High Violet

This guy has a fantastic voice. I didn't much care for the national in early college around the time this album came out and it's nice to discover you were wrong about something, especially when being wrong means experiencing something over 10 years old like it was new.

quite good!

Favorite song: England

Really enjoyed this indie rock album! Was what I look for in indie rock and was really relaxing and the singer has a great voice!

I do like The National but the raw sadness of this was kind of a slog yesterday.

i actually really enjoyed this album! the national is a band that i wasn’t super familiar with before this album. this is going to make me listen to them more! highlights: anyone’s ghost, bloodbuzz ohio, conversation 16, england, terrible love (alternate version)

I liked it. Heard a lot of the songs before.

Had no knowledge of this artist before. They were enjoyable to listen to. Well done!

Like all good 4 star albums on this list from bands I am unfamiliar with, it grew on me as it progressed. By the end I was very excited to listen to more of their stuff. Love the Eddie Vedder-esque vocals.

It was slow at first but, then, it began to open up. The National's High Violet continues the band's seamless path towards indie rock glory that began with Alligator as they churned out some of their most impassioned and revelatory performances. Songs that don't look like much at first glance would soon consume you and turn you inside out the more it advances towards the finish line and unveils its layers that it is capable of making. The expanded version of the album builds upon this as well, with extra tracks that flow from one to the next with seemingly no end. High Violet is deserving of high praise. Favorites: Anyone's Ghost, Afraid of Everyone, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Lemonworld, Conversation 16, England, Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks, Terrible Love (alternate version), Wake Up Your Saints, Sin-Eater.

The National have a way of turning every song into something layered and anthemic. The musicianship and instrumentation on this album is top notch. The vocal delivery is languid and intentional and when paired with backing vocals, is something really special. The biggest drawback of this album is the lack of variety. However, the album is very consistent and enjoyable throughout

They sound like the National. And that's the point. It's magnetic and inspired.

Though there really aren't standout exceptional tracks for me, the sincere conversational tone and approach of these songs makes them easy to enjoy.

Still a great, consistent album. Not sure it’s their “best” album, but definitely on the short list.

It's just a good easy listen

Quite a surprise. Pretty good album all told. Vocally it reminded me of The Swans. Will listen again.

I like The National, even if I don't know how to explain why you should listen to them. Their music is just good, and High Violet is a good sample of what the band can do. I have listened to lots of live performance from The National, but High Violet was my first time listening to a full album from the band. I think I've heard "Terrible Love" before (one of my favorite tracks from this album), but I'm not sure what other tracks I've heard before. "Anyone's Ghost", "Bloodbuzz Ohio", and "England" were additional favorites from this album. I will still like The National.

One of the great indie albums of 2010’s

Nice sound. Enjoyed the uniqueness

Best Song: Afraid of Everyone. In an album of excellent lyrics, this song still stands above the others. Worst Song: Can't say there was one. Everything was very cohesive, and each song felt like it belonged. Overall: Intoxicating. Between the deep and resonant vocals, the moody and melancholy lyrics, and the expansive instrumentation, the album feels very well-rounded.

Pleasantly surprised. While every song is essentially the same, it’s the atmosphere and ambience of the sound and production that makes this album intriguing.

Tough to critique but I just kinda like the sound of it and the way it creates a atmosphere with the instruments.

Pretty good, mellow. Kind of same same indie though.

I didn’t like the national when they came out but I’m 39.5 years old now and have come around

I don't listen to the National often, but enjoyed this album. They aren't super dynamic, but what they do they do it well. Bloodbuzz is obviously a standout, but also liked Anyone's Ghost and Conversation 16.

Now I love this band so its a challenge to be objective but here goes...It's a brilliant album of obtuse lyrics and hummable tunes....some of them heartbreakingly beautiful. Alligator and Boxer are often seen as their strongest albums but this one shows s lot of maturity. Brilliant stuff. 4.

