A Cover Song and a Six Pack #2- Neutral Milk Hotel’s “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea”
For the second installment of “A Six Pack and a Cover Song,” we’re diving into a track that has become an indie rock classic, “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” by Neutral Milk Hotel. The song, the album, and even the band have become darlings of the indie rock scene long after it was released in 1998. With groups such as Pavement, Modest Mouse, and Sleater Kinney at the forefront of the late 90s indie rock scene, Neutral Milk Hotel came and went without much fanfare. It’s only after disbanding that the band and the album, which the song is the title track from, become an underground “hit” years after its release.
Neutral Milk Hotel was or is part of the Elephant 6 collective which included more popular bands of the day such as Apples in Stereo and Olivia Tremor Control, although, in hindsight, this album eclipsed the popularity of the other groups. The album on the whole is inspired by Anne Frank and this track is no exception.
The first in this series was Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh Well” which was primarily covered by rock and blues musicians. This track has a bit more diversity. Of course, there is the original, and Matt Pond PA’s and the Avett Brothers’ don’t stray too far off. Youtuber Frank Watkinson offers a stripped-down take, where Blooptral Milk Hotel channels 8-bit Nintendo music and Eisley’s cover is a beautiful version, with female vocals highlighting the lyrics accompanied by a grand string section. For the six-pack, it’s mainly IPAs with one lager, but just like the song, they are all great beers.
The Original: Neutral Milk Hotel
For the king of all versions, aka the original, a king beer is needed. Cue Tree House Brewing Company’s King Julius double IPA. The combination of poignant lyrics, catchy melody, and afflicted voice of lead singer Jeff Mangum is just perfect. The acoustic guitar and vocals are accompanied by theremin (much-underutilized instrument in my opinion!) and a tuba. These instruments lend themselves to the overall feel of the song. King Julius takes what everyone loves about their flagship Julius and amplifies it. It is citrusy, but still has plenty of hoppy flavors, truly deserving of the “king” moniker.
Matt Pond PA
Matt Pond PA never disappoints. They have an accessible indie sound complemented by Pond’s pleasant vocals. This version begins with a build-up unlike the original. The vocals are similarly arranged but there is different instrumentation, including a somber violin track (instead of the theremin) that is brought to the forefront. If you are familiar with Pond’s music, they definitely put their own stamp on this track, making it sound like something from their own songbook. Just as Matt Pond’s music is always reliable and strong, so is Trillium’s beer. Their release, “All Citra Everything,” is certainly citrusy, and quite delicious. It’s a nice addition to their extremely solid beer lineup.
Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers typically lean more toward the rootsy side of things. I was surprised by the sound similarity of this version of “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” to the original, especially with all of the instrumentation involved. Similar to Matt Pond, the violin takes a primary role. Although this version is not as rootsy as I imagined, they do a fine cover version. Traditional, yet solid. This is similar to the Dortmunder Gold lager by Great Lakes Brewing Company. This doesn’t break any barriers in terms of beer, but it’s a pleasing lager by a well-rounded brewery.
Frank Watkinson
I’m not much of a Youtube listener, I prefer buying albums. Sometimes though, like finding recorded versions of this song, Youtube is the way to go. In searching, this version by a singer named Frank Watkinson stood out to me once I got over the initial DIY ethic that this is an older guy with a guitar in his living room, which I applaud. This version brought the lyrics to the forefront. His voice is much deeper than any of the other three. His guitar is the only instrument, replacing anything else from violin to tuba to theremin. For this track, I pair with Maine Beer Company’s Lunch. Maine Beer Company is one of my favorite breweries. Instead of loading their beers with tons of ingredients or extra hazy juicy etc, their beer tastes clean, almost stripped down, if you will. Similar to this version, where the lyrics are pronounced, with this beer, the taste of the well crafted IPA is simply there.
Blooptral Milk Hotel
In direct contrast to the last version, another Youtube search led me to Blooptral Milk Hotel. This 8-bit rendition of “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” is a surreal Mario Brothers track from another dimension. It works though, with the melody shining through. Where Watkinson’s version emphasizes the lyrics, this all-instrumental version’s emphasis is only the catchy tune. This pairs best with Vitamin Sea Brewing’s Double Summer Double IPA. Vitamin Sea’s beers are incredible. They are hazy, juicy, sometimes so murky that it resembles concentrated OJ, the direct opposite of Maine Beer Company. It goes to show though, that two very different takes on the IPA are both excellent, just like two great but very different versions of the same song.
Eisley
Beautiful vocals from Eisley highlight this version of “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea”. The instrumentation in the middle sounds like a whole string section. It combines the best from a few different versions where the lyrics are highlighted, but so are the backing instruments. It’s nice to hear a female voice sing this song too. This great version deserves a great beer. For this, it’s The Alchemist’s Focal Banger. Yes, it’s brother, Heady Topper, has been talked about a lot on here. (I can’t help that I love it.) But Focal Banger is quite possibly just as good. I enjoy every part of this cover. It’s all-encompassing, from the vocals to the instrumentation, just as I feel when drinking a Focal Banger and tasting every hoppy note.
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea + an Empty Six Pack
This six-pack was fun all around, matching quite the beer selection with six renditions of “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea”. The versions are played in different genres and styles. Each beer on here will make every craft beer enthusiast happy, all different breweries making exceptional products. Cheers to Dave for the article suggestion once again!
What’s your favorite beer or version of the song?
