Oh Comely was a single take, Mangum was meant to be doing a guide track and just completely smashed it out of the park. You can hear someone in the room saying "Holy shit" when he's finished.
This album is an absolute Masterpiece in every sense of the word. Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2 is easily my favorite song off that record. It never fails to make me cry so fucking hard. When the lyric "When We Break" comes on it kills me every time.
>they would rather see their faces filled with flies >I would rather see white roses in their eyes this is holocaust imagery - The White Rose was a nonviolent antifascist group in nazi Germany. From my understanding, this album is about how much beauty there is even in the ugliest parts of life.This song in particular is about how beautiful the holocaust and WWII were. iirc the writer went through an "Anne Frank" phase, and she is 'the only girl I ever loved' who gets reincarnated in the song.The second verse has Heaven's Gate imagery - dark brother wrapped in white who now rides a comet's flame
Wow. That's super interesting. I knew about some of the Anne Franks stuff with how Jeff was obsessed with her story, but I didn't catchy some of that. Really cool way to look at it as well :)
I don't think "it's about how beautiful the holocaust was" is a good way to put it... at all. the line is pretty clear and straightforward in my eyes. "It's so sad to see the world agree that they'd rather see your faces full of flies. I'd rather see white roses in your eyes". He's talking about Anne Frank and her family, and Jews in general, who were exterminated by the Nazis, and how sad that it, not how beautiful it is.
@@mat5473 I was speaking more into how it fits into the general theme of the album. But also I don't think sadness conflicts with beauty in the slightest. On the contrary - the most extremely saddest parts of history are all also extremely beautiful, in the same way that a sad song can be beautiful. I think part of the whole appeal of NMH's style is the juxtaposition of superficially happy melodies / major chords/horn fanfares with extremely sad/graphic lyrics. It's about seeing the good in the bad and the bad in the good. At least, that's what it means to me
i really suggest you keep 'oh comely' on your mind. it took me a while to truly appreciate but the finale verse to that song is one of the most beautiful things this world has ever spawned, to me. i cry every time i hear it.
Finding Stu Mackenzie’s son on RUclips reacting to one of my favorite albums ever has to be one of the most hella cool Christmas presents I’ve ever gotten. Tell Stu I said wassup and I love his band! Y’all have a merry Christmas! 🤟🏻
Watching through thus now, seeing you love "they'd rather see their faces filled with flies" is much sadder once you realize this album is about his lucid dreams and depression after reading The Diary Of Anne Frank (and also his love for a girl he thinks is the reincarnation of her) which makes that line sadder and more clear because he's talking about her family and jews in general and how the world at the time thought of them in that line
If you've never heard this all the way through before this or since listen with headphone/earbuds! Letting in encompass you and layers take over is a MUCH better experience you can only get with earbuds or headphones unless you had some kind of extreme surround sound or something
love to hear ur quick comparison to the glow pt. 2, imo these are the two best fuzzfolk albums even though they feel like day and night in terms of the actual sound music differences theyre like two sides of the same coin
Yo, I appreciate your editing on this video. I can feel you're being genuine in showing your first impressions with the tracks. Would be cool to hear your thoughts after you listen to it on your own time:)
Really good commentary on the album! I don't know if you've already listened to it, but I'd like to see you react to On Avery Island by Neutral Milk Hotel as well!
NMH is my #1 and always will be, and I love everything of theirs equally, but on Avery island hits different and was really what made me fall in love. I'm subbing in hopes to see this reaction one day!
For me, the version of Oh Comely that is on Live at Jittery Joe's is the definitive version. Actually that whole album is a masterclass on why a singer doesn't need to be technically perfect to be perfect for the song. Jeff's voice gets me in the god damned feels ever single time.
Very unique and different bands. Great melodies, and great quirkiness, and very honest, and so heavy. If you like this, you should really check out anything from "Built to Spill" "Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground" "Sweet Jane" Big Country "In a big country"
I feel like your video perfectly encapsulates what it's like listen to this album. On first listen, there is some level of confusion amongst the awesomeness. And with every listen after that there is absolutely no confusion whatsoever about the greatness that is this album. Glad you enjoyed it!! Edit: And I'm referring to your verbal and physical reactions along with the editing 😂 So good!
Random albums that might make good reactions: -Slint - Spiderland -Sonic Youth - Goo -Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick (First time I listened to ITAOTS it reminded me of this album) -The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness
Spiderland is a masterpiece!! The climax of Good Morning Captain is the single most haunting moment in recorded history with Pajo's blood curdling screams of "I Miss You!"
Some of the noise layers that likely had you questioning 'what is that?' is a saw played with a bow (so called singing saw) which produces a tone very close to what a theremin sounds like, if a little bit rougher.
The man laid down 'The Glow, Pt. II.' Well, you've got a sub. Could you please react to 'Blue Screen Life' by Pinback? May not be in your wheelhouse, but it's a killer. Don't spoil it, trust me, it's good my man.
