Neutral Milk Hotel

[SethCort]

I just got into them about a year ago, and I love thier music. I went to thier website and it hadn't been updated since the late 90's. I was just wondering if any of you guys know what happened to them, did they break up or what?

[Bartender]

I don't think they've officially broken up, but I also don't think they've done anything more since releasing that album that everyone likes.

[ToolBox]

I don't think they've officially broken up, but I also don't think they've done anything more since releasing that album that everyone likes.

They went on haitus, and haven't returned. I believe Jeff Magnum (spelled right?) has a few solo albums, but they could have been pre-NMH.

[EvIL_ToASTER_OVEN]

neutral milk hotel own everything that has ever existed. my favorite for years

[lilsolsman]

Two Headed Boy, pt. 2 is one of the greatest album closers of all time.

[MemoryMachine]

Neutral Milk Hotel are a stunning, stunning band. I have nearly everything you can get Neutral Milk Hotel related on mp3, and I mean everything.

[Cain]

The frontman actually came to our campus with a new ensemble that he has together, in response to a petition from a few of their fans. I'm friends with a lot of the people who organized it and opened.

I'm not a fan of indie music but it's good to see that sort of deference to fans like that. My only complaint is that it's the only sort of music we ever tend to see.

[Luxor]

They cool

[Robert Crumb]

This one time, I saw a guy I thought looked like Jeff Mangum except he was really fat.

[comptonasseddy]

I really like them, possibly 1 of the best bands ive ever. Oh Comely gives me shivers each time i listen to it. Didnt they release books to do with the album?

[Robert Crumb]

Yeah, I think they did one of those 33 1/3 things for it.

[dilettante]

Two Headed Boy, pt. 2 is one of the greatest album closers of all time.
Agreed.

[sgrevs]

They are/were definitely the utmost shiznat. His song writing is just phenomenal. I love King of Carrot Flowers, Pts 1 and 2. And Holland, 1945. And most of In An Aeroplane Over The Sea. Actually no, all of it.

[peacethrumusic]

in the aeroplane over the sea is one of my favourite albums of the past decade. jeff mangum could write beautiful, strange melodies and I love his lyrics. he released live at jittery joe's in 2001, which is basically all neutral milk hotel songs, but he does them solo, and live.
but nmh did break up, although all of them are involved with other bands, except for jeff I think who was doing solo bulgarian influenced music as of late. a band you might want to check out is a hawk and a hacksaw (neutral milk's ex drummer jeremy barnes' current project).

[Sep]

I need to pick up that album "In The Airplane Over The Sea". I really dig the song "The King Of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1"

[Cygnus Inter Anates]

I'll contribute to the gushing by saying that In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is one of the few perfect albums.

[AlienEater]

I may purchase In The Aeroplane Over The Sea.

[The_Passenger]

I didn't particularly like In An Aeroplane over the Sea and I've heard a couple of songs off of On Avery Island and they weren't very good either. I can sort of see why they are so loved, but they're just not my thing, I guess.

[talk show host]

I didn't particularly like In An Aeroplane over the Sea and I've heard a coupel of songs off of On Avery Island and they weren't very good either. I can sort of see why they are so loved, but they're just not my thing, I guess.

Same here. I've listened to In an Aeroplane over the Sea a few times and it's never struck me as anything special. I don't really understand the sheer amount of praise the album gets, but we're obviously in the minority on this one.

[nutty_bar]

Mmm... I just got their album 2 days ago. I would use the word "delicious" to describe it :)

[mr_jackalope]

Same here. I've listened to In an Aeroplane over the Sea a few times and it's never struck me as anything special. I don't really understand the sheer amount of praise the album gets, but we're obviously in the minority on this one.

I'm there with you. There are some fantastic lyrics scattered throughout that album, but the music and vocal performance really, really bring it down a great deal, most of the time dulling the impact.

The opening song, though, is perfectly done.

[EightMilesHigh]

Neutral Milk Hotel are pretty gnarly, but I need to hear more of their music.

I love the line "the world just screams and falls apart."

