Neutral Milk Hotel (1 Viewer)

[washingcattle]

I forgot I can meh every single post in this thread. I'll start now.

 

[Unknown Convict]

I'd say that, unlike for example Kevin Shields who I think said/felt that he couldn't top Loveless, Mangum disappeared because of his own mental health problems and to sort his life out rather than to build his mystique. I don't begrudge him finally enjoying playing his tunes to an appreciative audience but I also didn't expect to see him play anything new or try to pretend it was ever going to be anything other than him playing tunes from the two Neutral Milk Hotel albums. It was much as I expected it, but I enjoyed more than I expected. I think they are a lot of good songs and it'd difficult to carry a whole gig with just an acoustic guitar (and a fairly rudimentary playing style) and voice.

i'm not saying the mystique building was deliberate, just the most obvious side effect of his hermitage, but mangum's the only one who can prick the hype, can say "c'mon now, they're just songs". for what it's worth, the gig was exactly as i expected, too, but i was hoping for something more. if last night's set had been the sparklehorse support from years back, i'd still have been disappointed with the lack of band.

just seems most people's critical faculties took a holiday last night.

 

[Unicron]

just seems most people's critical faculties took a holiday last night.

Maybe people just liked it.

 

[Unknown Convict]

You don't go to the Dirty Three and give out because they haven't added any new members, you don't go to Dan Deacon and complain that there was too much running around. The guy's been off the radar for years. There was never any suggestion of new material or accompaniment. Even the recorded material, large parts of it are unaccompanied. He's famous for his distinctive voice and dreamy, surreal lyrics. That's what people paid to hear up close I'd wager. Shocked that it left a sour taste. Especially as he's such a sweet guy.

if you want to do justice to the aeroplane songs, you need the backup musicians - saw, drums, pipes, etc. i'm not asking him to add anything that wasn't already there or to do something that he hasn't already done, but it was a pale simulacrum of one of my favourite records. the sour taste was more to do with him fueling the legend.

 

[Unknown Convict]

Maybe people just liked it.

you can be critical of something you like

 

[Unicron]

you can be critical of something you like

You can like something you critique.

 

[CinnamonBoy]

if you want to do justice to the aeroplane songs, you need the backup musicians - saw, drums, pipes, etc. i'm not asking him to add anything that wasn't already there or to do something that he hasn't already done, but it was a pale simulacrum of one of my favourite records. the sour taste was more to do with him fueling the legend.

That's just like your opinion, man. Actually, for me, when an Aeroplane over the Sea song comes in my head, it's Jeff's voice, guitar and lyrics that are the abiding memory. I love the tunes, lyrics, guitar and voice and he provided all that last night and it was pretty magic.

Anyway, Two Headed Boy, the best tune possibly, is just guitar and voice. So he did that "justice". And I'd have paid €20 for that tune alone.

 

[Unknown Convict]

You can like something you critique.

sure. the highlights for me were baby for pree and oh comely, two tunes that maybe hold up better as straight acoustic, but e.g. ghost really suffered without drums or horns.

 

[rettucs]

it might have gotten lost in all the fawning but I thought Cian Nugent's set was quite stunning.

Especially that last song. The boy can actually sing.

 

[hermie]

it might have gotten lost in all the fawning but I thought Cian Nugent's set was quite stunning.

Especially that last song. The boy can actually sing.

Yeah he was great, loved the last song. Some bits veer a bit too close to Doors territory but other than that all good.

 

[Unicron]

Yeah he was great, loved the last song. Some bits veer a bit too close to Doors territory but other than that all good.

Thought he was good too. Loved the first song, reminded me in tone of Jim O'Rourke and M Ward.

 

[Jill Hives]

Thought he was good too. Loved the first song, reminded me in tone of Jim O'Rourke and M Ward.

That's a good combo, wish I heard it.

 

[Unknown Convict]

it might have gotten lost in all the fawning but I thought Cian Nugent's set was quite stunning.

Especially that last song. The boy can actually sing.

clearly my ears are broken. i thought cian's set was good but the last track seemed like an ill-conceived jandek pastiche

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

Why Did ‘The Colbert Report’ End With Neutral Milk Hotel?

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies