Jeff Mangum ‘Live at Jittery Joe’s’ is the first live recording of Jeff to be released to the public. The solo acoustic show took place at a local coffee house in Athens, GA in 1997 and was recorded onto high 8 video by R.E.M. cameraman and independent film maker, Lance Bangs. The CD consists of both audio tracks (playable on any CD player) and the video image (viewable on both Mac and PC computers using Quicktime movie viewer). Jeff Mangum is well known as the lead singer and songwriter for Neutral Milk Hotel, but he has previously never released any of the solo performances that were so enjoyed by the local community in his home town of Athens. This record contains both solo versions of songs that were used on ‘In the Aeroplane Over the Sea’ and previously unreleased songs that were never played by the band. Highlight’s include an amazing version of Phil Spector’s ‘I Love How You Love Me’ as well as the swooning children’s song ‘Engine’ (written by Mangum). The video image shows Mangum in ‘the Starlit Crypt’, a room covered with Christmas lights, performing a highly intimate show with a small child dancing at his feet. For all of those persons who were never able to see Jeff Mangum and/or Neutral Milk Hotel play live, and even the one’s who did, this album will be a real treasure

“This is Neutral Milk Hotel frontman Jeff Mangum spinning his unique, beautifully tangled web of visceral flesh imagery, odes to Anne Frank, and cryptic, vivid storytelling.” -Pitchfork

“Live at Jittery Joe’s documents a less refined, more casual side of Mangum, and does a pretty damned good job of it. I get the feeling that this show wasn’t recorded with “live album” in mind, and that element of candidness makes it essential for Neutral Milk Hotel fans such as myself, who weren’t lucky enough to see Jeff in concert.” -Pitchfork