Link Banana

I already gushed about Neutral Milk Hotel’s In The Aeroplane Over the Sea once this month, so I’ll just say that Taylor Clark “profile” of the enigmatic Jeff Magnum is good and interesting and worth a read:

Mangum’s continued silence has angered some fans, who accuse him of being selfish or “indifferent to his talent,” as if musical ability comes with some sort of obligation to society. At least once a year, someone writes a hoax message from Mangum and posts it online—generally throwing in some fanciful verbal junk to bilk fans into believing it’s the genius himself wielding the keyboard. Some have announced forthcoming records or tours, while others have revealed the long-hidden sources of Mangum’s misanthropy; they’ve all been debunked. All we really know for sure is this: According to his record label, Mangum now lives in New York City. He recently married filmmaker Astra Taylor. Friends say he still creates art and that he seems “very happy.” If he has plans to record more music, he hasn’t told anyone.

Apparently this album, which I randomly stole “borrowed” from a friend a few years ago and instantly loved is ten years old. Appently it has a nearly totemic status in the indie-sphere. Who knew? That’s a rhetorical question, as the obvious answer is not me. I also didn’t know this bit (emphasis mine) — though now that I do, I see it clearly:

One of the reasons that Aeroplane has aged so well is that it deals with heavy stuff in this really personal way. It’s almost never precious, and when it is, it has the balls to be. The record works partly because Mangum addresses Anne Frank obliquely throughout (another “lesson” of the album is that the best concept record is the one you can listen to without even being aware it’s a concept album).

(via brijit)