Neutral Milk Hotel

Neutral Milk Hotel was an American indie rock band formed by singer, guitarist and songwriter Jeff Mangum in the early 1990s. Later members included Jeremy Barnes (drums), Scott Spillane (horns) and Julian Koster (banjo, bass guitar, musical saw, accordion, synthesizer). Additional contributors included Robert Schneider (producer, instrumentalist), Laura Carter (zanzithophone) and other members of the Elephant 6 Collective. The band was noted for its experimental sound, obscure lyrics, and eclectic instrumentation.[1]

The first release under the Neutral Milk Hotel moniker was the 1994 EP Everything Is, a short collection of tracks featuring Mangum. On the band's full-length debut album On Avery Island, which followed shortly thereafter, Mangum was joined by Schneider, who contributed production and instrumentation. Neutral Milk Hotel released In the Aeroplane Over the Sea in 1998, which became their most well-known and critically acclaimed album.[2] Although the album did not meet commercial success at the time of release, it has gone on to sell over 100,000 copies and was selected as the fourth best album of the 1990s by Pitchfork.[3] Despite growing popularity, the group disbanded in 1999 after Mangum became disenchanted with touring and the music press, later having a nervous breakdown.[4]

Neutral Milk Hotel was a part of The Elephant 6 Recording Company, based in Athens, Georgia. The band was one Elephant 6's three first projects, alongside The Apples in Stereo and Olivia Tremor Control.[5]

Discography

Studio albums

* 1996: On Avery Island
* 1998: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

EPs

* 1994: Everything Is

Singles

* 1996: "Untitled" Ptolemaic Terrascope Magazine 7"
* 1998: "Holland, 1945"

Live albums

* 2001: Live at Jittery Joe's

Demos

* 1991: Invent Yourself a Shortcake
* 1992: Beauty
* 1993: Hype City Soundtrack

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