In the Aeroplane Over The Sea

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea was the second and last album by the mysterious and oddly-named Neutral Milk Hotel, released in 1998 to little commercial success initially. Over the years however, its popularity has grown massively, and the record is now a critics' favourite, appearing on numerous 'Top X' style lists.

For all its influence and acclaim, this album is... weird. It has a wonderfully lo-fi quality to it, and some of the instrumentation is uncommon - for example the uilleann pipes, which I had to Google (they're Irish bagpipes). Then there's the lyrics, which are abstract and sometimes sexual in a very confusing way. The most bizarre thing about the album is without doubt that it appears to chronicle frontman Jeff Mangum's fascination with Anne Frank, including the line:

I wished I could save her in some sort of time machine

Which seems like a strange premise for an album, but Mangum was apparently greatly moved by Frank's story, and understandably so. He seems like a odd dude, and its an odd album.

But the critics are absolutely right - this is one of the best records ever made. It's beautiful and evocative, despite its bizarre nature. The fact that it is so rough around the edges lends a sense of authenticity to the music, allowing the listener to emotionally connect with it. It is 39 minutes of raw, unfiltered human expression, and that is what art should be, even if you don't agree or empathise with what the artist is expressing. This is a true masterpiece, one of the greatest albums ever made. Go listen to it.