SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL – THE COLLECTED WORKS OF NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL

Neutral Milk Hotel
The Collected Works Of Neutral Milk Hotel
Merge Records

There is always an exception to the rule. Whether that exception proves the rule is besides the point here, because that exception here is a cherished one, not the one to frown at.

The exception – Jeff Mangum and his Neutral Milk Hotel, as evidenced in their officially released The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel. So, what is the rule and why are Mangum and NMH, such an exception?

Well, it is practically a rarity that a band revolving around an exceptional folky singer songwriter who likes to foil quite a few of his songs, or compositions if you will, into strange, winding ambient drones, combining them with wordy, thoughtful lyrics achieves a cult status, but a wide audience acceptance.

Oh, and when that artist and his band reach the height of their acceptance, he and the band decide to simply stop recording and touring, while still formally existing. After all, they still have a full social media presence.

Actually, listening to this set over and over, it actually doesn’t make a difference whether Neutral Milk Hotel come up with anything new. Their truly left-field music stands the test of time and is a landmark for something that could be dubbed lo-fi avant-garde music.

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