“Two-Headed Boy, Pt. 2” by Neutral Milk Hotel // In the Aeroplane over the Sea (1998)

It’s hard to believe that it’s been fifteen years since the release of the brilliant “In The Aeroplane Over the Sea” (released 2.10.98 by Merge), but sure enough, the time has flown for us both. A million words have been written about the album by people far more qualified than myself, to discuss the magic that exists between those eleven tracks - so, I’ll just keep it simple in honoring the modern classic. I found the album about a year after it’s release, and was at first taken completely by the writing. It was unlike anything that I was listening to at that point in my life. Bizarrely vivid and detailed accounts of strange loves lost throughout time but still infecting the lives of those still left behind. The songs that stood out for me in particular were “Oh, Comely” and “Two Headed Boy, Pt. 2”. Surely, they’re two of the most somber moments on the album, but the stories contained within were instantly relatable. I remember spending the Summer of 1999, living inside of these songs (and also some tracks from “The Soft Bulletin”, but that’s another story) and in some strange ways, allowing them to infiltrate my creative output as well as my view of the world. Hell, I was young and in need of direction and focus, so what better place to find these things than in the art that impacted my brain. “Two Headed Boy, Pt. 2” would ultimately win my attention most frequently and it’s in no small part to the fact that I find it to be one of those most beautifully written songs of all time. There’a a point towards the end of the song when Jeff Mangum shifts his generally quiet delivery toward something louder, more commanding, as he sings the section that goes:

And when we break we’ll wait for our miracle
God is a place where some holy spectacle lies 
When we break we’ll wait for our miracle
God is a place you will wait for the rest of your life

This is a moment that at the time caused much speculation and inquiry in my brain, because as an avowed Atheist, my young (and at the time, often angry) brain would usually reject notions of “God” outright, but there was something different at play here that allowed me to start considering “God” as more of an abstract thought, than a deity in the sky who rewards your good behavior with cloud beds. It was a strange revelation for me to start to see “god” and “heaven” as interchangeable ideas. God could be music, or love, or home - it doesn’t have to be anything more than that. I didn’t need to change my beliefs as an Atheist to relate to the power that Jeff Mangum sings and writes about so beautifully. It seems like an obvious sentiment now, but at the time, I was an angry young man who thought that he had everything figured out. I wasn’t looking to relate to anyone, but I found myself relating to Mangum’s words despite seemingly coming from different mind sets.

Over the years, I’ve often came back to this song when I’m looking for something, and though the answer might not be right there in the words, it’s often found somewhere, between the bars and lyrics and notes. It’s a relatable experience that I’m sure many people have had, but I thought that I would honor the 15th anniversary of this wonderful record, but sharing one of it’s many impacts on myself. I know it’s cliche to love this album at this point, but I cannot imagine myself ever not coming back to these songs. I never needed a follow-up (I still don’t), I am just extremely grateful to the band that these eleven songs exist in the first place. 

6neutral milk hotel, jeff mangum, merge records, 1998, reflecting back on music,

“Oh Sister // Ferris Wheel on Fire” by Neutral Milk Hotel // Ferris Wheel on Fire 10” (1995/2011 re-issue)

Walking Wall of Words premiered a previously unreleased track from the forthcoming Neutral Milk Hotel box-set, and it does not disappoint. At this point everyone knows what to expect from Jeff Mangum’s world, so I won’t bother trying to describe it in words that will surely pale in comparison to simply pressing play. 

(listen, order, see) The Walking Wall of Words // NMH Tours, Store, and Charity Info

6neutral milk hotel, Jeff Mangum, walking wall of words, indie, Favorite New Music, old favorites,

“In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” by Bye Lai Mar // Originally by Neutral Milk Hotel

Most covers of Neutral Milk Hotel songs tend to stick fairly close to the original and that’s probably for the better considering the iconic nature of most of their songs these days, but this particular cover strips off the organic, acoustic beauty of the original and adds a coat of ethereal, dream pop to the proceedings. I can’t say that it improves the original (it doesn’t) but it’s actually fairly interesting to hear the song in a non familiar way. If you like what you hear, you can get the track (as well as a cover of Bon Iver’s “For Emma”) for free at Bandcamp.

