In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
In The Aeroplane Over The SeaThis is not a new release but because until a week ago I had never heard of Neutral Milk Hotel, far less listened to their second album In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, it feels that way to me. The album was released first in early 1998 on Merge Records and was subsequently re-released on Domino Records in 2005. The influential music website Pitchfork gave this album a rare perfect 10.0 rating after the re-release and after 2 or 3 listens during the latter half of last week I can see why.

I love the blend of musical styles on show here. Psychedelia, folksy pop, lo-fi and funeral marches to name a few of those which spring initially to mind. Singer and creative driving force Jeff Magnum's voice has a powerful raw quality and the emotional impact of the songs is enhanced rather than diminished by the regular cracks which appear as he tries to hit the top notes. The band also employ a range of fairly obscure instruments, including something called a singing saw which helps colour the absolutely lovely title track.

Track one, King of Carrot Flowers Part 1, hides a dark family scenario of drunkenness, despair and domestic violence beneath a catchy pop-folk tune. The record then ventures into the arena of the unconventional for the first, but by no means the last, time. Flowing straight out of the closing sustained note of the previous track King of Carrot Flowers Parts 2 & 3 begins with Magnum singing the line "I Love You Jesus Christ" and the manner in which he matches the drawn out note of the word Christ to the continuing background drone remaining from the previous track made the hairs on my neck stand up. It was at this moment during my first listen to the record that I realised I'd found something a little bit special.

Lyrically this album is just beautiful and Magnum's accomplishment as a poet helps to lift this album yet further away from the majority of popular music. From track one:

And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder
And your dad would throw the garbage all across the floor
As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for

and from the title track:

And one day we will die
And our ashes will fly from the aeroplane over the sea
But for now we are young
Let us lay in the sun
And count every beautiful thing we can see
Love to be
In the arms of all I'm keeping here with me

The record is actually easily accessible for first time listeners and yet the complexity woven by Magnum's lyrics and the musical exuberance on show makes sure that repeat listeners will find much else to explore on each subsequent visit.

Jeff Magnum has unintentionally built up quite a shadowy übercool persona over the years. He is everything the singer/songwriter of an indie band should be. Introverted, emotional and unpredictable. The release and subsequent success of In The Aeroplane Over The Sea seem to have both broken apart Neutral Milk Hotel and turned Magnum into a reclusive figure who has kept out of the public eye since 1998. While scanning some online editorial about this record I have noticed that it seems to have a cult following among indie music fans and prompts more than its fair share of cooler-than-thou toss-pots to get all muso and wanky about their experiences with it. This is completely down to the fact that the record is relatively unknown and also relatively brilliant. Sales of the album are on the up, ten years after its initial release, and this increased momentum seems mainly due to word of mouth recommendations ..... just like this one. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea is well worth tracking down.
Written by Kevin
Monday, 18 August 2008
 
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