I'd mingle with her. Using a great deal of protection.

"While the record sells better today than ever, you won't see Neutral Milk Hotel onstage anytime soon because, for all intents and purposes, they've vanished into thin air. At the end of Aeroplane's final song, you can hear Jeff Mangum—the band's singer, songwriter, and all-around mastermind—set down his guitar and walk off, and, minus a few months of under-the-radar touring, that's exactly what Mangum did in real life. When the major labels and the glossy magazines and the half-crazed fans came calling, Mangum never responded. There was no breakup announcement, no reason given for the radio silence—he just faded out. After a decade of speculation, sightings, and hoaxes, his story remains a mystery: Why did he decide to disappear? And where has Mangum gone?"

From this recent article in Slate exploring the question of what happened to Jeff Mangum.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
OK, I seem to be hitting a lot of nerves lately.

My question was geared towards people that consider it to be their best album of all time.

Second, I have given this album tons of chances. I still have a copy of it and I do give it chance after chance but I just don't get it and I don't like.

Third, I am just curious if they have heard anything before 1997--you know, the year music was created--yes, that was sarcasm. But I wouldn't be surprised if they haven't heard any older music.

On certain days I might call this the best album of all time. I dunno, I have trouble ranking.

But I would recommend not freaking out if it continues to elude you. Different strokes for different folks, eh? You can't be in every cult parade, FKA. And yes, I listen to plenty of music before 1997. I get a little shaky when you go as far back as the 50's, but 60's on I'm pretty solid.

I love the weird things that happen with time in this album. Mangum longs to help Anne Frank, though it's impossible and he's got to know that. The euphonium parts lend an almost turn of the century air to the proceedings, and the singing saw is just plain weird (if anybody's into that Stephen King series the Dark Tower, there should also be a connection between time getting funny and singing saws . And then there's an almost Naked Lunch-esque recurrent theme of organs and bodily functions. It feels like he's singing the Naked Truth from some bizarre time-warped universe. But the melodies hold it all together, seemingly oblivious to the surreal wordplay going on above. I think I'm ready to listen to it again.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
For those of you that consider this to be "The Best album of all time," have you heard anything else pre-1997 maybe?

This is a completely serious question, by the way.

Hmm, when I said it was my favourite, I meant it. Not the best by any means. Any personal choice is subjective.

I suppose you could work out the best album of all time if you picked out every single person from the invention of the LP up to now and asked them what their favourite album was and you'd get an answer. But that isn't gonna happen.

I relate to the album on an emotional level, and having started listening to music primarily in the noughties I suppose context has something to do with it.

My top 5 albums I suppose would be
1) Neutral Milk Hotel - ITAOTS
2) Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
3) The Beatles - Revolver
4) Iggy & The Stooges - Raw Power
5) Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin I

Y'see there's some spread there in terms of time! Now leave us NMH fans alone!