DUDEEEE I loveeee Pinback. I sadly can’t do a first reaction to that album because I have heard it, but maybe I’ll make a video talking about them someday. Really under appreciated band
@@snowy6301 SUPER underappreciated band. You seem like a young cat, how in the world do you have such exquisite tastes in music? Sorry, overdue for bed. Will reply later.
@@maxtew6521 Thank you haha. I just have a passion for it and I dig around to find as many artists that I can. I wanna hear as much as I can while I can
@@snowy6301 That's my deal, too. Also, some of the albums we're talking about came out at a good time in my life. In 2001, when 'Blue Screen Life' came out, I was 18. We got to enjoy first runs of 'Girls Can Tell' and 'You're a Woman, I'm a Machine.' Good time to come into adult life.
@@maxtew6521 Bro oh my god I love Girls Can Tell so much. Spoon is so good. Easily one of my favorite bands. Also DFA is great and that album goes hard. Great time for music
Great reaction dude! Loved this album for years. Definitely one that needs multiple listens! I’ve subscribed as I’ve noticed most your album picks to react to are my type of stuff 👍. I would fully recommend you check out/react to Kendrick Lamar’s ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’. It changed my whole perception on Hip Hop!
I loved watching this video. I also just recently got into this album. Great editing by the way. It was hilarious to see your reactions to the "semen" lines.
Ive been a fan of this album for over 20 years but I've never heard the glow part 2. I will listen to it tomorrow. If you want to trade albums, i challenge you to listen to my favorite all time album "Y's" by Joanna Newsom.
i'm here super late, but would you consider reacting to one of The Olivia Tremor Control's albums? they were part of the Elephant 6 Collective that NMH was a part of. they're both double albums, but i would really would love to see a video of that
“How I would push my fingers through your mouth to make those muscles move" means him turning the pages of her diary that to him makes her words so smooth and sweet.
no it doesn't. it's him wanting to literally reach into anne franks throat and pluck her vocal chords like guitar strings to hear her voice and is immediately represented by the singing saw cracking and squeaking
I have actually listened to all of Ween's albums!! Im a big fan. I was supposed to see them live but then covid lol. That album is fantastic though for sure
My gf introduced me to NMH in the early 2000s with ITAOTS, I liked it but... it's a challenging album to listen to. It's incredibly dark and morbid. I picked up On Avery Island after that and was like holy shit, this is it! Still one of my top 5 albums of all time.
I don't think the lyrics are semen stains the mountain tops in communist daughter. I mean a lot of the album is adolescent sexual frustration and interest based on Anne Frank's diary but I'm pretty sure the lyrics there "cement" he's just pronouncing it in an off kilter way
you'd be wrong. communist daughter and oh comely are about the portion of her diary where Anne discovers how to masturbate and using it as her only tool for self-realization. and "semen stains the mountain tops" is about the inherent masturbatory nature of god.
Oh Comely was a single take, Mangum was meant to be doing a guide track and just completely smashed it out of the park. You can hear someone in the room saying "Holy shit" when he's finished.
And now I get to the bit where you mention this!
Holy crap really? This just adds sentimentality to the best song on the album damn.
Yes, apparently the band left the “Holy Shit” in because that’s how everyone feels after listening to Oh Comely
that "placing fingers through the notches in your spine" part is soooo good Two Headed Boy is my favourite song
Jeff Mangum may not have had the most "beautiful" voice but I don't think one can make the argument that he was a bad singer. I love this album
It may not be "beautiful" but its damn impressive. The man's got tanks for lungs, its like he never runs out of air
he doesnt have great range but my god does he have lung capacity
This album is an absolute Masterpiece in every sense of the word. Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2 is easily my favorite song off that record. It never fails to make me cry so fucking hard. When the lyric "When We Break" comes on it kills me every time.
Absolutely. Such an amazing song and album!
same, for me its "like your boy used to be" :(
That is me on Oh Comely when you hear voices join in
hey man. really glad you decided to give this album a try, probably my favorite record ever if i’m being honest.
I boo hooed after 2 headed boy pt 2. like a little child. Oh! This album, so perfect.
Gives me goosebumps every. single. time.
That is an incredibly sad song.
@@Coxy-b34 it is! I remember listening in my car by myself, just crying like a baby
Oh, Comely reduces me to tears every single time I listen this album! It's just as beautiful as it is heartbreaking
>they would rather see their faces filled with flies
>I would rather see white roses in their eyes
this is holocaust imagery - The White Rose was a nonviolent antifascist group in nazi Germany.
