Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island

Fire

When ‘In The Aeroplane Over The Sea’ was re-released in 2005, it sparked a wave of interest in this most elusive of bands. The record is generally regarded as a stone-cold classic, and has proved to be massively influential, in it’s own low key way, with it’s Spector-esque lo-fi wall of sound arrangements finding favour with indie-rockers the world over.

‘On Avery Island’ - Neutral Milk Hotel’s debut album - finally gets the re-release treatment too, although it will be difficult to see it having the same impact its more acclaimed younger brother had. There is nothing fundamentally different between the two records, both hinging on the warped voice and songs of Jeff Mangum, and a warm, fuzzy folk-psychedelic sound, but somehow it just doesn’t have the scope of ‘In The Aeroplane Over The Sea’. Perhaps it doesn’t have that record’s emotional centre, an entirely moving story that draws upon the life of Anne Frank, or maybe it’s just not as good. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a treasure trove of delights to be found here. Opener, ‘Song Against Sex’ jangles, then pounds its way into the mind of the listener, painting seedy pictures. ‘Where You’ll Find Me Now’ is sweet and beguiling, Magnum’s voice sounding pure and honest while guitars swirl and distort around him, bringing a smile to the face and a tear to the eye of all but the most hardened of hearts.

Aside from the songs, this record’s re-issue is timely in that it stands up. In a day and age when it would appear that everybody on the face of the earth is in a band, the mid-90s were a veritable dark ages, with records frequently difficult to find, and information on obscure acts such as Neutral Milk Hotel only found by trawling through the inky press, rather than at the touch of a button. In this environment, bands such as NHM thrived, making up the rule-book as they went along, constructing their own mythologies.

Neutral Milk Hotel emerged out of the Elephant 6 Recording Company, a collection of like-minded individuals operating out of Athens, Georgia who spawning three notable groups: the enticingly named Olivia Tremor Control, Apples In Stereo and Neutral Milk Hotel. Despite sharing band members, each of the bands had a distinct identity. Apples In Stereo being the pop classicists of the collective, Olivia Tremor Control represented the more experimental side of things, mixing jangly psychedelic rock with absurdist cut-up concepts. Neutral Milk Hotel represent the true songwriting wing of Elephant 6, with Jeff Magnum the in house literary-influenced genius, in contrast to AIS man Robert Schneider’s sonic visionary role. Magnum’s songs carry compelling narratives, touching sentiments, and passionate proclamations. Magnum also emerges as the genuine enigma of the group, seemingly intent on following his own path, and ignoring the constraints of a ‘career’ in place of some kind of higher artistic vision. This has led him to disappear from the face of music, with no new output since the original release of ‘In The Aeroplane Over The Sea’.

It is precisely that enigma that makes Neutral Milk Hotel so compelling. This is a band that clearly did what they did out of pure love, and their legacy stands as a towering artistic statement when placed beside their peers. Sure this record is rough around the edges, and frequently impenetrable. But it has a mystery and majesty that is lacking from a lot of music released since. In its own humble punk rock way, ‘On Avery Island’ stands as a textbook example of a time when the music meant something and was made by people who did it out of love. As such, the time is right to fall in love with this record all over again. Steven Rainey

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DOWNLOAD: ‘Song Against Sex’, ‘Everything Is’
FOR FANS OF: Sebadoh, Pavement, Guided By Voices.

Issue #51 - I Told You This Would Be A Good Issue

Featuring Biffy Clyro, Of Montreal, Duke Special, Frightened Rabbit, Cold War Kids, Jay Reatard, Pat Mills, and more.