In the aeroplane over the sea

It's probably true that I like this record even more because Neutral Milk Hotel only survived through two album releases and didn't suffer us a petering out of talent for disappointing years on end (yeah, I'm talking to you, Interpol). And maybe it's the Salinger lover in me that angelizes Mangum for being such a strange recluse, and all of this makes me love the album even more.

But more likely it's just that King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1 makes me weepy in unusual ways every time I catch that lyric about 'your mom sticking a fork into your daddy's shoulder.' And how I will sing along at the top of my broken range every time Pt. 2 comes on..."I love youuuuuuuu, yes I doooooooooo." And Two Headed Boy will change its meaning depending on my mood and what phase of life I'm in and make me wonder why oh why "they'll be placing fingers through the notches in your spine." I love the clanging dissonant songs, the flat trumpet solos, the ballad about the communist daughter. It's all part of the strange little universe the band built on this one perfect in its own imperfect way album.