Though they broke up in 1998, Neutral Milk Hotel is easily my favorite band so far this year. Much along the same vein as singer/songwriters that are just fed up with the world such as Nick Drake, Elliot Smith, and Jose Gonzales; frontman Jeff Mangum sings lyrics that describe his bittersweet perspective of reality. It is so easy to become immersed into the world that Neutral Milk Hotel portrays and listen to nothing but them for weeks on end, emerging from the binge hungover, somehow addicted to cigarettes, depressed, and wondering what happened in the past month.
For me, bands that can leave a lasting impression on you like this are ones that should be noticed. Though they never achieved 'mainstream success' (whatever that means these days) they've managed to sell over 300,000 copies of their album "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" and critical acclaim as "one of the most influential bands of the past 25 years" by Rolling Stone. With that being said, check out their small but eclectic catalog featuring songs such as "Two Headed Boy", "Oh Comely", "In The Areoplane Over the Sea", amongst many others.
NMH are not a complicated band hear, but and increasingly complicated band to understand. Mangum's voice is not for the faint of heart, and his lyrics offer no suffice. They are often cryptic, but at the same time incredibly simple; offering such sexual innuendos as "semen stains the mountaintops".
All innuendos aside, what matters the most is I CANNOT stop listening to this band for all of the reasons above. It just sticks with you like your ex-girlfriend that won't stop texting you. Seriously check out these guys through whatever avenue you can. Here's some youtube links to some of my favorite songs:
In the Areoplane Over the Sea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6H8WcTPnWM
Two-Headed Boy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCxEWPLDg5c&feature=related
Oh Comely:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iipO9Tvk1EI&feature=related
Communist Daughter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKGN1EDei7w
Nighty night
-TJ
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