In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
by Neutral Milk Hotel (1998)
Albums category pick for the week of 7/28/08
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is one of those rare times where I not only dipped my toe in the indie rock pool, but dove in for a swim. Eerie and disturbingly pretty, Jeff Magnum's screamy, insistent lullaby whining spins timeless tales of sadness and loss.
In one song he sings about young love with an abused girl:
"And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder
And your dad would throw the garbage all across the floor
As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for"
in another he is lamenting a beloved Holocaust victim:
"The only girl I've ever loved
Was born with roses in her eyes
But then they buried her alive
One evening
1945
With just her sister at her side
And only weeks before the guns
All came and rained on everyone"
The songs, like the striking album art are ancient and modern, creepy and beautiful. It's a unique listening experience and one unlikely to be repeated. All the band members have been busy with other projects and a third release looks unlikely.
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