I know it's been a little while since my last NMH review, but I just found so much music that I found truly worthy of talking about! But without further adieu, here is the 2nd in a series of three reviews that will make up my NMH discography review series.
On Avery Island is NMH first full-length LP, and when compared with their first EP, Everything Is, it's easy to see just how rapidly the band was improving their sound and really finding what made them them.
Avery opens up with the bombastic and distorted "Song Against Sex", a song that is chock full of the kind of surrealism that causes some fans ( myself included ) to obsess over what on earth it could possibly mean.
The next two tracks have the share the same melody, and are actually more like one song with two distinct lyrical sections. The track "A Baby for Pree" is a classic example of just how enthralling Jeff Mangum can be with no more than the sound of his acoustic guitar, and one of a kind voice; throwing out imagery of bees stinging through chests, and babies poured across a bathroom floor.
"Marching Theme" is a pretty eclectic instrumental, an idea that they pulled of much more deftly on there sophomore album, but it's still a pretty good track here. "Where You'll Find Me Now" is a more developed version of "Pree" and "Avery Island/ April 1st" is another instrumental track; one that I've found absolutely beautiful and in fact has become one of my all-time favorite tracks, for reasons that I cannot begin to explain.
Next, you have one of the better known tracks from Avery, the fiery "Gardenhead/ Leave Me Alone" which contains even more beautifully surreal imagery with the line "Follow me through a city of frost covered angels/ I swear I have nothing to prove/ I just want to dance in your tangles/ to give me some reason to move."
The song "Naomi" may be Avery's greatest, and most well known moment. Again, giving us a glimpse of the deftness at which NMH could create simple, yet awe-inspiring songs.
While On Avery Island may not get the same praise as their next LP, but it still stands as a very experimental and ofttimes beautiful album that is well worth listening to.
9.0/10
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