A music-obsessed, retired San Francisco lawyer, and author of the rock & roll memoir Jittery White Guy Music (available on Amazon)... picking a random album or song in his collection every day or so and sharing a few thoughts.
"Naomi," from 1996's On Avery Island, is undoubtedly Neutral Milk Hotel's prettiest song. The first half is just Jeff Mangum and his acoustic guitar, while midway through he's aided by some delicate organ playing amidst the crashing yet restrained din (provided by producer Robert Schneider of Apples In Stereo). Of course, Mangum's reliably tortured delivery can turn even a seemingly beautiful song of love and longing into something askew and a little disturbing, making it all the more haunting.
Mangum apparently wrote the song about Naomi Yang (of Galaxie 500/Damon & Naomi), and she later repaid the favor by filming a video for the song.
Naomi's video (with her narrative in the YouTube comment):Noisy live version, 1998:Mangum solo live 2012:A couple kids on the deck, cuz why not?Piano cover by Seasick Crocodile:
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