Neutral Milk Hotel

They blew up when I was a freshman in college, so I was right in the wheelhouse of their demographic. I downloaded In an Aeroplane, listened to it plenty enough, but always felt like I was having to listen to it instead of wanting to listen to it. I tried Avery Island, same thing. Every friend I had who was into music (all 3 of them) kept talking about them. We went to see them live. I just couldn’t find myself interested. I think as an 18 year old, with new college friends, I was just trying hard to fit in. I ended up trying over and over through college, thinking I was just missing something, and just couldn’t find a care in the world.

Certainly a band I haven’t listened to in a long time. And not a band I like. But because of all of that effort and the amount of times I heard them on my or my friend’s stereo, when I do hear a song or think about them now it takes me back to a particular moment in life and soundtracks very specific memories … even though I didn’t find interest in the music.