Originally posted by blankfrank: I think I missed the boat on Modest Mouse. I own the Moon and Anarctica and it just has this weird vibe to it the makes it always seem distant and sort of creepy. A lot of people talk about The Lonesome Crowded West as being their best, but I'm not sure I want to give it a try if it is in the same vein as Moon and Anarctica. There are great songs on M and A. It is actually incredibly solid, but it is just off putting. Maybe it is one of those albums that isn't a representative introduction to a particular band. What is your advice on that DCFan?
I can understand finding the Modest Mouse sound off-putting. If that is the case, I would not recommend Lonesome Crowded West. It is much more extreme, less accessible than M and A.
Neutral Milk Hotel is fairly new to me. I must say that I've been haunted by this album since it "hit me". I've been trying to decipher the lyrics ever since and I have some new ideas. I think there is something more to the Ghost story with the haunted residence. The title song seems to be written by both Mangum and an un-named ghost. I believe that Mangum credits this ghost with, if not writing the song, providing the inspiration for it: almost as a medium. The Anne Frank connection makes perfect sense but I still feel there is something else here.
I also think that Mangum hinted to the fact that this may be the end of NMH in the title track. He sings of the voice he was given and thanks the ghost for not only contributing to the music, but also, showing him that there are other things in life that are truly more important. He mentions wanting to keep the gift he's been given, while understanding the need to move on. It is a simple and beautiful metaphor.
A week ago, I was driving home from home from a family visit and I was listening to My Morning Jacket. My intention was to finish with them and play ITAOTS before getting home. I decided at no particular point to change albums and start NMH, thinking I had approximately enough time to hear the entire album. About halfway through, I wondered just how close my timing was. Could I have timed it perfectly? Needless to say, "Two Headed Boy II" ended exactly at the moment I pulled in my driveway. Given the holiday traffic, toll booths, and random stop lights, I started thinking that there was a reason I subconsciously gave myself enough time to hear the album in it's entirety down to the precise second. This may seem silly but this particular listening session proved to be the most rewarding of all the times I've played the album.
I also found "Two Headed Boy" to be about this ghostly presence and Mangum writing the music as one. Since that day, I've done a lot of research into the album's meaning, (including a take from RavingLunatic on songmeanings.net) and the topic fascinates me like it did for all of those who were lucky enough to discover this band and album years ago.
In conclusion, I would agree with the rating of 10 but not in the sense of perfection. Pitchfork giving it a 10 means nothing to me but personally, I have never heard an album with less than perfect vocals and instrumentals that I would hold in such high regard. It is a 10 in my book because I truly love the album. I can listen when I want and I enjoy every second of every song. One man's trash is truly another man's treasure.
Posts: 1206 | Location: Hunting in the Korengal | Registered: 04 January 2006
the king of carrot flowers 1,2, and 3 are all awesome. in the aeroplane.. comes next, and it good enough. two headed boy, though, gets on my nerves enough to throw the album's momentum off. the annoying strumming kills it. first half of oh comely is kind of boring too. and then two headed boy part two is boring as well. the lyrics dont save these songs for me. i'll willingly admit that they are poetic and genius, but i just dont connect.
On avery island is niceeeee. the fuzz is thicker, and the music more whimsical. the whole album seems to have an ominous event behind it, but there isn't much indication of what that event may be. my favorite part of the album is when the drums kick in on "where you'll find me now." it's a brilliant moment of tension and release, as "a baby for pree" and "where you'll find me now" have the same chord structure and strum. "where you'll find me now" is basically a continuation of "a baby for pree," but it isn't expected. i didnt realize this until i had listened to the album 10 times. when i did, i saw immense satisfaction in it.
I just bought this two days ago, and have listened to it 4 times. I can't say for sure if it is a stone cold classic, but I am strangely drawn to it, like a drug.
Man, I'm really excited about the possibility of a new album from Jeff Mangum, but his comments about there being more noises and sound collages sort of frightens me. I really can't stand those sound collages in the Olivia Tremor Control albums. Come to think of it, I think pretty much all sound collages are tripe.
Posts: 3947 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
what a hoax indeed. I don't know how I would feel about another NMH album, I'd be so extremely dissapointed if it sucked. To me, that would be like revisiting the love of your life that you have not met in 10 years only to find out that she's put on a lot of weight and married some old rich dude.
