High Violet

I kept listening to this album hoping it would eventually grab me. It's not bad, it just doesn't pull me in. I think the issue is, like other bands of this genre, every song is basically built around one riff that repeats over and over - maybe growing or fading, but still the same riff. The riffs are good and at least each song is somewhat unique, but individual songs don't seem to "go anywhere." It didn't help that they started with a lo-fi sound on Terrible Love and I'm not a fan of that style of recording. I liked the second track (Sorrow) much better. I like the singer's voice - reminds me of Mark Sandman from Morphine (particularly on Little Faith). Other songs I liked: Afraid of Everyone, Bloodbuzz Ohio, and England. I'll give it a 3 because I wouldn't mind hearing it again, but don't think I'll seek it out.

Cookie cutter indie with absolutely no distinguishing features. Just choke the air with reverb laden guitars and chiming pianos. Make every song sound like an uphill slog with a cheap emotional payoff as your reward. Fuck this, I actively hate this kind of lazy, faux-sincere hogwash

"Boxer" was their big breakthrough, the album that led to a huge profile of The National in The New York Times containing fly-on-the-wall moments during the making of this album (an instant classic, by the way). My lone critique is that the Alternate Version of "Terrible Love" is miles better than the original that opens the album. And the band knew it, so much so that they released an expanded version of High Violet almost immediately to include the alternate version as a way of correcting the mistake. It's a minor nitpick, and that alternate version has thankfully become the standard. This is the album that firmly put The National on my Top Five list of all-time favorite bands. It's why Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran sought out the talents of Aaron Dessner to make new albums years after they became established pop stars. Anyone unfamiliar with The National should spend some time watching live performances of this album's closing track, Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks. It's how they usually end their concerts. Matt Berninger will walk back on stage for the encore performance, often with a glass of wine, and turn the microphone to the audience, compelling them to sing the entire song while he stands back basking in the joy of hearing the crowd throw the words back to him. It became such a staple at National shows that a mic was no longer needed. The crowd knew exactly what their role was to close out the show. We should all be so lucky to know the happiness Berninger feels during this moment of a National concert.

It’s just so dreary. The whole album is tonally and sonically monotonous. I don’t get all the hype about this band. Bland. Blah.

Amazing album from an amazing band. I could probably listen to Matt Berninger sing the phone book and be happy.

Shit

The National is good, and this album is them at their peak imo. I really have to be in a mood to listen to them though, and someone listening to them off the cuff may not be the best introduction to them.

Not unlistenable but very boring.

I used to listen to this album and Boxer back to back on road trips to and from college in the Midwest. I also have a distinct memory of listening to this album on an 18 hour train ride from Italy to Germany after missing a flight and needing to rush back to meet my girlfriend, who was flying in to visit me at the end of a study abroad program. I don’t know how it would be listening to this for the first time, probably comes off as nicely orchestrated existential whining from a baritone voiced white dude, but that was really a vibe for me during my mid-twenties. I usually reserve 5 star ratings for albums that really blow me away, or are personal favorites that I can listen to over and over (clearly this album falls into the later category).

There was a lot of hype about this. It's kind of okay, but it doesn't exactly get you so excited that you have to publicly shit in a bin, does it?

One thing I find so frustrating about this band is that they will let a song build and build and build... before just leaving it stuck in 2nd gear on a repeated refrain? There's no payoff to any of the tension built in unique arrangements and instrumentals, just kind of a dull fizzle as if the band ran out of steam halfway through writing the song.

There were some great moments musically, but I found myself having trouble getting through it. A large part of it is the guy’s voice... at times it sounds like he’s so stoned he’s struggling to even stand in front of the mic, let alone sing. Also, I would describe his singing style as “apathetic” Favorite track(s): “Little Faith” and “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks”

As summer turns to autumn, this record should really enrapture that slightly melancholic changing of seasons, but it doesn't. They're a raging herd of dull cunts.

