Jeff Mangum - Live at Jittery Joe's
(Orange Twin)
Live at Jittery Joe's is the long awaited release from Neutral Milk Hotel's guitarist, singer and main songwriter Jeff Mangum. It is a live recording at a local Athens, Georgia coffee shop of Mangum singing and playing acoustic guitar. At the performance, Mangum sings songs from On Avery Island, a Phil Spector cover, a few still unreleased songs, and a lot of songs from In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. However, since Mangum's solo performance was in March of 1997, it takes place prior to the recording and release of In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, giving us a view of the songs before they were fully formed.
To me, the true test of a quality song is how well it stands up in its barest form, and even without the rest of the band, the songs on Live at Jittery Joe's completely live up to the recorded versions. Mangum's impassioned vocals and his lovely and bizarre lyrics seem even more raw and powerful.
The bootleg sound quality fits perfectly for such a casual setting, and gives the recording a more personal feel. The CD even comes with a video of the entire performance, allowing you to see Mangum sing and play for his group of friends and fans.
|
