This week we've got the creative music of Neutral Milk Hotel. The lo-fi neo-psycedelic music of this indie rock band is essentially the work of songwriter Jeff Mangum. In some songs it's just him and a guitar, other times it's a full out band with horns and all. With their second album, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, Neutral Milk Hotel had a huge breakthrough in the indie world. Following the large unexpected success, Jeff has yet to follow up with anyting using the Neutral Milk Hotel name. I really became interested in this band when I heard two songs off their second album: King of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1 and Two Headed Boy. I thought they were great and incredibly enjoyable. Now my interest in them had increased two-fold as I heard the undenaibly enjoyable Holland, 1945. I can't wait to pick up the album at some point. His song imagry seems especially unique and creative, even from other indie musicians. And the horn and bagpipe instrumentals are quite enjoyable also. (At least I think they're bagpipes. They've got all kinds of instruments on the album it seems: zanzithophones, uillean pipes, flugelhorns.) I've only heard it out of order so far though. And I just got to hear the debut album from a friend and it definitely doesn't seem to reach the same level as the follow up.
So now, for you today, I've got the three previously-mentioned, favorite songs of mine by this band. (The title track of this aweseome album is also very nice, but I'll leave it at these.)
'Holland 1945' is pretty cool. I could really feel that one.
'Two Headed Boy' has a beat that's too fast for the vocals. I liked the beat but it would have been better instrumental. Too fast beat with too slow vocals didn't quite grab me.
With 'King of Carrot Flowers', the page said it was 'Forbidden' and that I didn't have access to it.
Posts: 6723 | Location: Land of Lincoln, USA | Registered: 07-04-02
'King of Carrot Flowers' was the only one I accessed (not much time to give everything full attention today) and I really liked it. No problem there in getting it to play...give it another try, Honi... Nice to see that something tuneful and original, with just three simple chords (F, Bb, C) can still be composed...
Posts: 3457 | Location: Marple Cheshire UK | Registered: 06-04-02
Thanks for listening, guys. Glad you liked what you heard.
I guess something must be different for you, Honi. It works for me, too. It might have something to do with the site I found it from. It's some guy's blog. Sorry you were able to play it.
Posts: 6529 | Location: Grayson, Georgia, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
