What you say
No-one has reviewed In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel yet.
What we say
 This record left our Clint feeling unmoved.
I once nearly had a fight at a party due to my dislike of Neutral Milk
Hotel. It seems I was the only one there who didn't think they were the best
thing in the world ever (pre or post sliced bread). I accept people have
different tastes and see different things in records - partly what makes this
job so frustrating (and sometimes enlightening). But the venom I faced was quite
extraordinary - it was almost as if I'd called everyone's mother a whore.
Therefore there's little point in me writing about this new Domino
re-issue of 'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea' save to say that I did give it
another try only to rip it off the turntable once again when he sings 'I love
you Jesus Christ' in a nerdy voice that's one part They Might Be Giants, one
part 70's finger in the ear folkie. That said the indie-hop brethren (and Franz
Ferdinand) wax lyrical on the rear sleeve like it was 'Surfer Rosa' or
something. One day maybe I can join their little club....but not quite yet.
What the label says:
‘In the Aeroplane Over the Sea’ is one of the most completely inspiring rock records I’ve ever heard… everytime I finish listening to it I feel like I’ve lived through something I’ll never quite understand, something really big.’ Ben Reed Parry of the Arcade Fire.
Rising from the flames of Louisiana’s ‘crazy psychedelic Christianity’ and smouldering bayous, comes the re-release of Neutral Milk Hotel’s ‘In the Aeroplane Over the Sea’. Originally released in 1996, Domino Records have swept off the ashes covering this musical gem that has been sparking inspiration in its listeners and influencing bands including Arcade Fire, Caribou and even Franz Ferdinand.
Its relevance to today’s musicians is obvious from it’s fans; Bob Hardy of Franz Ferdinand recalls: “When I first started driving, ‘In The Aeroplane Over The Sea’ was the only cassette I had in my Ford Fiesta for two years. It is amazing. Friendships can be gauged on the mutual love of Neutral Milk Hotel.’ Dan Snaith of Caribou cites ‘Aeroplane…’ as “my favourite album ever recorded without exception”.
Impossible to define in terms of time or scene its other-worldly music and lyrics could easily have been the soundtrack to the 1900s dreamscape film “A Trip to the Moon” with human-faced moons and rockets. Comparable to being on a Ferris Wheel with an orchestra of trumpets, zanzithiphones, uillean pipes, accordions and shortwave radio fuzz: the result is heady and exhilarating but there is a darkness underlying this exuberant ecstasy, as though you can hear Tom Waits conducting ‘The Black Rider’ in a far off circus tent.
‘Aeroplane…’ is stylistically varied to say the least; ‘King of Carrot Flowers Part 2 & 3’ begins with plucked banjo and Mangum singing with abandon before spiralling into an irresistible frenzied fuzz guitar mosh, reminiscent of the Violent Femmes.
Jeff Mangum’s gravelly folky sing-song voice is at times reminiscent of Wayne Coyne but with more passion and conviction. Exploring the realms of the extraordinary through the ordinary, Mangum weaves his voice “through the notches in your spine…” in ‘Two Headed Boy’. Mangum’s words flow in a Jungian stream of consciousness, springing kinetically and breathlessly from each other, illuminating fantastic, almost intangible images.
Recognised in the US as a seminal album of extraordinary beauty and innovation by critics and its audience, the album is about to be discovered afresh by a new audience. |
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