In The Aeroplane Over The Sea (studio album) by Neutral Milk Hotel

From Jboy56 04/19/2022 13:07

This kind of music is really difficult to appreciate for any particular reason Very Brit and '60s in vibe and mood.
Just one listen but will probably not listen to it again.

So much to unpack throughout this album. It is raw and incredibly abrasive but has moments of beauty that make for a perfect balance. The lyrics are challenging and unwavering in their attempts to be exactly that. It is rough but in a way that it wouldn't work if it was any other way.

Listen #4 for me. Still not crazy about it and my opinion hasn’t changed from my previous listen. It has some really good tunes in the title track, Carrot Flowers Pt 1, and Holland 1945. Everything else is either pretty generic folksy strummy or pretty good but both of these categories of songs are ruined by this guy’s vocals.

I cannot understand how this Liam-Gallagher-Stone-Roses-ass “vocal style” came to be so widely-used in this time period, but it takes a specific voice or talent to pull it off and this guy does notttt have either. Maybe these lyrics are absolute genius, but if I’d rather dig knives into my ears to use as makeshift earplugs than listen to the vocals, that doesn’t really help the album’s case.

As to why I still adore three songs that have these vocals, I’d say their loud fuzzy mixes compliments it well. This dude screaming bloody murder over a song like Oh Comely doesn’t compliment anything (and yeah I get it, that’s supposed to be the point, that doesn’t make it suck less).

OK, I’ve listened to this twice before making a comment. It’s not good, in my opinion. I like Holland, 1945. The rest of the songs, I kept checking the timer to see how much longer until it was over.

Eclectic styles work when the musicians are top notch (see Arcade Fire). When it’s run of the mill folk guitar plus subpar trumpet plus pitchy vocals? Not good. Add in stream of consciousness lyrics that remind one of a college freshman trying to sound deep…

Here’s the bottom line: does this record mean anything if the frontman didn’t go AWOL afterwards? Doubtful.

This is maybe the poster child for albums you should listen to twice before judging. It's intense and cinematic, and really beautiful. It's just SO different than every other big album of its time, that it takes a few listens to process.

Unbearable record. The songs aren't great and worst of all is the horrendous, overbearing in your face vocals. They are horrible. How this album has managed to become one of the most praised albums on this site is a complete mystery. 15th best album of all time? Wtf? Terrible record. Totally overrated.

Buen comienzo pero después va decayendo.
No veo la grandeza de este álbum

The first 4 songs are just pure perfection and kick the album off phenomenally and then the rest of the album just follows in the footsteps of this. Every song is amazing and feels like it serves a purpose. The vocals are raw and have a grit to them which makes them unique from anything else I have heard. Every line is delivered with such passion and emotion that makes you feel personally involved with the atmosphere. The instrumentation is magnificent and the variation on display from song to song is stunning. The music also perfectly matches the vocal performance making the whole album feel like a cohesive masterpiece, that is almost completely faultless. This is an album that can't be missed.

Brought this album purely on seeing it so high up the ratings here. I think it is a really good and original record. The first half is the better. It does slightly grate on me in places, but I do not regret purchasing it. I love the theme of the album and the lyrics are excellent. HOWEVER would not and have not bought any further music just by its high placing in a chart.

From VictorVale 05/25/2021 12:31

Aa cornetas são fantásticas demais!!