“Avery Island” may be the hipster’s choice for the band but it’s an undeniably full and intimate experience. The fuzzy debut album from indie cult band Neutral Milk Hotel, “On Avery Island” is an indie/psychedelic experience lending a rare glimpse into vocalist Jeff Mangum’s world. Released in 1996, “On Avery Island” was the band’s first serious attempt to record music beyond just demos and cassettes for friends. It sows the seeds for what will come on their magnum opus, “In the Airplane Over the Sea” with surreal lyricism and noisy fuzz.
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.
