Neutral Milk Hotel was an American rock band, LoFi-coming from Louisiana, those from 1989 to 1998 was active. Singer and songwriter Jeff Mangum was the core of the group, but he collaborated on albums and usually live with Jeremy Barnes (drums), Scott Spillane (flugelhorn) and Julian Koster (bass guitar/banjo/saw). Especially their second album, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea knew much success among critics and inindiecircles. This album sold more than 200,000 copies[1]. In 2005 it is reissued by Domino Records.
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea[Edit][]
The album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, the greatest success of the group, is a so-called concept album. Although the various numbers together tell a fully coherent story (as with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles), there is one topic that is sung about, namely the life of Anne Frank. Jeff Mangum was very intrigued by her person and her tragic fate. In Holland, 1945 Mangum sings The only girl I've ever loved was born with roses in her eyes/But then they buried her alive, one evening in 1945, which is an explicit reference to the death of Anne Frank.
By the success of the album came with particular singer Mangum were under great pressure and to the expectations of his own modesty can be too high. He toured about half a year with the band after the release of this album to finally stop music.
The musical break in Mangum's career lasted more than 10 years. For a first time again In 2011 Mangum performed solo at a benefit concert. Mangum was appointed receiver of the early 2011 All tomorrow's Parties festival (2-4 december 2011 in Minehead, UK). On this festival trad Mangum on, along with a number of bands of the Elephant 6 collective, plus a series of exquisite other artists (The Fall, Minutemen, Sebadoh,Scratch Acid, Young Marble Giants, The Magic Band, The Raincoats). In the fall of 2011, various performances by Mangum on the program, in the USA and the UK.
Discography[Edit][]
- On Avery Island (Merge Records, 1996)
- In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Merge Records, 1998)