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American indie rock band known for its lo-fi aesthetic, surreal lyrics, and profoundly influential album 'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea'.Formed in Ruston, Louisiana in 1989 by Jeff Mangum, Neutral Milk Hotel became a cornerstone of the Elephant 6 collective. Characterized by raw, psychedelic folk-rock, distorted acoustic guitars, unconventional instrumentation (like the singing saw and uilleann pipes), and Mangum's intensely personal, often surreal lyrics, the band released two studio albums before entering a long hiatus. Despite a brief, limited discography, their second album achieved massive cult status and profoundly influenced indie music. Mangum largely retreated from public life after 1998, though the band reunited for tours between 2013 and 2015.

• Frontman Jeff Mangum's near-complete retreat from public life and music after the intense tour following 'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea' (1998) became legendary, fueling the album's mystique.
• The lyrics of 'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea' are heavily inspired by Anne Frank's 'The Diary of a Young Girl', exploring themes of love, loss, transcendence, and the Holocaust in a surreal, dreamlike manner.
• Despite minimal commercial success upon release, 'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea' grew through word-of-mouth into one of the most critically revered and influential indie rock albums of all time.
• The band's core members included Jeff Mangum (vocals, guitar), Jeremy Barnes (drums), Julian Koster (bass, various instruments), and Scott Spillane (horns). Robert Schneider (of The Apples in Stereo) was a frequent producer and collaborator.
• Neutral Milk Hotel surprised fans by reuniting for tours from 2013 to 2015, performing to sold-out venues worldwide, but no new music emerged.