Box set a must for fans

Not all bands shine in the same way. Although this small independent group may not sell out stadiums,  Neutral Milk Hotel, does not fail to please its loyal fans. After the massive success and acclaim generated by their second album “in the aeroplane over the sea,” and abrupt breakup thereafter, fans have always hungered for more material from the band, perhaps hoping for Jeff Mangum to reunite the group and record new material, in a nostalgic urge to see the indie stars of yesteryear on the spotlight once more, much like the other indie darlings such as the pixies and pavement have done in past years.

This lingering hope, in turn, generates the opportunity for increased revenue for the bands, expanding their audience towards a younger demographic, repackaging material, or, as record labels often take advantage of their rights over the catalogs, creating “best of” records, many of which, in my opinion, fail miserably with the track selection and “bonus material” (I’m looking at you, capitol, for your Radiohead ‘best of’ CD), oftentimes turning the potential of a great opportunity to complete one’s music collection or discover lesser known tracks, into nothing more than a money grabbing scheme.

Yet, this is the price the consumer often pays for devotion towards a group, an expensive purchase that makes one feel closer to our favorite artists, regardless of cost. The pixies’ Minotaur box set, at a whopping $495, provides an immense amount of art, albums in different formats, and notes, yet neglects the reason for its existence in the first place: the music. Neutral Milk Hotel’s approach contrasts that, providing not only its two major releases (On Avery Island and In the Aeroplane Over the Sea) in 180 gm vinyl LPs, but also includes five new records of previously unreleased material in 7” and 10” formats, along with posters and notes, creating the most complete collection of material one could possibly ask for. There are no “Live in concert” Blu-ray discs to be found here, and the extras are minimal. The packing in fact is in itself rather austere and simple, creating a great focus on the records as the most important aspects of the box set, and allowing the listener to once more experience the magic this band provided in years past. The total cost for this collection? $88, a fraction of many others (pavement’s individual records’ deluxe editions range at about ~$60-80 per record); better yet, all of the newly released material will be available for download under a pay-what-you-want price structure at the group’s bandcamp page.

Ultimately, Mangum et all created a reasonably priced alternative to learn all about the band, discover its early material and obtain a better grasp of the evolution of their sound. While both of the band LPs share certain common traits in their sound, the beauty of discovering the nuances in their second LP, the changes in the themes and lyrics, and much more cohesive sound, becomes a reward in itself, as In the Aeroplane Over The Sea was and remains one of the most important and influential independent records to be released. The sheer agony and anguish in the vocals, the raw unfiltered sound of the percussion and guitars, sets a pattern that is still found in modern alternative music. While most new bands try and revive the sounds of decade past, Neutral Milk Hotel remains at the forefront of independent music, its sound remaining as crisp and fresh as it was first released, giving a fans hope for future generations to have the opportunity to experience it as well.