A friend recommended this to me back in 2010 or 2011. I had no idea who they were but was completely blown away by this album. Nothing before or since by the National resonated the same but I listened to this one endlessly for months. I still sometimes put it on when I just need an album I can let repeat. Dark and brooding maybe, but I don't mind that. In fact I think I'm starting to see I'm quite drawn to that because the lyrics are raw and honest and really make you think. The music plays right into it - key piano and strings to punctuate the message, with some distortion (guitars or engineered?) here and there to offset it and give it a foggy feel. Highlights - Terrible Love (sets the tone for the rest), Little Faith (lyrics match a little Catholic revolt inside me?), Afraid of Everyone (love the beat and the lyrics are profound), Bloodbuzz Ohio (the vocals just carry and fit so well with the music), England (love the piano and the orchestral-like backing, as well as the crescendo in the last 100s), Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks (lyrics and music so sad but so beautiful).

Drab, sad and most offensively of all - deathly dull.

Basically the same song over and over again. Lead vocalist has no range.

When one is muddling through lists of scratched down to-dos and tasks, shopping, returning, hunting, forgetting, as the cold wind bites through the light sweatshirt you protect your fragile torso with, since the heat in your car makes it too hot to keep on your coat, and yet, how cold the parking lot is. The National knows this sorrow, they know the pain of an accumulating hill of failure and restart.

An album that I have loved since I first heard it. The kind of music that either has a personal connection with people or doesn't. Not groundbreaking or earth-shattering, but has an ability to mainline emotion (even if through artifice), which is impressive. Also, will possibly be one of the last complete "albums" in the age of the album.

The best album ever.

Very good

One of the best bands of the last decade.

"High Violet" is absolutely, far and away, one of the best albums I've ever heard. I got into The National after "Boxer" came out and HV was the first new release I got to experience. A truly incredible work, 10/10.

Quintessential 2010s sound, with very interesting composition and instrument layering. Ladytron meets Arcade Fire! I listened to the live version and Squalor Victoria was splendid.

Mope-y, dirge-y and wonderful.

Indy folk sound. Cool. Low voice singer. Great album all the way through.

Not sure what my favorite National album is, but this one sure is great!

As good as it gets. Great production, great music and fantastic lyrics.

Un dels nous clàssics. A l'alçada dels millors discos històrics del rock alternatiu. Una banda en un estat de forma sobrenatural. 'Boxer' ja havia deixat emprempta però no ens havia preparat per aquesta bogeria de creativitat i savoir faire. Tampoc després han pogut igualar-lo. Així que només ens queda disfrutar-lo i ser feliços per haver estat coetanis de tal obra mestra

Absolute classic. One of those albums i know every lyric to and can listen straight through at any moment.

Really nice indie rock album I'd give it a 9/10

oomf- bloodbuzz ftw

This is a band I had never even heard of before! Interesting sounds, was great for background music while I was working.

My favourite of theirs is Alligator but this has lots of their best songs on. The production especially stands out to me as being the best fit for his voice and lyrics they've had

Big disappointment. Saw them a bunch touring "Boxer" which is a fantastic album; this one plows the same furrow with diminishing returns. They still have their moments ("The System Only Sleeps In Total Darkness", later) but lost a bit of their initial knack for melody and drama from this album onward.