The album which got me into The National. I suspect, the album which got everyone into The National. Broody gothy romanticism.

liked this. intresting mix of sounds

Sounds really good. Still something modern but with instruments and singer, not too overly computerized music. I can listen to and enjoy this, but couldn't for example work listening to this. Sounds like 4 stars for now

Awesome

Better than most other albums of this era, less whimsical and more muscular.

Good stuff and like the singer. The music was catchy

vibed to it

Four stars! When you're striving to be just 'meh' and have done a pretty darn good job. This album exists because we have ears and they have instruments. There's nothing amazing about this and that's the point. The singing sounds like a Calvin Johnson who maybe had a half cup of coffee. It's not inspiring or even particularly enjoyable, it is just meh and for me, this was just right for today. Thank you.

Not a big Indie person but this album was really good. I think the only song that I wasn't a big fan of (but that might change) was the opening track "Terrible Love." I think it was just the wall of sound that percussion created. The second half of the album from "Bloodbuzz Ohio" to the end really struck a chord though. I've had a few people recommend the National to me in the past but this is the first time I've heard any of their albums. Looking forward to checking out Alligator and Boxer as well.

Joy Division / Interpol lite but enjoyable enough.

Solid 4. Can't be a 5 because I can't figure out what he is singing about on any track. Bloodbuzz is a classic and the highlight of the album. Cover art (original cover) 5/5 you can always rely on 4ad

Spotify has been nudging me with songs from this LP over the last few years. I had a some of them on heavy rotation, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Anyone’s Ghost and England. It’s music for adults by adults. Matt Berninger has a great voice, writes somber lyrics and reminds me a bit of Nick Drake. The band is competent and stays out of the way so that the singing is front and center, although the drummer tends to pound away a bit Bonham-like at times, which to me means they’d be more kick-ass live.

Jebeni su svaki put. Četvorka jedino zato što su mi neki drugi njihovi draži albumi

Koliko se sjećam, mislim da još do sad nije bio nijedan album ovih kraljeva. Iskreno, imaju previše dobrih albuma pa je teško to rangirati nekada. Sada se ovaj album po mojoj rang listi njihovih albuma nalazi nakon Alligatora, Boxera, TWFM i onda tu dolazi ovaj albumček, ali je svejedno jako dobar, i to puno govori. The National je stvarno jedna jako dobra grupa koju jako volim i koju sam imao priliku vidjeti na Šalati uživo, i bio sam oduševljen i...želim naravno opet ako je ikako moguće! Pjesme poput: Lemonworld, Conversation 16, Runaway, England, Bloodbuzz Ohio i naravno neizostavna pjesma Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks čini ovaj album takav kakav je u mojim ušesima. Što znači da je drugi dio albuma tako popunjen jebenim stvarima da je to čudo.

Nisam ovom albumu dao previše pažnje prije, drago mi je da sad jesam.

I liked it very much so

Really got into this today while knocking back some yard work. Enjoyed his effortless lead vocals, almost soft conversations at times. Great producing on the tracks , really liked when they punched it up with a little blast from the horn section .

"I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees". Not everything here connects for me, but this is very listenable. There's some very good stuff here. Very warm production. I do like it.

I'm not too into the singer, but the lush and somber production holds this indie rock album up pretty well. Favorites: "Terrible Love", "Little Faith", "Bloodbuzz Ohio"

Pretty cool modern rock. A little slow and droning. Similar to Interpol.

This album was new by me. It's not really something I can see myself coming back to, but it was a good listen. The music faded into the background a bit, but it was still good 4/5

8/10

More enjoyable of an album than I recall it being. I know I listened a ton when it came out, but it doesn't have lasting power the same way Boxer does. Still a solid offering. Really like Conversation 16 and Bloodbuzz Ohio. 4/5

Really enjoyed this album. Only the second National album I've heard. Found this one far less depressing. Reminded me of Joy Divison/New Order at times.

