CD Review: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Neutral Milk Hotel
Merge / Domino
Score: A+

As the world of music shifts even deeper into that of over-production, it says something that Neutral Milk Hotel’s In The Aeroplane Over the Sea is still held in reverence.

20 years since its initial release, Jeff Mangum’s unbridled opus is a testament to not worrying about perfectionism; an 11-track masterpiece ripped straight from the emotional ether.

With tracks that feature acoustic-driven fury, warbling funeral-march horns and bare-bones epics delivered in single-takes, In The Aeroplane Over the Sea is proof that song-writing doesn’t need meticulous planning. It’s an album to (horribly) sing along to and one that touches a primal chord. One that also shows lyrics don’t have to make sense or even be delivered understandably. In short, it’s as close to perfect as an album can get — even today.

Alec Warkentin