From my understanding, this album is about how much beauty there is even in the ugliest parts of life.This song in particular is about how beautiful the holocaust and WWII were. iirc the writer went through an "Anne Frank" phase, and she is 'the only girl I ever loved' who gets reincarnated in the song.The second verse has Heaven's Gate imagery - dark brother wrapped in white who now rides a comet's flame
Wow. That's super interesting. I knew about some of the Anne Franks stuff with how Jeff was obsessed with her story, but I didn't catchy some of that. Really cool way to look at it as well :)
Jeff Mangum was not aware of White Rose writers until many years after the song was written and recorded, its just imagery in this case.
I don't think "it's about how beautiful the holocaust was" is a good way to put it... at all. the line is pretty clear and straightforward in my eyes. "It's so sad to see the world agree that they'd rather see your faces full of flies. I'd rather see white roses in your eyes". He's talking about Anne Frank and her family, and Jews in general, who were exterminated by the Nazis, and how sad that it, not how beautiful it is.
@@mat5473 I was speaking more into how it fits into the general theme of the album. But also I don't think sadness conflicts with beauty in the slightest. On the contrary - the most extremely saddest parts of history are all also extremely beautiful, in the same way that a sad song can be beautiful.
I think part of the whole appeal of NMH's style is the juxtaposition of superficially happy melodies / major chords/horn fanfares with extremely sad/graphic lyrics. It's about seeing the good in the bad and the bad in the good.
At least, that's what it means to me
i really suggest you keep 'oh comely' on your mind. it took me a while to truly appreciate but the finale verse to that song is one of the most beautiful things this world has ever spawned, to me. i cry every time i hear it.
Fucking excellent record. And your musical intuition is great!
Thank you so much man :))
The album is great with headphones or earbuds.
Finding Stu Mackenzie’s son on RUclips reacting to one of my favorite albums ever has to be one of the most hella cool Christmas presents I’ve ever gotten. Tell Stu I said wassup and I love his band! Y’all have a merry Christmas! 🤟🏻
Watching through thus now, seeing you love "they'd rather see their faces filled with flies" is much sadder once you realize this album is about his lucid dreams and depression after reading The Diary Of Anne Frank (and also his love for a girl he thinks is the reincarnation of her) which makes that line sadder and more clear because he's talking about her family and jews in general and how the world at the time thought of them in that line
If you've never heard this all the way through before this or since listen with headphone/earbuds! Letting in encompass you and layers take over is a MUCH better experience you can only get with earbuds or headphones unless you had some kind of extreme surround sound or something
love to hear ur quick comparison to the glow pt. 2, imo these are the two best fuzzfolk albums even though they feel like day and night in terms of the actual sound music differences theyre like two sides of the same coin
Yo, I appreciate your editing on this video. I can feel you're being genuine in showing your first impressions with the tracks. Would be cool to hear your thoughts after you listen to it on your own time:)
Really good commentary on the album! I don't know if you've already listened to it, but I'd like to see you react to On Avery Island by Neutral Milk Hotel as well!
I’ve been thinking about doing that one! I’m hoping to at some point :)
NMH is my #1 and always will be, and I love everything of theirs equally, but on Avery island hits different and was really what made me fall in love. I'm subbing in hopes to see this reaction one day!
For me, the version of Oh Comely that is on Live at Jittery Joe's is the definitive version. Actually that whole album is a masterclass on why a singer doesn't need to be technically perfect to be perfect for the song. Jeff's voice gets me in the god damned feels ever single time.
the line "and in my dreams your alive and your crying" on two-headed boy pt2 (fav song) gets me every time
I had to listen Holland, 1945 at least 5 times to fall in love with that song. But now is one of my favorites songs of all time
Holland 1945 is such a masterpiece, heard this album back in 2014 the first time and its still such a gem, really nothing like it.
Very unique and different bands. Great melodies, and great quirkiness, and very honest, and so heavy.
If you like this, you should really check out anything from
"Built to Spill"
"Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground"
"Sweet Jane"
Big Country
"In a big country"
I feel like your video perfectly encapsulates what it's like listen to this album. On first listen, there is some level of confusion amongst the awesomeness. And with every listen after that there is absolutely no confusion whatsoever about the greatness that is this album. Glad you enjoyed it!!
Edit: And I'm referring to your verbal and physical reactions along with the editing 😂 So good!
Random albums that might make good reactions:
-Slint - Spiderland
-Sonic Youth - Goo
-Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick (First time I listened to ITAOTS it reminded me of this album)
-The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness
Spiderland is a masterpiece!! The climax of Good Morning Captain is the single most haunting moment in recorded history with Pajo's blood curdling screams of "I Miss You!"
SIAMESE DREAM TOO. Best Pumpkins imo.
The aesthetic, pacing and flow of this album are all unmatched. 10/10.
Some of the noise layers that likely had you questioning 'what is that?' is a saw played with a bow (so called singing saw) which produces a tone very close to what a theremin sounds like, if a little bit rougher.
brilliant.....you have to listen to this album 3 times before it takes over your life...
