Live Review: FLASHBACK: Neutral Milk Hotel 'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea'
Neutral Milk Hotel were the seminal indie band of the '90s. And we think they're super great.
Oh bless us and our rampant ‘90s nostalgia. It reminds us of our childhoods spent with eyes transfixed on ABC TV. Those good old naïve days, before we knew what blow jobs or professional success meant. Ah bliss, ah heaven.
And of course we’ve got to talk about the ‘90s band that started us all, that helped chart the course for the future of our beloved indie music genre. Yes, we’re talking NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL and the title track from their 1998 release In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, their critically acclaimed sophomore LP.
A sad occasion for fans and singer Jeff Magnum was the bands disbandment the following year. Magnum had grown tired of touring, of the music press, and later suffered a nervous breakdown. He hasn't released a full-length album since, but has collaborated with others and played gigs, like say, Coachella.
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This song is our favourite from the album. It’s catchy and sweet, involving a diverse range of instruments- from horns to that eerie washboard sound. This little love song is pretty beautiful, talking about the fleetingness of our lives and our loves, and about cherishing the moments in which we live, to “count every beautiful thing we can see.” It’s a poignant piece exploring absurdity, existentialism and beauty. And we just think it’s gosh darn folk-wonderful. There's not too much more to say, except that we think you should listen to their entire discography and revel in this polished rich sound.
“How strange it is to be anything at all.”
Words by Hannah Story.
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