[Horrorshow34]

'Holland, 1945' has been playing in my head for months now. Maybe I should buy that album

[Electronic Wolf]

Jeff Mangum went crazy.

[ToolBox]

I'm there with you. There are some fantastic lyrics scattered throughout that album, but the music and vocal performance really, really bring it down a great deal, most of the time dulling the impact.

The opening song, though, is perfectly done.

Hmm...most people I know who like NMH really enjoy Jeff's vocal performance. He doesn't have a stereotypical singer's voice; it is one of a kind. His voice cracks, waxes, and wanes. His voice shows intense emotion (I can't believe I'm writing this).

[mr_jackalope]

I generally am a big fan of imperfect, unique, and even nasally voices, but his aggrivates me more than anything else about that album. He, along with Colin Meloy (notable for being the most popular NMH ripoff artist currently going), just sing in that one way that drives me insane to no end.

[I Was A Kaleidoscope]

I don't like Colin Meloy.

And I love imperfect and pretentious and awkward voices like Carey Mercer, Spencer Krug, etc.

Neutral Milk Hotel is..good? Not great.
Aeroplane really is overrated. People have kept telling me why they love it. Emotion blah blah imperfect blah blah.

[mr_jackalope]

I pretty much agree with everything you said, yeah.

[Chilly-Bean-Bop]

I like these people.

Holland 1945 is a great song along with Two-Headed Boy.

[sr800bkBassist]

they're decent. Jeff is one of the worst singers of all time. the fact that they turn the mids up so loud and his overall vocal volume so loud just make it worse.

good songs and lyrics though.

[sr800bkBassist]

Hmm...most people I know who like NMH really enjoy Jeff's vocal performance. He doesn't have a stereotypical singer's voice; it is one of a kind. His voice cracks, waxes, and wanes. His voice shows intense emotion (I can't believe I'm writing this).
no, it doesn't do anything but KEEEEP GOIIIINGGGG LIIIIIIKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE THIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSS.

like it's just bursts of volume and hardly any melody.

maybe if they kept Jeff's songwriting but got another member to sing his lyrics they'd be 1000x better.

[nutty_bar]

I like his voice. I think his vocals give the music more of a folk feel.

The only thing I don't like is the "I love you Jesus Christ" line. That is cheesy sounding. And I can't tell if it is sarcasm.

[sr800bkBassist]

there is nothing folky about his voice.

[Cygnus Inter Anates]

Actually, I think his voice comes off as a little Irish in places. There is melody in the vocals.

The only thing I don't like is the "I love you Jesus Christ" line. That is cheesy sounding. And I can't tell if it is sarcasm. From what I've read it seems as if he's pretty much a Christian.

[sr800bkBassist]

there'd be more melody in his voice if he hit the right notes.

i gotta give him credit though, on Communist Daughter he chills the hell out, and it works SO much better. if only he did that more often.
still good songs of course.

[Dog]

I'm there with you. There are some fantastic lyrics scattered throughout that album, but the music and vocal performance really, really bring it down a great deal, most of the time dulling the impact.

The opening song, though, is perfectly done.
Agreed completely. Not big on the album but the opener is fantastic.

[nutty_bar]

Actually, I think his voice comes off as a little Irish in places. There is melody in the vocals.

From what I've read it seems as if he's pretty much a Christian.


Where did you read? I heard he grew up Christian, but that is all I know. The lyrics on the cd involve religion, but I can't really tell where he stands. I mean you would think that if somebody grew up Christian, than he wouldn't mock Jesus with that line. But on the other hand, at times it seems like there is too much sex in this album for him to be, you know what I mean?

[nutty_bar]

there is nothing folky about his voice.


To me there is. He reminds me of Bob Dylan.


I'm not saying he is as good as Dylan by any means, just that they have some similarities.

[sr800bkBassist]

To me there is. He reminds me of Bob Dylan.


I'm not saying he is as good as Dylan by any means, just that they have some similarities.
i can kind of see that, except the way i see it, Bob Dylan was like sloppy slurred vocals that were kind of spat in a cool manner, but Jeff Magnum does less slurring and more buzzing with his voice at the highest volume he can get it.

