Neutral Milk Hotel - "Little Birds"

Photo courtesy of Neutral Milk Hotel

There is a finite amount of Neutral Milk Hotel music out there, so anytime we can hear something "new," we're going to rejoice. "Little Birds" was never officially released. It was played once at a friend of Jeff Magnum's party in 1998, but that recording has been circulating online. The song was inspired by a group of five or six people who confronted a preacher spewing hate towards LGBTQ people on the streets of Athens, GA until the preacher left. Since this is a 1998 recording, this is pure vintage Neutral Milk Hotel, and if you've been a fan for any length of time, getting an official release for this is an absolute treat.

You can listen to "Little Birds" below. The song will be included on The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel, which will be out February 24 on Merge Records. The set can be pre-ordered here. A track listing is below the song.

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
1. King of the Carrot Flowers Pt. 1
2. King of Carrot Flowers Pts. 2 & 3
3. In The Aeroplane Over the Sea
4. Two-Headed Boy
5. Fool
6. Holland, 1945
7. Communist Daughter
8. Oh Comely
9. Ghost
10. [untitled]
11. Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2
 
On Avery Island
1. Song Against Sex
2. You’ve Passed
3. Someone Is Waiting
4. A Baby for Pree
5. Marching Theme
6. Where You’ll Find Me Now
7. Avery Island/April 1st
8. Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone
9. Three Peaches
10. Naomi
11. April 8th
12. Pree-Sisters Swallowing a Donkey’s Eye
 
Ferris Wheel On Fire
1. Oh Sister (1995)
2. Ferris Wheel On Fire (1993)
3. Home (1992)
4. April 8th (1992)
5. I Will Bury You in Time (1994)
6. Engine (1993)
7. A Baby for Pree/Glow Into You (1995)
8. My Dream Girl Don’t Exist (Live) [1992]
 
Everything Is
1. Everything Is
2. Here We Are (For W. Cullen Hart)
3. Unborn
4. Tuesday Moon
5. Ruby Bulb
6. Snow Song
7. Aunt Eggma Blow Torch
 
Little Birds
1. Little Birds (Live) [1998]
2. Little Birds (Studio Demo) [1998]
 
You’ve Passed / Where You’ll Find Me Now
1. You’ve Passed (Alternate Version)
2. Where You’ll Find Me Now (Alternate Version)
 
Live at Jittery Joe’s
1. Intro
2. A Baby for Pree
3. Two-Headed Boy
4. I Will Bury You in Time
5. Gardenhead / Leave Me Alone
6. Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2
7. I Love How You Love Me
8. Engine
9. Naomi
10. King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 2
11. King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 3
12. Oh Comely