Never understood what made The National so successful when there are quite a few other acts sounding very close to them while having tons of personality to provide listeners with something truly unique, idiosyncratic, original, what have you--acts such as Other Lives, Tindersticks, Interpol, The Walkmen or Grizzly Bear (most of them less commercially succesful)... The thing is, where are those tons of personality when it comes to the National? Is having no clear-cut personality an actual asset to attract the biggest streaming numbers in this day and age? My personal feeling is that a lot of fans of The National are just ignorant of those other bands' albums, and are just happy a well-oiled promotional machine led them to become admirers of Aaron Dessner's outfit first. Of course, there's no way I can confirm or prove this feeling, and I already understand why those admirers could accuse me of bad faith here. Yet nothing is gonna shake that initial impression of mine that The National represent a very safe and conformist vision of what quote-unquote "indie bands" should sound like starting from the tail end of the noughts. It's like that review in this section where the reviewer complains that opener *Terrible Love* is the lo-fi version of the song, instead of its clean alternative rendition found in the deluxe edition of the album. What more can be said? Clearly, some listeners of The National want to "play it safe", quite literally in this particular case. And this is not how I envision art in general, and music in particular. Don't get me wrong, *High Violet* doesn't deserve a 1/5 grade (or even a 6/10 grade according to how I translate my grading when it comes to more general purposes). The lyrics (and the stories said lyrics evoke) are interesting enough, the arrangements are tasteful, the pristine production values are well used, the chord sequences are effective (in spite of the fact that not many risks are taken), and Dessner's deep voice is more than decent overall (in spite of its frequent drowsy inflexions). It's not bad at all, by all means. You even have a majority of clear stand-out tracks in *High Violet*, such as "Anyone's Ghost", "Afraid Of Everyone", "Bloodbuzz Ohio", "Lemonworld", "England" and "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks"... But even on those objectively "nice" cuts, the overall effect/affect is, well, a little *bland* at times. Tindersticks have their rough-around-the-edges aesthetics and Grizzy Bear their dreamy atmosphere, counterbalanced by a few convoluted flourishes here and there. Other Lives display cosmic or wild west-inspired moods exploring the concept of the American frontier in breathtaking sonic moves. Interpol have their postpunk influences to liven up the proceedings. And, depending of the time period they released their LPs, The Walkmen could either sound instictively brawly or charmingly retro. But in *High Violet*, The National are just The National. Full stop. Is it even possible to ascribe evocative adjectives to their music? They just play "well-written" and "well-arranged" songs, and as such, they point to the lowest common denominator. I'm not so sure that's a good thing in the long run, to be perfectly honest. At least in the grand scheme of selecting 1001 albums you must absolutely listen to before you die... 3/5 for the purposes of this list of essential album. 8/10 for more general purposes (5+3) Number of albums left to review: 143 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 369 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 218 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 274

I don't understand why everyone loves this band so much. In many ways they're Coldplay by way of Brooklyn. I mean it’s kind of the same throughout, not that they sound alike.

I forgot everything about this as soon as I finished listening

Do you like greeting card poetry filtered through a bad head cold? If so, golly I have found the record for you! This deals with dramatic build-ups and refrains, but is short on chorus or climax. Exquisite craft, full material.

Maybe you need to be in a certain mood to enjoy this. I just found out very depressing and not especially interesting.

I just think the national is the most boring and inoffensive band around ... just middle of the road - it's not even bad! it just does nothing for me

I always thought of myself of a fan of The National, but revisiting this album I was surprised to find myself incredibly bored. It did prompt me to listen to Trouble Will Find Me and still really enjoyed that one. Idk! Maybe their stuff is too similar and I feel like TWFM does it best.

Just because Starbucks corporate, the Apple store, and the umbrella company that owns the GAP, choose to blare this album over their storefront speakers -- in an attempt to woo an indie demographic and mask their true capitalism-driven wallet-felching nature -- doesn't mean I (or anyone else) has to hear this garbage before death. It is neither novel nor exemplary.

with respect to my brothers in demography (white people in their mid 30s), I have tried to see what you see, what you saw, perhaps I just missed the moment back in the day, but this sucks ass

I saw these guys headline a night of the Pitchfork Music Fest in 2010, which would have been on the tour for this album. It’s probably the most boring show I have ever seen. Broken Social Scene played right before them and put on a truly energetic, fun and noisy rock show. When The National came out and started playing their overly introspective, navel gazing brand of depression rock, they sucked the fun right out of the crowd in a way that would make the Hoover Company proud. It’s good to see that wasn’t an isolated incident and their records are boring as fuck, too. Someone should tell these guys they don’t have to use the same tempo for every song.

This is garbage. Low energy forgetful boredom. I think this is the first album out of the 50 or so 1001 albums that I will not listen to ever again. There's nothing here that makes me think, "Maybe I'm missing something".

