy who wrote this lost his mind for awhile.

/One man's two cents.
//Your favorite band sucks, and you suck for listening to them.

JoJoTheIdiotMonkeyBoy: Someone tried turning me on to Neutral Milk Hotel about four years ago. When I told them I didn't like it, they literally stopped returning my phone calls for awhile.

Listening to it now...I still don't like it. To be honest, I find some of it annoying. I also don't see it as a shock that the guy who wrote this lost his mind for awhile.

/One man's two cents.
//Your favorite band sucks, and you suck for listening to them.

LEAVE INDIE BRITNEY ALONE!

I think I'll listen to On Avery Island right now.

This must be one of those bands that nobody except pretentious d-bag hipsters has ever heard of.

ne2d: This must be one of those bands that nobody except pretentious d-bag hipsters has ever heard of.

The reason those douche-bag hipsters are so smug? One in a million years, they're right on the money.

I like NMH, but the only songs I can remember are Aeroplane Over the Sea and the King of Carrot Flowers series.

This is probably one of my very very very top favourite albums of the 90's.
i first got it a few years ago...
i thought it was slightly odd at first, and Mangum's voice took a little bit to get used to... but I freakin love that album... interesting singing, great imaginative/visual lyrics, interesting arrangements, great artwork, interesting concept...

[i read somewhere on the net the every song on the album is in the same key, or the minor related key.... is this true?]

when i first read the credits inside, i mis-read Jeff's last name as "MAGNUM"... at first i was like "whoa how cool is THAT for a last name??" but then... "wait a minute...."...
"mangum" isn't as cool. [attempts to make gay joke about the name, fails miserably].

the weird thing is, i can listen to individual songs from it,
but i can't listen to the whole thing all the way through... i end up stopping somewhere in the middle of or just after "oh comely".


/"ho-ly SH*T!!"

One of my favorite records. "Fans" who think an artist has an obligation to produce art for their consumption are retarded.

The track 'Ghost' just freakin rules.

//love it.

ne2d: This must be one of those bands that nobody except pretentious d-bag hipsters has ever heard of.

Your kid is ugly.

One of my favorite albums of all time. So amazingly beautiful.

Had a friend who met him in a bar a few years back. He tried to stick his hand down her shirt and then complained that Michael Stipe wasn't paying enough attention to him. Apparently he's kind of a turd in real life.

Still, such a great album.

Wow, I submitted a NMH headline 2 days ago and got it posted. Lots of NMH love here.

when i first read the credits inside, i mis-read Jeff's last name as "MAGNUM"... at first i was like "whoa how cool is THAT for a last name??" but then... "wait a minute...."...
"mangum" isn't as cool. [attempts to make gay joke about the name, fails miserably].

Well damn, I went through two threads thinking it was Magnum.

and allow me: Hey Eh Er..Eric, do do da do you like Mangum?

ne2d: This must be one of those bands that nobody except pretentious d-bag hipsters has ever heard of.

Here's a crazy idea, why not give the album a listen before you start casting aspersions.

His first album, On Avery Island (1996)

Wrong already.

Hey, did anyone see the guy named Jeff Mangum on Jeopardy last night? I actually yelled a little bit.

After an evening of drinking scotch and listening to Black flag I pop on Fark and find a link to one of my favorite albums of all time. GUess I know what is going on the turntable next.

/Yes this album is amazing
//oh you don't think so? that's okay you're going to burn in hell anyway.
///two cents, and an insult.

Third_Uncle_Eno: [i read somewhere on the net the every song on the album is in the same key, or the minor related key.... is this true?]

C Major if I remember correctly.

When introducing people to this record, I usually recommend that they only listen to it all the way through at once, and don't form an opinion until having heard it at least three time. That said, I liked it the first time through. I am also a sucker for long songs, concept albums, surrealistic lyrics, novelty instrumentation, WWII history, and pretension in music in general. I realize that other people may not like it and I don't care.

This is also the album that spawned much of modern indie music, for better or worse. As much as I like it, though, I'm not nearly as much of a fan of what it led to. (Think Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, Iron and Wine, etc.) Everyone's trying to make something beautiful and moving, but that's a high bar to clear, and failure just ends up sounding whiny.

Where the hell was Biggles: Everyone's trying to make something beautiful and moving, but that's a high bar to clear, and failure just ends up sounding whiny.

Yeah, but The Arcade Fire hit a home run on their first try.

I heard folks gloriously rhapsodizing over this album for years, mostly in pretentious online music journals, and I figured, what the hell, I LOVE weird music.

So I download this album, listen to it once and cannot stand a single bit of it. I simply could not understand what the big fuss was all about. I haven't listened to it since.

Maybe I should give it another try...

djstortion: Where the hell was Biggles: Everyone's trying to make something beautiful and moving, but that's a high bar to clear, and failure just ends up sounding whiny.

Yeah, but The Arcade Fire hit a home run on their first try.

Really? I wasn't a fan of their self-titled EP. And I'm a Montrealer so my opinion matters damnit!

poonesfarm: ne2d: This must be

Here's a crazy idea, why not give the album a listen before you start casting aspersions.

"Casting aspersions"? Do people actually say that? And, for the record, I just listened to a few songs--they're pretty good, but that doesn't change the fact that they're still one of those bands that nobody except pretentious d-bag hipsters has ever heard of.

ne2d: poonesfarm: ne2d:
I just listened to a few songs--they're pretty good, but that doesn't change the fact that they're still one of those bands that nobody except pretentious d-bag hipsters has ever heard of.

So, since you've heard of them, what does that make you?

open minded

Love the album. Wish the article had some new info in it. I think he did the hand claps on the last apples in stereo album or something.

I heard folks gloriously rhapsodizing over this album for years, mostly in pretentious online music journals, and I figured, what the hell, I LOVE weird music.

So I download this album, listen to it once and cannot stand a single bit of it. I simply could not understand what the big fuss was all about. I haven't listened to it since.

Amen. Still can't fathom how anybody, anywhere, could like this musical turd. All my friends like it...

Man, NMH has so many albums, Salinger is just the wrong comparison.

...and I can't get into them.

hyperspacemonkey: Man, NMH has so many albums, Salinger is just the wrong comparison.

...and I can't get into them.

I am pretty sure they only have 2 studio albums.

Wyhere the hell was biggles?
I am also a sucker for long songs, concept albums, surrealistic lyrics, novelty instrumentation, WWII history, and pretension in music in general.

subscribe, newsletter, etc.
+1

/ and where were all the sportsmen who always pulled you through?

dammit....
* Where

where the hell was biggles
C Major if I remember correctly.


ah ok. thank you.

but "oh comely" sounds like it's in a minor key.... so would that then be A minor?

I heard the title track on Pandora about a year ago which led me to buy the album before I had ever heard any hype. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea has become one of my favorite albums. Anyone who says the album is pretentious is a fool. If Jeff Magnum was pretentious he wouldn't have walked away from music after his best work.

Maybe the album is often called great by a lot of pretentious people, but that doesn't take away from the fact that its good. At the very least its intelligent and ambitious.

poonesfarm 2009-04-10 09:36:43 PM
ne2d: poonesfarm: ne2d:
I just listened to a few songs--they're pretty good, but that doesn't change the fact that they're still one of those bands that nobody except pretentious d-bag hipsters has ever heard of.

So, since you've heard of them, what does that make you?

Maybe from reading articles about music, possibly?

ne2d has a point.

And this:

flaminglip 2009-04-10 10:04:56 PM
NMH and The Hold Steady are like that sort of ugly girl you had a one night stand with. It was fun when you were wasted, but in the morning you wonder what the hell you were thinking.
(Nice SN, btw.)

On the one hand this guy made a record that pretentous wentzs relate to.