[Anonymous Rob]

I mean you would think that if somebody grew up Christian, than he wouldn't mock Jesus with that line. But on the other hand, at times it seems like there is too much sex in this album for him to be, you know what I mean?

I got the 33 1/3 book - apparently he's being deadly serious on that line.

Hate to go with the majority, but 'In the Aeroplane...' is an amazing album.

Cheesy as it sounds, Mangum's voice is probably the most honest and emotional you'll hear commited to compact disc.

It's toned down in 'On Avery Island' - some may prefer that. 'Naomi' on it is worth getting the album for alone

[mr_jackalope]

The only thing I don't like is the "I love you Jesus Christ" line. That is cheesy sounding. And I can't tell if it is sarcasm.

That's the best line on the album, by far. Screaming that at the beginning of the second song is an easy way of eliminating members of your fanbase right off the bat, making it completely awesome and ballsy.

[nutty_bar]

It was ballsy, that's for sure. If I hadn't already heard some other great parts of the cd it would have turned me off quite a bit.

Now that I know its most likely not sarcasm, it's not as bad.

[Spank Thru]

I got the 33 1/3 book - apparently he's being deadly serious on that line.

That disappoints me. I thought for sure it was sarcasm, and it was why I liked that part of the song so much.

[Robert Crumb]

I fail to see why a person should suddenly be disappointed in/turned-off/dislike a song because the singer says, "I love you Jesus Christ."

[mr_jackalope]

You'd be surprised, that line did it for a number of people I know. Many never finished the album.

There's some weird strain of anti-Christianity that runs through college-age kids exploring music, like they're afraid of it. I'm not religious by any means, but any mention of Jesus will send many kids running.

[Cygnus Inter Anates]

I bet Jesus listens to Neutral Milk Hotel.

Yeah, I played that song for my friends and they instantly said "That guy can't sing", which was exactly what I was expecting them to say. People rule.

[Robert Crumb]

You'd be surprised, that line did it for a number of people I know. Many never finished the album.

There's some weird strain of anti-Christianity that runs through college-age kids exploring music, like they're afraid of it. I'm not religious by any means, but any mention of Jesus will send many kids running.

Yeah, I'm not religious at all, either. It just seems like such a bizarre thing to get stuck on. College kids are weird.

[A Spoonful Supreme]

Jesus is just so mainstream, doesn't belong in my indie music.

[nutty_bar]

It didn't turn me off because I thought it was Christian, it turned me off because I thought it was anti-Christian. If more people could take politics and religion out of their music I would listen to a lot more groups.


But on the other hand, music can mean so much more with a meaning. If somebody is singing what they believe there is so much more passion. So I am torn on the subject of having politics and such in music.

[sexymuffin]

muhammad is indie.

[A Spoonful Supreme]

Yeah totally, eastern religion = totally indie and hip.

[Cygnus Inter Anates]

Eastern religions were so 1967.

[A Spoonful Supreme]

No way man it's coming back like heroin, in a whole new way.

[Robert Crumb]

I hope Zoroastrianism comes back in style.

[A Spoonful Supreme]

No way it is all about modal meditation now. Oh yeah and also psychedelic underground reggae dub.

[Cygnus Inter Anates]

What about Neo-Paganism?

[A Spoonful Supreme]

Nah dude that stuff is for hocus pocus nerds.

[sexymuffin]

ghandi was true indie pitchfork radiohead, man.

[A Spoonful Supreme]

ghandi was true indie pitchfork radiohead, man.
???

[sr800bkBassist]

it turns me off because it's so cheesy. serious or not.

[ToolBox]

it turns me off because it's so cheesy. serious or not.

The line "I love you Jesus Christ"?

[sr800bkBassist]

The line "I love you Jesus Christ"?
shouting it over and over in a cheesy voice sounds like a complete joke.

[ToolBox]

Hmm I find it slightly powerful. It is a frank, bold statement that in contrast to King of Carrot Flowers pt. 1 is just completely different.