Shut Up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nerd

4.5/5

National- I actually never heard this one before. I really love the sound of this record. There are some awesome textures and they all gel really nicely together in the mix. After avalanches and fatboy slim this was super refreshing. 4.5

This one caught me completely off guard, might be more 4.5 than 5 stars but whatever I loved this one. I’ve never clicked with whole albums I’d heard from this album in the past, but this album was lovely and had a driving energy to it. I need to revisit this band this band’s discography I think maybe my tastes have broadened

awesome

1. Lyrics The lyrical prowess of Matt Berninger shines throughout "High Violet." Darkly evocative and rich in metaphor, Berninger captures the anxieties of modern domestic life with characters and vignettes crafted in loving detail[3][5]. The shadowy metaphors set the tone, with themes ranging from love to existential dread[3]. 2. Music The music in "High Violet" is a visceral experience, characterized by its depth and color. The album is not instantly accessible, lacking an equivalent to the widely acclaimed "Fake Empire"[6]. The sound is both triumphant and reassuring, with Bryan Devendorf's drums propelling the album[2][4]. 3. Production The meticulous production of "High Violet" elevates it to a sonic masterpiece. The color and depth of the music are integral, touching the heart and soul with a profound emotional impact[1][2]. The album's cohesive sonic palette creates an immersive experience, enhancing the impact of Berninger's lyrics[1]. 4. Themes The themes in "High Violet" resonate with universal emotions. Berninger's lyrics explore love, fear, and existential angst, weaving a tapestry that reflects the complexities of the human experience[3]. The album's thematic richness adds layers of meaning, making it a compelling and introspective journey. 5. Influence "High Violet" has left an indelible mark on indie and alternative music, influencing subsequent artists. Its unique blend of lyrical depth and musical intricacy has set a standard for emotionally resonant albums[1][4]. Pros and Cons Pros Lyrical Brilliance: Berninger's lyricism is a standout, offering a profound exploration of the human psyche. Immersive Sound: The album's music and production create a captivating and immersive sonic experience. Influence: "High Violet" has had a lasting impact on the indie music landscape. Cons Accessibility: Lack of an instantly accessible track akin to "Fake Empire" might make the album less approachable for some listeners.

Really nice. Love this band and this album. I like boxer and alligator more than this one. I like runaway. 4.5

This album was incredible. 5/5

While Boxer and Alligator may be better, this record feels most urgent. It's also around three bands peak. After this, everything has been rather boring. This is peak sad dad music.

It was great! I loved the first song. Very dreamy, modern, the sort of music I listened to a lot of back then.

This is the first album that I’ve gotten from an artist that I’ve seen live. I really enjoy all the new music that I’ve heard by doing this, but it’s also nice to get something familiar sometimes. I’m hugely biased here, The National is probably my favorite modern rock band and this might be their best album top-to-bottom. I often find one singer hard to listen to for a full album, but I never have that issue with Matt Berninger. His voice is just great, I feel like it comes across as soothing despite a lot of songs that are a bit chaotic overall. A review I saw described the guitars on Terrible Love (the first song) as “buzzy and atmospheric”, and I feel like that actually describes the sound of the album more broadly. The sound is full and grand, but there’s this buzzy undertone that I love. I get the sense that the Dessners are brilliant musicians too. There’s so many great songs on this album, I’m adding basically the whole thing to my playlist. Terrible Love is a powerful opener, Bloodbuzz Ohio might be my favorite song of theirs overall, Runaway is more understated but fantastic. If I had to be picky about one thing I’ll say that the closing song could’ve been better chosen, but I’m getting really picky about an incredible album. An album that’s already in my rotation and will definitely continue to be. Favorite song: Bloodbuzz Ohio Other: Terrible Love, Sorrow, Anyone’s Ghost, Afraid of Everyone, Runaway, Conversation 16, England

If I'm in the mood, 5.

Such a unique sounding band that doesn't seem to fall into a gimmick of that uniqueness.

