OOPS! – Part 5: Birthday Edition

It's a drum head, just like on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

That's right, I decided that since my birthday is this week, I don't have to do a full post.

Is it really an OOPS if you decide to prepare it in advance?

Sure, it still involves deploying the inOpportune cOntent rePlacement proceSs.

You just like bad acronyms.

Yes, I do. I also like Neutral Milk Hotel's 1998 album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.

So you're not even going to attempt a natural segue?

Nope. Although, speaking of natural segue, this album's chock full of 'em. Most of the tracks blend seamlessly together with only a few moments of silence on the entire record. Notably separating off the title track from the songs around it.

Hmm, the lead singer's voice is an acquired taste, I take it?

Yeah, but if the vocals were more polished I don't think the album would work as well as it does. It's clearly in the lo-fi genre, and Jeff Mangum's impassioned jackass bray of a voice meshes well with the eccentric instrumentation. Like the musical saw. Then there's the album's lyrics which paint vivid, dreamlike pictures. The whole thing has something to do with family and the diary of Anne Frank, but somehow I always get so sucked into the music that I don't take the time to really appreciate the lyrics aside from how striking they are.

So you just wanted to talk about one of your favorite records?

I just wanted to talk about one of my favorite records. It's my birthday (or close enough), I'll talk about In the Aeroplane Over the Sea if I want to. Don't worry, I won't subject you to the spectacle of me actually singing any of the songs. I'll be too busy having fun.  You should have fun too, Hypothetical Reader.

Like not listening to your ironic contrarian hipster music?

‾\_(ツ)_/‾

Links:

Want to listen to an hourlong lecture about the lyrics? I know the answer is yes, so I'll just leave this link here.

Want to watch a much shorter animated video about the album's creation? Here's something from Pitchfork's YouTube channel.

Want to watch a video with Hank Hill listening to Neutral Milk Hotel and reacting with disgust? YouTube's got you covered, twice.

And, finally, I know I said earlier that Mangum's voice perfectly compliments the album's unusual instrumentation, but this cover of "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" by Lera Lynn is pretty good (Pro-tip: watch 'til the end).