Neutral Milk Hotel, the indie rock project led by the reclusive Jeff Mangum, have readied a new archival box set, titled The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel, for release on February 24th via Merge.
The vinyl compilation includes the group’s two full-length LPs, 1996’s On Avery Island and 1998’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, as well as two 10-inch EPs, three 7-inch singles, and an exclusive 12-inch picture disc of the concert album Live at Jittery Joe’s, which features a 1997 performance by the band originally released in 2001.
The Collected Works marks the digital debut of several tracks initially included on a 2011 compilation self-released by Mangum, and expands on the previous offering with a double LP edition of On Avery Island, a remastered and extended tracklist for the 1994 EP Everything Is, and previously unreleased recordings for the singles “Little Birds,” “You’ve Passed,” and “Where You’ll Find Me Now.” A 7-inch single for “Holland, 1945” / “Engine” also comes in black vinyl with new artwork.
The elusive rarity “Little Birds” stands as the first preview of the Neutral Milk Hotel box set, with the collection touting a 1998 demo and an unreleased live recording from the band’s 2014 reunion tour. The song was written after Mangum confronted an anti-LGBTQ street preacher, and later gained mythic status in the band’s catalog thanks to a long-circulated live recording from 1998. Stream it below.
Pre-orders for The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel box set are ongoing.
The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel Tracklist:
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
01. King of the Carrot Flowers Pt. 1
02. King of Carrot Flowers Pts. 2 & 3
03. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
04. Two-Headed Boy
05. Fool
06. Holland, 1945
07. Communist Daughter
08. Oh Comely
09. Ghost
10. [untitled]
11. Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2
On Avery Island
01. Song Against Sex
02. You’ve Passed
03. Someone Is Waiting
04. A Baby for Pree
05. Marching Theme
06. Where You’ll Find Me Now
07. Avery Island/April 1st
08. Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone
09. Three Peaches
10. Naomi
11. April 8th
12. Pree-Sisters Swallowing a Donkey’s Eye
Ferris Wheel on Fire
01. Oh Sister (1995)
02. Ferris Wheel on Fire (1993)
03. Home (1992)
04. April 8th (1992)
05. I Will Bury You in Time (1994)
06. Engine (1993)
07. A Baby for Pree/Glow into You (1995)
08. My Dream Girl Don’t Exist (Live) [1992]
Everything Is
01. Everything Is
02. Here We Are (For W. Cullen Hart)
03. Unborn
04. Tuesday Moon
05. Ruby Bulb
06. Snow Song
07. Aunt Eggma Blow Torch
“Little Birds” 7-inch
01. Little Birds (Live) [1998]
02. Little Birds (Studio Demo) [1998]
“You’ve Passed” 7-inch
01. You’ve Passed (Alternate Version)
02. Where You’ll Find Me Now (Alternate Version)
“Holland, 1945” 7-inch
01. Holland, 1945
02. Engine
Live at Jittery Joe’s
01. Intro
02. A Baby for Pree
03. Two-Headed Boy
04. I Will Bury You in Time
05. Gardenhead / Leave Me Alone
06. Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2
07. I Love How You Love Me
08. Engine
09. Naomi
10. King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 2
11. King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 3
12. Oh Comely
