THE RECORD CABINET

The Review

The same fanzine correspondent who recommended On Avery Island sent a short note: “The new one has horns and somehow hurts more.” That was accurate. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea keeps the earlier record’s rough surfaces but gives every strange image a stronger melodic frame. “Holland, 1945” is my favourite because it rushes forward with grief, celebration, and confusion packed into the same breath. The title song is gentler but no less unsettling, while “Two-Headed Boy” makes one voice and one guitar feel dangerously exposed. I am still not entirely sure what many lyrics mean, and I distrust explanations that make the album too neat. The singing can be difficult for visitors who prefer good manners, but I cannot imagine these songs delivered politely. My copy came through mail order and arrived with the case shattered. I replaced the plastic, kept the cracked tray, and somehow considered that an appropriate beginning.