The man laid down 'The Glow, Pt. II.' Well, you've got a sub. Could you please react to 'Blue Screen Life' by Pinback? May not be in your wheelhouse, but it's a killer. Don't spoil it, trust me, it's good my man.
DUDEEEE I loveeee Pinback. I sadly can’t do a first reaction to that album because I have heard it, but maybe I’ll make a video talking about them someday. Really under appreciated band
@@snowy6301 SUPER underappreciated band. You seem like a young cat, how in the world do you have such exquisite tastes in music? Sorry, overdue for bed. Will reply later.
@@maxtew6521 Thank you haha. I just have a passion for it and I dig around to find as many artists that I can. I wanna hear as much as I can while I can
@@snowy6301 That's my deal, too. Also, some of the albums we're talking about came out at a good time in my life. In 2001, when 'Blue Screen Life' came out, I was 18. We got to enjoy first runs of 'Girls Can Tell' and 'You're a Woman, I'm a Machine.' Good time to come into adult life.
@@maxtew6521 Bro oh my god I love Girls Can Tell so much. Spoon is so good. Easily one of my favorite bands. Also DFA is great and that album goes hard. Great time for music
My dude, very insightful comments and really really good reaction. Subbed, hope your channel grows more!
Wow, thank you so much. That seriously means a ton :)
Great reaction dude! Loved this album for years. Definitely one that needs multiple listens! I’ve subscribed as I’ve noticed most your album picks to react to are my type of stuff 👍. I would fully recommend you check out/react to Kendrick Lamar’s ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’. It changed my whole perception on Hip Hop!
ayo best video in existence right here >:))))
I loved watching this video. I also just recently got into this album. Great editing by the way. It was hilarious to see your reactions to the "semen" lines.
Thank you so much I’m really glad you enjoyed!! :)) YEP lmaoooo
Ive been a fan of this album for over 20 years but I've never heard the glow part 2. I will listen to it tomorrow. If you want to trade albums, i challenge you to listen to my favorite all time album "Y's" by Joanna Newsom.
this is a really based channel dayum
i'm here super late, but would you consider reacting to one of The Olivia Tremor Control's albums? they were part of the Elephant 6 Collective that NMH was a part of. they're both double albums, but i would really would love to see a video of that
bruh that intro made me instantly subscribe! lol
We need more reactions Snowy , thank u
Working on it :)
you should listen to either somewhere city or gami gang by origami angel both really good albums imo
Oh Comely was the first NMH song i ever heard, I was afraid at first but by the end I just wanted it to go on forever.
And it kind of did
“How I would push my fingers through your mouth to make those muscles move" means him turning the pages of her diary that to him makes her words so smooth and sweet.
no it doesn't. it's him wanting to literally reach into anne franks throat and pluck her vocal chords like guitar strings to hear her voice and is immediately represented by the singing saw cracking and squeaking
"United" is sometimes referred to as Penny Arcade, Emporium,Boardwalk Arcade.
I HIGHLY suggest you check out a band called Ween! Start with their album The Mollusk and you'll be hooked.
I have actually listened to all of Ween's albums!! Im a big fan. I was supposed to see them live but then covid lol. That album is fantastic though for sure
@@snowy6301 hell yeah! I can never get enough Ween. Other bands I highly suggest you check out are Movements, Soft Blue Shimmer, and Youth Fountain.
Love it man
has anyone told him it's about anne Frank yet?
Muchas de las canciones de este álbum me recuerdan a Bob Esponja xDDD
Lo cual no es nada malo ❤❤❤
wait do you own a blue the glow pt. 2 shirt?
Haaland reacts neutral milk hotel
I just listen to Oh Comely then I'm done with the whole album.
on avery island is the better of the 2 albums by nmh in my opinion i would definitely give it a listen its great
My gf introduced me to NMH in the early 2000s with ITAOTS, I liked it but... it's a challenging album to listen to. It's incredibly dark and morbid. I picked up On Avery Island after that and was like holy shit, this is it! Still one of my top 5 albums of all time.
Shut up and take my subscription!
I don't think the lyrics are semen stains the mountain tops in communist daughter. I mean a lot of the album is adolescent sexual frustration and interest based on Anne Frank's diary but I'm pretty sure the lyrics there "cement" he's just pronouncing it in an off kilter way
It's definitely "semen"
you'd be wrong. communist daughter and oh comely are about the portion of her diary where Anne discovers how to masturbate and using it as her only tool for self-realization. and "semen stains the mountain tops" is about the inherent masturbatory nature of god.
glow pt. 2 better
Shape of you by Ed Sheeran
@@snowy6301 "I thought I felt your shape but I was wrong" - Ed Sheeran probably
Nope,Neutral Milk Hotel did it before and did it better.
The title track is great and the instrumentation is excellent but his singing is not really wonderful