Just my two cents(edit: this was longer than expected, more like five cents)
I am of the 10.0 camp. I've listened to this album for about three years now, and only now am I starting to realize how great this album is. Like many of the most rabid NMH fans, this album is so much more than just that. Just like the bible is more than just a book to some people, or the image of virgin mary more than just a picture. It's almost like an entity in itself, and before this album, I didn't think music (or anything) could have that kind of psuedo-religious effect on me. The fact that I'm not alone when I make this kind of ridiculous claim is really a testament to the album's powers.
Nobody really knows exactly why the album has this kind of effect on people. To me , the holy grail of NMH fans (besides another NMH album) would be a completely convincing explanation of why this album is so great. Nothing I've read has really done this, many music critics have tried and failed.
Everytime I listen to the album, I feel like there is something more to discover than what has already been written or have discovered myself. And I'm not talking about discovering hidden codes in the music, or trying to make complete sense out of Mangum's lyrics. There's really something deeper than that.
So far I haven't really explained what makes this album great, I've just rambled about my obsesssion(and many other's) with this album. I know this will be fruitless but there is one thing I can say that I think everyone can agree no matter what your opinions are on the album.
When trying to express yourself through art (and especially music), being honest is the greatest thing you can do but sometimes the hardest. Its easy to say the things you want to say, and pick out what you don't want everyone to hear. You fear failure, rejection, and sounding stupid in front of people. With Aeroplane, there's no such fear, and Mangum make no distinction on what he wants to sing about, and what he'd rather not. He just sings about what is there in his head, no matter how grotesque or awkaward it is. Honesty has been cause for many noble failures in the past. But somehow aeroplane worked, and how strange it is that so many people have given it the chance and discovered its greatness.
Originally posted by subrock: what a hoax indeed. I don't know how I would feel about another NMH album, I'd be so extremely dissapointed if it sucked. To me, that would be like revisiting the love of your life that you have not met in 10 years only to find out that she's put on a lot of weight and married some old rich dude.
Just my two cents(edit: this was longer than expected, more like five cents)
I am of the 10.0 camp. I've listened to this album for about three years now, and only now am I starting to realize how great this album is. Like many of the most rabid NMH fans, this album is so much more than just that. Just like the bible is more than just a book to some people, or the image of virgin mary more than just a picture. It's almost like an entity in itself, and before this album, I didn't think music (or anything) could have that kind of psuedo-religious effect on me. The fact that I'm not alone when I make this kind of ridiculous claim is really a testament to the album's powers.
Nobody really knows exactly why the album has this kind of effect on people. To me , the holy grail of NMH fans (besides another NMH album) would be a completely convincing explanation of why this album is so great. Nothing I've read has really done this, many music critics have tried and failed.
Everytime I listen to the album, I feel like there is something more to discover than what has already been written or have discovered myself. And I'm not talking about discovering hidden codes in the music, or trying to make complete sense out of Mangum's lyrics. There's really something deeper than that.
So far I haven't really explained what makes this album great, I've just rambled about my obsesssion(and many other's) with this album. I know this will be fruitless but there is one thing I can say that I think everyone can agree no matter what your opinions are on the album.
When trying to express yourself through art (and especially music), being honest is the greatest thing you can do but sometimes the hardest. Its easy to say the things you want to say, and pick out what you don't want everyone to hear. You fear failure, rejection, and sounding stupid in front of people. With Aeroplane, there's no such fear, and Mangum make no distinction on what he wants to sing about, and what he'd rather not. He just sings about what is there in his head, no matter how grotesque or awkaward it is. Honesty has been cause for many noble failures in the past. But somehow aeroplane worked, and how strange it is that so many people have given it the chance and discovered its greatness.
Originally posted by Crowdiggs: I just bought this two days ago, and have listened to it 4 times. I can't say for sure if it is a stone cold classic, but I am strangely drawn to it, like a drug.
My brother dubbed the album to a tape for me in 1999. I've listened to it at least once a month (of course, it was the only thing I listened to for a few months)for the last 7 years. It still gets me. I still feel it. Far and away a 10.0 and my favorite album. Nothing comes close for me.
Posts: 132 | Location: DC | Registered: 05 April 2006
I'm against the nature of a 10.0, because there is no such thing as a "perfect" record. That said, I've always thought that NMH was much more deserving of a very high score than, say, Kid A. The whole album kicks my ass.
Posts: 305 | Location: AVA | Registered: 24 June 2006
Originally posted by pak: I'm against the nature of a 10.0, because there is no such thing as a "perfect" record. That said, I've always thought that NMH was much more deserving of a very high score than, say, Kid A. The whole album kicks my ass.
I dunno. Would you prefer it got some arbitrary number like 9.7? Who gives a 9.7? That doesn't make any sense... it is the most meaningless difference (between a 9.7 and a 10).
