Okay, people, it's time to start scanning the skies for 4 mean-lookin' dudes on horses -- it's apocalypse time.

Two bands come to mind when you complete this sentence: "You'll know it's the end of the world when __________ puts out a new record."

One is, of course, My Bloody Valentine. But it's okay, Kevin Shields, we've enjoyed the decade wait. Let's try for two, eh?

However, the OTHER group we thought we'd never hear from again might be ready to make noise again. Last night, a long-winded post was made to the Elephant 6 Forums. Attributed simply to "Jeff," the post spoke of new music and possibly even a tour.

Could this possibly really truly be Jeff Mangum of NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL? After wowing the entire free world with the stellar album, "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea," Mangum basically disappeared. While his friends were surely still in touch, the internet was rife with rumours like the one that said the eccentric musician had joined a traveling circus.

A few years ago, it was revealed that he was the silent mystery host of a web-broadcast college radio show that incorporated found sounds, atmospherics, distortion, and your basic mind-bending. Then, last year, Mangum hopped onstage for a couple shows with his friends, The Olivia Tremor Control, during their reunion tour.

But for the most part, Mangum's been conspicuously MIA from the public, the press, and the many pleas for a new record. Until, that is, the post last night.

Whether the poster is actually Mangum, who's to say. Imposters have come and gone on the Elephant 6 message board for years. However, Elephant 6 insiders are claiming in interviews and on the boards that the post WAS, in fact, from Mangum. If that's the case, we might be close to hearing the first new music since 1998 from one of our all-time faves. Fingers crossed. Wanna see the post that's got the whole internet abuzz? Click on "Read More" - we've re-printed it.
DECIDE FOR YOURSELF: IS IT MANGUM?

"hello again.

for the past few months ive been putting together the pieces of everything ive written in the past three years and its been a revelation. whenever i had the time ive been writing melodies and keeping them in my head for later, and songs just accumulate, im not waiting as some have said. i still dont know how we're going to put it all together, the songs will have more noises and collages in them. because of that we dont know whether this will be korena pang or neutral milk hotel or michael bolton but that doesnt really matter. names are just a box we put things in to separate them, and we're figuring out what box these songs go in.

we dont have a timetable for releasing the album yet, so dont get your hopes up for new songs now. if you want more "aeroplane" just ignore all of this, the songs are songs but they're longer and more free. when jeremy came down after his tour we just spent days playing noise while screaming and it was incredibly liberating.

it has been so much fun that we will for sure be playing a show or two, probably more. freedom is a wonderful thing but at a certain point you need the routines of normal life. ive had that for a while but i realized last year at the show with the livys that the best sort of normal ive ever had was on the road with my friends. getting to gigs late with cars coughing and trombones smacking on doors, the giant egg leaks over the masses, the yolk sustains us, we eat whites for days. it can never be the same but i need to get as close as i can to that again.

so thats all. everything is happening soon, this is the year.

thanks for listening. jeff."