Another discovery. Artfull modern sort of post-punk

Another great album that I've listened to before.

Top I like it!*

I can't decide if this one or Boxer is my favorite National album.

I’m never going to give anything by The National less than a 5

This is an amazing album. It was the first National album I heard that hooked me on their music and then I went back through their catalog from here. Great songwriting and lyrics throughout. It's a 5/5 for me. Standout Tracks: Terrible Love *, Anyone's Ghost, Little Faith, Afraid of Everyone, Bloodbuzz Ohio *, Lemonworld *, Runaway, Conversation 16 *, England *, Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks * * I like nearly every song on here, so the ones with *s are standouts of standouts.

This album is so so good. Sorrow has always been my favorite lyrically. Afraid of everyone and blood buzz are great too. 10/5

Star ratings suck

The National maken muziek voor mannen in een midlifecrisis. De teksten portretteren veelal zoekende figuren die ergens waggelen tussen hun existentiële crisis en verdovende middelen. Muzikaal is het de strakke drums die de zenuwachtigheid waarmee deze mensen in het leven staan tot uiting brengt. Het bariton geneuter van Matt Berninger is het stemmetje in uw hoofd dat willekeurig neurotische hersenkronkelzijsprongen maakt. Ik ben ergens in 2009 een fanboy geworden met Boxer en Alligator, de 2 voorgangers van deze, veelvuldig op repeat. Volgens mijn last.fm statistieken staat nog steeds The National op nummer 2 van mijn meest beluisterde bands aller tijden. (Op 1 staan The Beatles met een redelijke voorsprong) Ik keek naar mini-docu's over deze band, zocht zowat alle rariteiten en demo's op Youtube. Ze werden de soundtrack voor mijn uniefjaren. 2 paar broers en een melancholische dronkaard hadden van hun druilerige indierock precies anthems voor het leven gemaakt. Queue in High Violet. Ik sprong een gat in de lucht met de singles. Ik viel weer uit diezelfde lucht toen ik zag dat die gasten aan het doorbreken waren. Het stuur gedraaid richting uitverkochte megazalen. Studio Brussel dat Bloodbuzz Ohio en Terrible Love platdraait. Van extreem vroeg geprogrammeerd staan in de marquee naar een topslot op de mainstage. Ik had het niet zien aankomen. Ik dacht dat ze van de grootteorde van Okkervil River of iets dergelijks gingen blijven. In 2011 op Main Square Festival een voor mij heilige indiedrievuldigheid The National - Fleet Foxes - Arcade Fire live mogen aan het werk zien, het was wonderbaarlijk. Ze konden het, en met de High Violet nummers live tot mij te nemen, had ook die plaat een plek veroverd in mijn hart. Vanderlyle volledig onversterkt over een wei horen galmen, is gewoon pure magie. The National, je bent er voor of niet. Ik was in die periode enorm grote voorstander. Met de platen erna begon ik mijn voeling met hun werk wat te verliezen, maar de singles waren nog altijd uitstekend. Nu is het zo ver gekomen dat ik de singles soms gewoon op de radio ontdek. Ze zijn geen reden meer waarom ik per se naar een bepaald festival zou gaan. Hardcore fanboy af dus, maar hun oude werk zit nog wel in de rotatie hier thuis, waaronder deze doorbraakplaat High Violet.

The National are one of the best bands of their generation. Maybe THE best. Berninger paints the most vivid pictures of mundane life. Dessner a genius at building the slow tension, Devendorf unquestionably one of the greatest drums of all time. No they don’t all have to be mental drummers. Brilliant from start to finish, lyrically more inward turned, neurotic even. Musically subtlety gorgeous and melodic. 9.1/10

Skítugt sound í hljóðfæraleiknum - fíla það ekki. Einhver tilgerð í þessu. Þetta á við "Sorrow". Önnur lög, t.d. Anyone's Ghost, mun betri. Þessi plata vinnur mikið á - Mjög góð.

