ALBUM REVIEW: Neutral Milk Hotel – The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel

4.0 rating
Neutral Milk Hotel

The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel is an almost exhaustive recorded history of Jeff Mangum’s esteemed band Neutral Milk Hotel. The boxset is compiled of four 12” LPs, two 10” records and three 7” singles, with additional posters and postcards also included. It features the band’s two studio albums, On Avery Island and In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, the Everything Is and Ferris Wheel On Fire EPs, and the Little Birds, You’ve Passed, and Holland, 1945 singles, with the added bonus of the Live at Jittery Joe’s recording.

Hailing from the small city of Ruston in Louisiana, Jeff Mangum was born in 1970, coming to age through the 80’s and 90’s indie and punk underground scenes. His interest in these scenes led to him beginning several home recording projects. After graduating from high school, he moved to Seattle where he first used the alias Neutral Milk Hotel.

It was in Seattle where he first released Everything Is, with the full EP being included in The Collected Works… Title track ‘Everything Is’ perfectly demonstrates their approach to recording, featuring a lo-fi sound which bolsters a compelling indie rock guitar riff. The track begins by Mangum and a friend trading questions, “Who are you? A punk rocker or a member of KISS?”, a recording that harkens back to his time in Athens, Georgia where he conducted street interviews with a handheld recorder. Another highlight of the recording is the delicately paced ‘Snow Song’, in which Mangum gently proclaims, “Even the most silent must sing a song of love”.

Debut studio album On Avery Island provides a trip that navigates through fuzzy lo-fi sound recordings that merge several genres to create a distinctive, unique sound. Fuzz rock numbers dominate the early stages of the record through ‘Song Against Sex’, You’ve Passed’, and ‘Someone is Waiting’. There are more tender, acoustic moments though, such as ‘A Baby for Pree’ and the hauntingly outstanding ‘April 8th’. Psychedelic tones are also present, particularly through the experimental drone of ‘Pree-Sisters Swallowing a Donkey’s Eye”, the record’s thirteen-minute-long closing track.

The band’s second, and final, studio album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, again is dominated by a blend of indie rock and psychedelic folk. Working with producer Robert Schneider, Mangum improved the low-quality production of the group’s debut, with Schneider developing a recording technique involving heavy compression rather than relying on guitar pedals or effects to create distortion. Opener ‘King of Carrot Flowers Pt. One’ is an upbeat acoustic number with Mangum’s lyrics conjuring up images of a youthful imagination. The fuzz rock immediately follows in “King of Carrot Flowers Pts. 2 and 3” before the titular track again utilises acoustic guitar. Magnum sings of living in the moment, with the acknowledgment of mortality – “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”. Elsewhere, abstract lyrics play a key role, particularly through ‘Ghost’, a song that depicts a surreal version of Anne Frank’s life.

The Little Birds 7” single showcases a song Mangum wrote quickly in 1998 and played it later that day for a friend, shortly before he ended the Neutral Milk Hotel project. He did not play the song for another ten years, but the original recording gained momentum by being shared online. The acoustic song with eerie, prayerlike lyrics was written after Mangum had witnessed a street preacher loudly criticising LGBTQ people. A group of several people, including Mangum, shouted back until the preacher moved away, with the experience leading him to record ‘Little Birds’. A live version from the band’s 2014 reunion tour, with the added benefit of full musical accompaniment, is included on the single.

The final component of the boxset is Live at Jittery Joe’s, a casual coffee shop gig in which Mangum plays solo among around twenty friends. Fortunately, the gig was recorded by the famed filmmaker Lance Bangs and thus preserved. The intimacy of the performance is immediately clear when Mangum beings by saying “Hello everybody”, to which almost every audience member can be heard saying “Hi” back, including the gurgles of a baby. Raw versions of various songs including, ‘A Baby for Pree’ and ‘Two-Headed Boy’ are sublimely presented, allowing Mangum to demonstrate his vocal talents. Performance closer ‘Oh Comely’ is ended with humility, with Mangum finishing by simply stating, “Thanks, goodnight” to cap off a sublime live recording.

In a recent conversation, Mangum was asked a question he’s often been fielded – “Why didn’t Neutral Milk ever make a video?”. He clarified that the band did make videos – only in people’s minds, that everyone who has listened to the band has their own Neutral Milk Hotel video in their head. The studio versions, alternative takes, and live performances this boxset offer afford more people the opportunity to create their own Neutral Milk Hotel film. A must-have for anyone with an interest in the band, The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel provides a brilliant overview of an elusive, influential group.

 

Xsnoize Author
Alex Hoggard 29 Articles
Having started about music by reviewing live performances for Pearl Jam fansites, led to writing for the band's official website which led to writing gig and album reviews for a number of music sites and local newspapers. Enjoying an eclectic taste in genres has been found to relieve the stresses of following Hull Kingston Rovers RLFC! Favourite bands/artists include; Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Brad, The Levellers, Stone Roses, Oasis, Harvey Danger, London Grammar, Ride & Manic Street Preachers to name but a few! Favourite album: Yield - Pearl Jam.

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