Released in 1998 to little mainstream attention, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea grew quietly until it became a sort of sacred text in the history of indie folk music. Lo-fi, cracked open, and bizarre in many ways, it made room for a type of vulnerable artistic expression that would define indie rock for the next two decades. Jeff Mangum’s voice didn’t sound trained or polished—it sounded urgent, like he was trying to get something out before it disappeared. And in doing so, he gave every outsider and bedroom musician permission to do the same. The big-hearted chaos of Arcade Fire and the intimate murmurings of Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago probably don’t exist in the same way without Neutral Milk Hotel and their defining moment.
Standout Songs: “King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1”, “In The Aeroplane Over the Sea”, “Holland, 1945”