How nice to get High Violet, one of my favourite albums by one of my favourite bands, on the day the band releases their newest album, Laugh Track. While LT and the companion album that preceded it seem to show the band's magic start to fade, HV is a wonderful reminder of why they were one of my favourite bands to begin with. Strong melodies, charming instrumentation, lyrics that bounce between enigmatic and revealing...this is the National that I fell in love with.

I’ve listened to this 10000 times, so it was great to see it make the list. It’s pointless trying to write a little review to myself about this as I know how incredible a record it is. The National are the most important band in the world to me, everything they do just ooze’s class. This record in particular is one of them where every song on it at one point in time has been a favourite of mine. From start to finish, each song is 10/10 for me. Just like Boxer before it, and Trouble Will Find Me after (my all time favourite). If you usually love this sort of music but didn’t get this, give it another go. It took me a good few listens over a few years to go from ‘The National are good’ to ‘The National are fucking incredible!’. Theyre a slow burner, but it’s worth it.

Thoroughly enjoyed it, has the misty quality of indie rock that I like. Never heard anything by The National before, and I feel like I've missed out. Highlights were Runaway, Anyone's Ghost, and Terrible Love. Was on a rail replacement bus in Poland on Friday listening to it, providing the perfect soundtrack to a weird experience.

Just a bunch of really smart songs with rich instrumentation that rewards multiple listens. I love this record. Best track: Runaway

National oli mulle n. 20-25-vuotiaana kovin tärkeä ja tää levy lienee heiltä se kaikkein paras. Mattin ääni on tolkuttoman lohdullinen ja musa osuu muutenkin omaan melankolian janoon. Nykyään enää harvemmin tälle sopiva mood, mutta tehoaa näemmä silti.

Such a killer album. This is probably my second favorite from them after Boxer, which shockingly isn't on this list. It's worth it for Bloodbuzz Ohio alone though, but I'm biased.

Had never heard anything by these guys before but I thought this was an awesome album. I really like a band called The Airborne Toxic Event and I can definitely hear some of the influences from The National. I listened to the Expanded Edition which has a far better version of Terrible Love. Will definitely listen again and check out some of their other stuff. Highlights: Bloodbuzz Ohio Runaway Terrible Love (Alternate Version)

Heard a few national tracks and liked them, the track on the Taylor Swift album we've had here was really good too..... But never listened to an album before. Really melancholy sounding, right up my street. Enjoyed it and will be listening to more. The only track I knew was bloodbuzz Ohio, think it was the best track too. Lemonworld and anyone's ghost were great too. Probably have to be in a certain mood for the national, but I'll be back

Even mijn 5 sterren afstoffen want het is alweer een tijdje geleden dat ik deze kon uitdelen. Voor mij is het de drums die hun sounds zo uniek maakt. Prachtige plaat!

Another of my personal all time albums. This came out my Junior Year of college and was probably what I listened to most that year. While Boxer is still my #1 National album, the highs here rank among my favorites. 4.5/5

the national is good.

This moody creation happened to arrive on a day when I was dealing with a lot of depressing shit. These are dense, moody, reflective songs. The sky was gloomy, my spirits were low, and High Violet was perfect!

A favorite of dad rock. 5/5

Богоугодная хуйня, сначала понурая гуляла под дождём, а потом надежда какая-то появилась, короче, всем советую 👍🏻

Each of these songs takes me on a journey that's hard to put into words. The instrumentation, the vocals, the lyrics, all come together for me into an album I'd like to spend the next few days with while putting the rest of the project on hold. This was new to me, and I want to get to know it very well and make up for the last decade I was without it. It's a headphones in the dark kind of album that makes you forget what year it is as it carries you to Ohio in a swarm of bees.

It's a good one, one might argue their commercial peak.

I like The National. This album is what brought me around. Not all their songs are catchy, but they are all well done. England in particular is very good.

Gran álbum

Rating: 10/10

Dark, brooding and I loved every second. Great album.

