Oh Danny Boy

i find similarities with Nirvana here; everyone knows that In Utero was their best album yet there are a vocal minority who keep telling us that Bleach deserves those accolades . Of course it isn't, In Utero is the more accomplished album both musically and lyrically. Of course that doesn't mean that people can't like Bleach more, people have different tastes but it would be wrong for them to say that Bleach is the better album. Although that ignores those who would simply trumpet the least popular album of an artist for 'cool' points.


Thats was a long path to take to get back to Neutral Milk Hotel. 'In the Aeroplane over the Sea' is more accomplished, not just lyrically and musically but everything, when you hear the lyrics and those first few strums of the guitar you know that Jeff Mangum is throwing his heart and soul into this album, it just flows magically each song being part of a procession which leads the listener onto a journey. Its a masterpiece. This was his magnum opus, if 'In the Aeroplane over the Sea' was just another 'On Avery Island' then i'm in no doubt that we would have seen more from Neutral Milk Hotel. But what we got took so much out of Jeff Mangum both creatively and emotionally and through it he achieved what most artists aspire to but few ever reach that there was little where else for Neutral Milk Hotel to go.

So no, 'On Avery Island' is a very good album which some people do prefer but it isn't better than 'In the Aeroplane over the Sea'. I think much like Bleach by those saying that 'On Avery Island' is the better album are taking a lot away from he artist by ignoring the maturity and improvements in his craft.