If I had to choose one album that I have heard in the past year to be my favorite for the year, it would have to be Neutral Milk Hotel’s The Aeroplane Over the Sea. I saw them in concert in July, and the next day, I bought the album at my favorite store, Kim’s Underground. (Which was so viscously labeled a "hot spot" by an Abercrombie and Fitch magazine I received due to my affiliation with Lafayette College. You can’t imagine how infuriated I was.) During the months that I owned the album, I began to like it more and more. Now I feel a passionate love for the album.

    The entire album is extremely intimate with the listener, involving heart-breaking losses, stomach turning regret and guilt, painful reminiscence, and fiery love. Each song relies on raw lyrical power and elegance, and moods guided by emotion enhancing instrumentation. Such songs as "Oh Comely," "Holland 1945," "Two-Headed Boy Pt. 1," and "no.10" reflect some aspects of the light spectrum attributed to the band’s multifaceted, musical diamond.

    Some songs are fast, and some are slow, but that doesn’t concern the listener, because there is constantly a second meaning to each song. Just when you think a song is joyful, it turns depressing, and although sad, it can be euphoric. Regardless, each semi-dirge proves itself to be a gratifying journey through one’s most soulful, and secret memories.

    Neutral Milk Hotel consists of five members. They are Jeff Mangum, Jeremy Barnes, Julian Koster, and Scott Spillane. Jeff Mangum is the lead singer, guitarist, and usually, songwriter. Jeremy Barnes plays some of the fastest drums I’ve ever heard. Julian Koster plays the singing saw, wandering geenie, banjo, and accordian. And last but not least, Scott Spillane plays all brass, which includes the trumpet, trombone, flugelhorn, and euphonium. Every instrument plays an integral part in each song. In fact, if one were taken out, the future of the universe would change dramatically.

    I’ll never forget the time I saw them live. It was a great musical experience, where everybody attending displayed a lot of love for the band. The band displayed their love through their music. That midnight, it became Julian’s birthday, and we sang happy birthday. At the end of the concert, they played “no. 10”, and when the song came to a close, Jeff spontaneously tackled Julian into a shocked Jeremy Barnes’ drums. They were both okay. But the drums didn’t look so good. It was a time I will not be likely to forget any time soon.

    It is very hard for me to express how much I love this album. There is no chance that any words I can write could ever describe one second of their music. The best I can do is write the words of the songs, and let them stand on their own. Yet, you will never know the true power of these lyrics unless you hear the music associated with the songs. So, go out on a limb and try something new for a change. You may unknowingly be sitting on a treasure. Mind you, this is a gut-wrenching album, so don’t repress any tears.