One of the greatest

Mijn favoriete plaat van The National. zowel qua songs als productie-technisch echt geweldig,

I LOVED this album.

Enjoyed this, simple indie rock but effortless. Great voice and lyrics along with the music. Album starts strong and gets stronger.

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES, I already listen to this album on repeat. Easy 5 stars, makes me want to retroactively go back and downgrade every other album, I have been being too generous with my ratings. Standouts include Bloodbuzz Ohio, Lemonworld, England, Vanderline Crybaby Geeks, Terrible Love, and Little Faith. And the rest of them.

The National won't be on the radio on your drive home, or listed in Rolling Stone's Top 500. The most press I've seen them recieve is being mentioned in a piece about Taylor Swift's last couple albums, of which they are featured/produced. Commercial success may never find them, but a connection to their listeners has - and it's no exception with High Violet. For me, this is a nearly perfect album. Excellent production and instrumentals, and Matt's voice you either love or hate, I love. If you get a chance to catch a live show, I highly recommend it - the energy infectious. Fav Song - England

When it came out, I was obsessed with this album. Literally couldn't listen to anything else for weeks, possibly months. Still isn't old. To me, it's the rare beast - a perfect album.

A record of the highest quality, with not a bad or uninteresting song in the bunch. This is an easy inclusion in the list and it makes no sense that it's been dropped. The National merits at least three other records; they were the best rock band in the world for a good long run of years, offering a higher-class product -- smarter, more stylish, and thoughtful and interesting -- as people of taste know. Editors reveal themselves to fall quite short of that standard by overlooking the National.

Beautiful

I had never heard this before but loved it immediately, it's the first new (to me) CD this thing has recommended that I can say that about. The vibe here is very much slow, sad, and relatively simple songs, but with an incredible diversity of instrumentation and sense of musical color that allows each melodic/harmonic idea to effectively be played a half-dozen different ways and gradually evolve over the course of a single track. In that way this is a very close comp to "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot", which seems like a clear inspiration. Let's get out of the way first what this album does not do well. It's not happy - very much the opposite - although it is at times fun, fast, and surprisingly danceable. Many songs feature or at least include a segment with a dancy drum beat, and despite the overwhelming somber tone it's actually played pretty fast (generally in the ~120 bpm range). And there aren't any really catchy singles, although it's of strong and consistent quality throughout. It's also not virtuosic - their singer has a fairly unique and pleasant voice, but with a very limited (and very low) vocal range, and there aren't any other discernible melodic instrumental solos on the CD. So they mostly deserve an "incomplete" there. Their singer's voice does suit the mood of the songs pretty well, with his sleepy and unexcitable baritone evoking the generally depressing tone, but the key to their success is that they have so much melodic instrumental color backing him up, it's everywhere on every song. So then to their strengths. This album is impeccably produced and so chock-full of wonderful little moments that I had to listed to it 3 times just to form a real opinion, and I'm still not sure I got the majority of it. Just to give some concrete examples, "Terrible Love" adds (in order) string counter-melody, distorted guitar harmony, shakers, a dance-beat, piano arpeggiated harmonies, an alternate-melodic bridge, more piano harmonies, Beck-like cooing backing vocals, and then more string counter-melody. Then it blows up, playing everything at once, including what I believe is an alternate minor chord on the conclusion of every line of the alternate chorus, and then it disintegrates just as completely into a danceable indie-rock frenzy. Every song is like that - there's just so much stuff to play with, and every song evolves in a unique and fascinating way. I'm not totally sure where to place it. On the one hand, I find it fascinating and lovely. On the other hand, it's missing one big thing - catchy singles - and I don't think it's quite as good as YHF (a very touch comparison). And generally, because I'm looking for novelty, I tend to over-rate things that are new to me at any level of quality and under-rate old hat. So I'm on the fence about 4 vs. 5, but fuck it, I'll give it a 5. I might listen to this a dozen more times.

Well it's a tour de force. One of the National's best. Got some of the absolute bangers on it like Terrible Love, Bloodbuzz Ohio and Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks.