Jeff Mangum - Live at Jittery Joe’s (Orange Twin, 2001)

Jeff Mangum
Live at Jittery Joe’s
Orange Twin
2001

Rating: 8.5 cappuccinos out of 10

Some of you out there may be familiar with a band known as Neutral Milk Hotel. If not, they are a band known for their eclectic indie-folk songs featuring every sort of instrument possible, and a leader named Jeff Mangum who I consider to be one of the greatest songwriters out there. He possess a voice so emotive (warning: do not assume this is ‘emo music’ from this statement – that couldn’t be any further from the truth; it merely means that he wears his emotions on the outside, and it shows through his voice) that it brings goose bumps to the skin even after you’ve heard the music many times. That said, I will now take a moment and let you immediately run to the record store and purchase their second CD ‘In the Aeroplane Over the Sea’, and their first disc ‘On Avery Island’ ain’t too shabby either(both on Superchunk’s label, Merge Records).

You got them now? Good. After you’ve listened to them a few times, you should then search out this gem. Why is that you ask? Because I’ve always felt that the live album is never the proper introduction to a person’s work, but they are one of the best things ever made when it comes to the people who are already fans. Being as how I am already a huge fan, I can say that this is indeed a great album. This performance is a solo acoustic affair, so all of the quirky bits that you are used to from the album are not there; but this is more than made up by Jeff’s heartfelt voice, bringing them to life in a way that few other can. The show was recorded at a coffeehouse in Athens, Georgia, sometime in 1997 – before ‘In the Aeroplane...’ and after ‘On Avery Island.’ As well as tracks from these two albums, it contains a few unreleased tunes, one of which is a cover of a Phil Spector song ‘I Love How You Love Me’, and a stunningly beautiful version at that.

So for those of you keeping score, here is the final tally: go buy Neutral Milk hotel albums, because they are one of my favorite bands ever and will be yours too. Then buy the live album, and enjoy the different versions of the songs you already know and love, as well as some new songs by Jeff that you go gaga over as well.