(via danceyrselfclean)

Source: byelaimar.bandcamp.com / danceyrselfclean19

6bye lai mar, covers, neutral milk hotel, Jeff Mangum, dream pop, chillwave, ethereal,

jeff mangum - TWO HEADED BOY PT. 2

Well, this is a surprise. Apparently last night Jeff Mangum came out to play with a crowd of about 75 at The Schoolhouse in Brooklyn. He never plays solo shows and when he does pop up, he never plays Neutral Milk Hotel tracks so it was one of those stars-aligning sort of nights. Sadly i was not there. But the folks over at International Tapes were and they scored up audio recordings of 5 of the tracks.

Here is one of my absolute favorite songs of all time performed by the man who wrote and recorded it 13 years ago, performed again for the first time in a long time, last night. Hopefully there will be more.

Click over HERE for more recordings or just grab them below.

• King of Carrot Flowers pt. 1-3
• Song Against Sex
• Naomi
• Two-Headed Boy
• Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2

Please let this be the start of something more.

6jeff mangum, neutral milk hotel, the schoolhouse, brooklyn, amazing, best album of the 90's,

robin pecknold (fleet foxes) - TWO-HEADED BOY (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)

Been out of it today. Thought i’d post something familiar. Or a cover of a familiar song. Here’s a great quality live cut from earlier this year when Robin Pecknold, of the Fleet Foxes, was on tour and regularly covering the Neutral Milk Hotel classic, “Two-Headed Boy”.

6live, mp3, robin pecknold, fleet foxes, neutral milk hotel, two headed boy,

neutral milk hotel vs. kanye west - ALL OF THE TWO HEADED BOYS

Never thought i’d see this. But fuck, it’s pretty awesome. Someone named MysteryStain on Soundcloud uploaded this and other Kanye/NMH mashups. Pretty gnarly stuff.

This in particular is a mash up of Two Headed Boy and All of the Lights.

Check out MysteryStain’s Soundcloud page (HERE) for more.

6kanye west, neutral milk hotel, mash-up, hip hop, indie, mp3,

neutral milk hotel - COMMUNIST DAUGHTER

Its hard to imagine a stronger cheerleading track in less than 2 minutes than “Communist Daughter”. It’s a fantastically intriguing invite to the world of Neutral Milk Hotel. It’s a shame that a shit band decided to name themselves this. No reason to hurt the legacy of a brilliant band i suppose.

(mp3)  Communist Daughter

6Neutral Milk Hotel, mp3,

neutral milk hotel - TWO HEADED BOY PT. 2

I realize that this is a song that everyone has heard and everyone has an idea of it’s importance. I am one of those people. Tonight i simply wanted to post a song that i feel is completely beautiful. It’s rare to find uncompromisable art. Neutral Milk Hotel hit at a time when no one was looking (and no one looked for a few years) and they released an album of unparalleled beauty. Sure you could hate Jeff Mangum’s vocals, but there was no hating the brilliance behind his lyrics and his song construction.

This song contains some of the most beautiful and perfect lyrics i’ve ever encountered in a pop song, and i’m forever grateful to the man who constructed them. This to me is the 5 minute equivalent of constructing “There Will Be Blood” or “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”.

The song is perfect as is, but then he unleashes this bit of absolute brilliance…

“And when we break/ we’ll all wait for our miracle/ god is place/ where some holy spectacle lies/ and when we break/ we’ll all wait for our miracle/ god is a place/ you will wait for the rest of your life”.

It’s as brilliant and as beautiful a sentiment as can be found in modern pop music. I’m not a religious man, but Jeff Mangum’s words offer a religious sentiment in everything. In the world around you. It’s relatable. It’s also staggeringly beautiful.

This is art as music at its most rough and most fine.

(mp3) Two Headed Boy. Pt. 2

6Neutral Milk Hotel, mp3,