The album that killed the band, “In the Airplane Over the Sea” released to only moderate success but would be enough to scare lead vocalist Jeff Mangum to abandon the project and disappear. However, while the band was broken up, they’d developed a cult following through sharing MP3s online. Mangum's decision to flee would accidentally add to the band's mystique and make the album’s presence lasting enough for critics to consider it one of the most influential indie releases of the ‘90s. The album itself is a cryptic, surreal look at innocence and purity through the lens of Anne Frank. If the concept wasn’t weird enough, the band aims to use intentionally obscure instrumentation like humming saws and lo-fi recordings to make a sonically eclectic album. It would inspire many of indie music's biggest acts, from Arcade Fire to Bright Eyes.
The definitive cult-classic band, Neutral Milk Hotel grew from complete obscurity in Ruston, Louisiana to a band every music lover has an opinion of, love or hate. Their one of the earliest bands to find organic success through word-of-mouth online, which only bolstered their mystique. They were formed by Jeff Mangum, whose painfully earnest vocals earned him the reputation of being simultaneously mesmerizing and grating at the same time. Despite their humble history and modest financial success, Neutral Milk Hotel will be forever remembered as a cultural touchstone within indie music.
Brand: Kung Fu Inc
This officially licensed Sonic Youth t-shirt is made from 100% cotton.
