I totally read it on Some Guy’s Blog

In The Aeroplane Over The Sea is one of those records where people either know instantly what you’re talking about or look at you like you are from Mars. “Neutral Milk Hotel?” they say. “Sounds like something I don’t want around my children.”

And, to be honest, they’re probably right. Those who’ve listened to Invent Yourself a Shortcake know that it’s possible for Jeff Mangum (the driving force behind NMH) to engage in the sort of arty-noise that I really do not like. Mangum personally was (and likely is) a prodigious drug user; I have a live show on KCRW where he admits to having the flu and being on an acid trip for about three days before taping. Mothers, lock up your daughters!

But In The Aeroplane Over The Sea is one of the poppiest, yummiest rock records to come out of the independent scene in my lifetime. Accordians, horns (distorted and otherwise), guitar tracks that sounds like they were resurrected from a deteriorating 2-track, and that bizarre voice contribute to a singular sort of record. You hear The Decemberists comparisons nowadays, and I can see why. Both share bizarre instrumentation, affected vocal style, strange lyrics. What sets Aeroplane apart is its energy and unpredictible nature. Plus, I think it’s a good bit more fun—not that Castaways And Cutouts isn’t a great record, too.

The record is something that has to be heard to know if you’d like it or not, so go try it out.

Among life’s other true joys are Girls Are Pretty (which you absolutely, positively, must visit), FafBlog, Savage Chickens and (for geeks only), Everybody Loves Eric Raymond

• Megan and I continue to do well, although recently I think we’ve both been so exhausted that we aren’t doing a great deal after we get home from work and all our scheduled extra-curriculars. I think we both want to refocus, but I’ll need to borrow some of her strength to say no sometimes. There are so many good causes out there…

• Megan’s Academic Challenge team finished 3rd in the state for their school size! I was their humble scorekeeper. I had a lot of fun, both because her kids are great and because it was fun to get exposure to one of the high-school “sports” I liked doing. It was a very impressive finish, and her team should be very proud.

• I’m seeing Mogwai tomorrow night. It hasn’t really sunk in yet.

• We are very much enjoying our new oven. Sometimes the little things, like having an oven that works on settings other than broil, are life’s true joys.

• I am working like a dog at work, but to call it an exciting project would be an understatement. Nearly everything that I’ve learned either via formal instruction or as a hobby is being used in one form or another. It’s best for me if I stay somewhat mum until we have some actual promotional material that I can point you towards. I am at work right now, drinking a beer, though. That’s a plus. We beat our original target date for completion of what we’ve got thus far by six weeks. I have a lot to do with that, as well, which feels great. As soon as I get some rest…

• I am playing a game called The Battle For Wesnoth which was called “The OpenOffice of gaming: extensive, fascinating and free of charge” by one reviwer on their home page. It’s one of my favorite games ever, which means that now is a particularly bad time to have found it. I need to be doing something else!