On the other hand this doesn't make it a bad record but perhaps one the general public does need to 'get'.

On the gripping hand who cares? I own Metal Machine Music on vinyl
which once again proves that we all like some music that most other people consider crap. Personally, I think Elvis Costello is big bowl of nothin'.

And I'm not casting aspersions.

Not just 2 days ago I was driving down the street with my windows down and I heard In The Aeroplane blaring out the speakers of some young chick's beat up Corolla. It was startling to hear it out of my personal context. This is one of my favorite late night records. I think I must have a little bit of the Jeff Magnum brand of crazy. Anyway, I can see where some people would not enjoy this kind of deeply emotional music.

"Aeroplane" is easily one of my favorite albums of all time. My mind is just farked up enough that the entire album sort of nestles in snugly and makes itself at home among all of my rambling thoughts. It just sort of...fits.

karmaceutical
Anyway, I can see where some people would not enjoy this kind of deeply emotional music.

Word.

I cried when i first heard "Two Headed Boy Part 2".
I almost never do that because of a song or album.


/ the last one before that was I first heard "the Final Cut" album by Roger Waters *cough*, errrr..... i mean Pink Floyd, almost a decade ago.

Naomi is an excellent song, no matter what you think of On Avery Island.

The last album that teared me up was probably Lou Reed's 'Berlin.'

I first heard it 8 years ago and it still gets to me. The only other album to stick like that has been Joanne Newsom's Ys. Soooo good.

Appreciating Neutral Milk Hotel has greatly improved the way I value all types of artwork.

I wish I could think of a better compliment.

I've been a fan of Neutral Milk Hotel since the 90's. I have longed for new music from them and have been left wanting.

Meh, I wouldn't hold your breath on this one. And really, could Aeroplane be topped? I mean you're either going to get it or you're not and it doesn't freaking matter which way.

Bonus points to Gals Panic for the Newsom mention -- when is SHE going to tour again? Equally brilliant works...

I saw this band live in about 1997, opening for Superchunk. I had never heard of them before at the time, but they were truly excellent. Glad I got the opportunity while it was available.

I got to see Neutral Milk Hotel open for The Magnetic Fields and Damon and Naomi at the Milk Bar in Jacksonville back in 1998 after the release of Aeroplane. I have spent a good amount of time since then looking for a live experience that made me feel like that again. Their set was flawless, and they completely outperformed both "co-headliners," who spent most of their sets either demeaning the crowd (The Magnetic Fields) or arguing with each other (Damon and Naomi).

I really don't care that he's not making music anymore. At least we got what we got from him. However, I think a concept album about his breakdown would be pretty badass.

mofomisfit: Naomi is an excellent song, no matter what you think of On Avery Island.

On Avery Island really doesn't get enough credit. Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone is another song that gets overlooked.

That article is a year old --so a bit of a strange post. And pretty poorly written.

Since it came out Mangum has reemerged and played several dates (admittedly one song each and some backing vocals) on the Elephant Six tour this fall. He also played drums on the last Apples in Stereo album.

See one such performance from the fall below: Link

As to " Last month brought news that he (Mangum) may play a guy in a lobster suit in a soon-to-be-released conceptual film" It was played every night of the fall tour (and alas, really sucked).

Also the guy is happily married to Astra Taylor, best known for making the documentary film Žižek.

Hopefully he will grace the world with new music someday, if not, well he has done his part seemingly already. Give him his due, his peace and his privacy.

flaminglip: NMH and The Hold Steady are like that sort of ugly girl you had a one night stand with. It was fun when you were wasted, but in the morning you wonder what the hell you were thinking.

I wholeheartedly disagree. Both bands are awesome and make quality music.

Why are their fans so disappointed, I thought that's what the Decemberists were for.

i read somewhere on the net the every song on the album is in the same key, or the minor related key.... is this true?

C Major if I remember correctly.

No, it's not true, there are several different keys on the album. And none of the songs are in C major.