Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (w/ John Griffith returning!)

The Album Concept Hour

When "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" was released in February 1998, many critics didn't know what to think of it. Was it a fully formed lo-fi genre-breaking Mangum Opus--or an ill conceived indie-rock mess of conflicting sounds? Were Jeff Mangum's lyrics, involving anything from holocaust scenes to raw sexuality, evocative and mysterious and deeply personal--or just the weird, demented, and pretentious ravings of a hipster? However you feel about it, "Aeroplane" is a cult classic among lovers of both lo-fi and indie music. It appeared right as the internet was hitting puberty, and with it, the explosion of indie music that followed. Neutral Milk Hotel influenced several indie powerhouses from the myspace days, including Bright Eyes, mewithoutYou, Beirut, and The Decemberists, which then influenced countless others. The underground success made Mangum stuff of legend, and under the immense weight of "Aeroplane"s influence, Neutral Milk collapsed. Mangum stopped making public appearances for a few years, and the fans were left in wonder if that magic in a bottle would ever come out again. They did release the "Ferris Wheel on Fire" EP in 2011, but it was composed of material written before "Aeroplane," so it's not necessarily a progression forward. Mangum has no intention of continuing music under Neutral Milk Hotel, as "[his] path feels sort of different now." With the ethereal lyrics and moments that give you unexpected goosebumps, it's hard to understand why it gets under your skin, but it does. As Mangum told Pitchfork, "...these windows open up for something to be honest, and they don't stay open for very long." Join Brad LeBaron, Jon Acker, and RETURNING COHOST John Griffith for this very special quarantine episode of season 2 of THE ALBUM CONCEPT HOUR!!!

COMING UP: (08-10-20) 30 Seconds to Mars - This Is War

(08-17-20) Elton John - Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST NUMBER ONE: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Z67Ka5xedSfYIvWw6YNt4?si=GG5CAvtUQ0CWpr74gRn-_A

Links:

www.twitter.com/RevoloverAudio

www.anchor.fm/AlbumConceptHour

www.twitter.com/AlbumConceptPod

www.myspace.com/AlbumConceptHour

www.ko-fi.com/RevoloverAudio

Speaking of the holocaust, educate yourself about the concentration camps in the US: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/06/aoc-holocaust-why-migrant-detention-centers-are-concentration-camps-explained.html

Links to support important causes in the Madison area:

https://freethe350bailfund.wordpress.com/(Madison bail fund)