He's really back, guys!

August 26, 2011 11:04 AM

Walking Wall of Words is the new website from Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum. Mangum has been staging a comeback recently, first with the Tall Dwarves cover Sign The Dotted Line, and later by announcing a string of northeast tour dates (previously). Walking Wall of Words promises that more tour dates around the world will be announced. Hear Mangum's new podcast, where he curates obscure and unique music. You can also listen to previously unreleased recordings of live NMH staples "Oh Sister" and "Ferris Wheel on Fire." Read about the new NMH vinyl boxset, filled with rare material.

The rare tracks from the box set will also be released as a pay what you want download in November.

posted by JimBennett (33 comments total)

Warning: The website is brand new and currently being hammered. Not everything is working correctly. If you can't load a page, refresh a few times or try again later. I've gotten to see every corner of the website, it just takes some time.
posted by JimBennett at 11:05 AM on August 26, 2011

Oh I'm excited, but, you know, his older stuff is so much better.
posted by xmutex at 11:10 AM on August 26, 2011

I thought $8 was a crazy price for the box set, but if you scroll down you'll see it's a typo. It's $85.
posted by Pruitt-Igoe at 11:14 AM on August 26, 2011

This is the second post in a week about Neutral Milk Hotel, a band I was vaguely aware of before. Must be a new hipster darling.
posted by sbutler at 11:29 AM on August 26, 2011

Hipster nostalgia, really.
posted by arboles at 11:31 AM on August 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

This is great news. I'm definitely gonna pick up the boxset — y'know, for hipster nostalgia, darling.
posted by defenestration at 11:40 AM on August 26, 2011 [5 favorites]

In before people say they've never heard of NMH!

Must be a new hipster darling.

It was a hipster darling band ten years ago. This current surge appears that ol'Jeff is becoming even a mainstream darling. He was even mentioned in Parks & Recreation last year.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 11:49 AM on August 26, 2011 [3 favorites]

Seriously. Not only is there going to be a new Muppet movie arriving in theaters in time for my birthday, there is going to be new NMH released on my birthday. It was already going to be my favorite birthday anyway (I'll be a dad for the first time) these are just little added bonuses. Bonusi?
Bonusum.
posted by cottoncandybeard at 11:52 AM on August 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

Bonus, Boni
posted by mmmbacon at 12:32 PM on August 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

I enjoyed the cover song, but what's up with the YouTube tags...?
posted by neushoorn at 12:39 PM on August 26, 2011

Just ordered the box set, please tell me I'm not insane. I have a sinking suspicion that I have heard all these unreleased tracks, but oh well... now I'll hear them on vinyl, man! I also have never paid a dime for all of this man's music, so I do feel like I owe it to indulge him a bit.
posted by Corduroy at 12:54 PM on August 26, 2011 [3 favorites]

I suspect that newtral molk hoetel is a parody of a New Zealand accent. (The song is a cover of a New Zealand band). No idea about the other tags....

I am going to see Jeff twice this year. This is good.
posted by Infinite Jest at 12:55 PM on August 26, 2011

This is the second post in a week about Neutral Milk Hotel, a band I was vaguely aware of before. Must be a new hipster darling.

Hahahahah what
posted by nathancaswell at 1:04 PM on August 26, 2011 [10 favorites]

"I have not heard of this thing. Now I have heard of this thing. The people who like this thing must be dicks."
posted by Maaik at 1:22 PM on August 26, 2011 [7 favorites]

This is the second post in a week about Neutral Milk Hotel, a band I was vaguely aware of before. Must be a new hipster darling.

Neutral Milk Hotel's final album In The Aeroplane Over The Sea came out in 1997. It has influenced bands small and large, from Arcade Fire to the Decemberists. In indie circles, it's widely regarded as a classic, and, to be honest, it's my favorite record of all time. You may not have heard of them, but that does not mean you get to be snarky about it. Jeff Mangum predates the hipster, and this is his first release in literally ten years. For me, and for others, this is a huge deal.

I am going to see Jeff twice this year. This is good.

I'm seeing him in Boston and I couldn't be more excited. I didn't really think this day would ever come.

I enjoyed the cover song, but what's up with the YouTube tags...?

/mu/ is a 4chan board, which might have something to do with it. I also wonder if it might be to avoid having the song taken down?
posted by JimBennett at 1:40 PM on August 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

PayPal page:

Your item(s) sold out

We're sorry, the following item(s) isn't available at this time:

drawings
Item number: drawings

BUT I WANTED A JEFF MANGUM DRAWING SHUT UP TAKE MY MONEY
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 1:51 PM on August 26, 2011 [3 favorites]

This is the second post in a week about Neutral Milk Hotel, a band I was vaguely aware of before. Must be a new hipster darling.

new hipster darling: (n) a band I haven't heard of, even though their most famous album has been out for like 13 years and can be found close to the top of nearly every "Best Albums of the 1990s" list imaginable
posted by 23skidoo at 1:55 PM on August 26, 2011 [7 favorites]

The song is a cover of a New Zealand band

Yep, the Tall Dwarfs were one of a number of great bands on the outstanding Flying Nun label, which really set the world scene for mostly jangly indie pop in the mid-late 80s (think: early REM). The Chills, The Bats, The Clean, Straitjacket Fits, Bailterspace, the Jean Paul Sartre Experience (aka JPSE), the Verlaines...pretty much everything on this label deserves a listen.

Sample: The Chills - Heavenly Pop Hit

Flying Nun previously on Metafilter.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:28 PM on August 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

maybe one more: Straitjacket Fits - Down in Splendour. I prefer their earlier stuff, but this was more of a radio-friendly breakthrough song.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:35 PM on August 26, 2011

Must be a new hipster darling.

A few covers of Neutral Milk Hotel's Aeroplane Over The Sea. Gosh, I guess this song must have legitimate staying power or something.

Two more Tall Dwarfs songs.

Hate on hipsters all you want. Don't go confusing them with Mr. Magnum and friends, or somebody might get hurt.
posted by philip-random at 2:44 PM on August 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

I've heard of them before but only in earlier Metafilter posts, I'm still not convinced that they exist otherwise.
posted by octothorpe at 2:57 PM on August 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

Also, Jeff covers Roky Erickson
posted by cottoncandybeard at 4:18 PM on August 26, 2011

Just to mention that the reason Jeff was covering Tall Dwarves was that Chris Knox (half of TD, founder of the legendary Enemy and Toy Love, and solo artist - pretty much New Zealand's Lou Reed, if Lou played low-fi fuzzy pop dressed in shorts and jandals....) had suffered a stroke, and JM played at a fundraising concert. There's also a tribute album of covers of his songs, Stroke [which title is a pun on an earlier Knox album, Seizure, that referenced his epilepsy], featuring most of your favourite bands. [Sorry for the slight derail, but the TDs were mentioned in the original post...]

maybe one more: Straitjacket Fits - Down in Splendour. I prefer their earlier stuff, but this was more of a radio-friendly breakthrough song.

About the 20th best SJF song *mumble mumble*. The worst of Brough's songs for the band. *mumble mumble*.
posted by Infinite Jest at 4:30 PM on August 26, 2011

Oh, look, an additional tour date not far from our home. Tickets . . . grabbed!

If any of you wonderful metafilter hipsters are going to the Woodstock show in October, we should meet up.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 5:06 PM on August 26, 2011

Anyone going to the NJ shows? And want to meet probably the furthest-travelling-primarily-for-those-shows-mefite? Next time someone posts about NMH I won't try again.
posted by imperium at 5:14 PM on August 26, 2011

Does anyone know how Chris Knox is doing? I looked awhile back but couldn't find anything. I really hope he's recovering nicely.

Oh, and my wife and I have been trying to get a damn drawing from Jeff for a long, long while. They're always sold out. Seems like he could draw a few lines on paper for a couple of hours a day and have plenty... and seriously, I'm glad he's coming back and playing shows.

Oh + oh, please shut the fuck up with the hipster bullshit. Just because no one likes you doesn't mean you get to make fun of others.
posted by sleepy pete at 8:31 PM on August 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

Last year I saw Jandek and Daniel Johnston. I hold out hope I will see Jeff Mangum, though I'm not sure how I'd get through a whole show without weeping uncontrollably.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 9:38 PM on August 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

And if I have to fly to NZ, I will.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 9:40 PM on August 26, 2011

Oh + oh, please shut the fuck up with the hipster bullshit. Just because no one likes you doesn't mean you get to make fun of others.

I'm . . . not sure if this was directed at me, but I though I was pretty clearly being tongue in cheek. Since I'm going to see them and all.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:56 AM on August 27, 2011

Guys we're all hipsters in here. Stop acting like it's a thing.
posted by shakespeherian at 8:24 AM on August 27, 2011 [6 favorites]

No Athens tour dates...?
posted by Buckt at 8:29 AM on August 27, 2011

No, PhoBWanKenobi, it wasn't.
posted by sleepy pete at 12:50 PM on August 27, 2011

I wish someone could save me in some sort of time machine.....

All the Boston shows are sold out. Had my finger on the "purchase ticket from JAX to BOS"...

Reckon I'll be keeping my eyes glued for an Athens show...
posted by Artichoke Dance Off!! at 2:07 PM on August 27, 2011