My indie cred is damaged by the fact that I've never listened to a full The National album. Heard many songs, just never got super into them. Happy to be listening through this. It's good!

Great mellow album

Great album - love The National so this is well known to me. Favourite song-Afraid of Everyone

Pretty good 8/10

espectacular

Very chill sound overall. Dude has a nice deep voice.

Easy listening. Low-key.

Melodic and beautiful, but a bit sleep and sad.

I love High Violet! Such a great album! So beautiful and heartbreaking. Great instrumentation and feel.

Very good indie..

Very slow, again not for work. Very much enjoy them, will probably listen to their other work now

Had a great time. Good vibe.

Atmospheric, thoughtful, a clear theme that keeps through the whole album; it's a bit moody at times but overall quite enjoyable

This album is very bland at times, but has some nice arrangements, which make the instrumentals sometimes rich and beautiful, at least at some moments. So, it is an album I will probably never return to listen to, but, surely, it has been a pleasant experience, a delicate and very well produced one. Nonetheless, the music is more of average indie pop, with nice touches and some lovely sounds, but not much impressive or groundbreaking. It's nice, not something wonderful, but a pretty decent record.

I always assumed that this was going to be a band who sounds just like Interpol, so I never could understand why Aaron Dessner has become one of the most in-demand pop producers. Actually listening to this, their big commercial breakthrough album, I see it a bit now? I'm not in love with this type of indie rock really, but the production is pretty cool, the way he gets good separation between all the instruments without it ever feeling too cavernous. Never going to be a favorite, but it's always cool to hear one of those albums where you can see the progression of pop music taking place!

Good

The National mostly passed me by, even though they were big(ish) at the time I was listening to more contemporary music. My first introduction to them was at a festival. Along with Pulp and The Strokes they were at Reading in 2011. I didn't think much of them at the time. The songs didn't seem to go anywhere or be very distinctive. Having listened to this album, my view has not really changed. The songs are okay but they just don't grab me. I may also be influenced by my partner on this point though, her ex liked them and she thought he was pretentious. I have no reason to disagree. It's hard to say exactly why but they do come across as prouder of themselves than maybe they ought to be. I will not likely listen to this again.

Indie rock and chamber rock built from brooding guitars, slow-burning rhythms, atmospheric and orchestral arrangements, and weary baritone vocals feels like wandering through a city at night in heavy fog where every street seems to lead back to the same unresolved thought—moody, meticulous, and for me often more oppressive than affecting. The album excels at creating tension and atmosphere, but its emotional palette can feel so narrow that individual songs begin to merge together. What starts as introspective gradually risks becoming monotonous

New to me and I thought it was very good, would definitely listen again. 3.5

Interesting

My favourite was Conversation 16. It has a little more punch.

Indie funeral music

Well, that was average. Fairly standard by-the-book indie-lite album from 2010. Inoffensive, but not particularly special IMHO.

🥱

Never heard of or listened to these guys before but, they do seem quotes good and have a sick, dark, deep, melancholy, rock sound. It could get a bit a bit bland and unemotional and the lyrics are gibberish sometimes and got really overproduced at the end but, still pretty good! I’d recommend Terrible love, Sorrow, Afraid of everyone, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Runaway and Conversation 16.

spoko ale lekki zmeczon

Standard indie album representative of its time. Nothing great, but not horrible either, just average.

Very chill start. I like their sound Initial reaction - their songs are all kinda sounding the same. I don't mind having it on in the background, but there haven't been any standout tracks so far. Amending my comment - the lead sings just about every song the same. The instrumentation does change. I can respect having a very specific, consistent sound. You get what you came for.

I like the National. The lyrics are smart, the music is generally good and I don't mind his voice. It just seems like they make the same song over and over there is no differentiation

7/10 - a pleasant surprise, I knew about Bloodbuzz Ohio but the rest of the album is equally as good

Grupo indie rock de los de milito

Интересная музыка и вокал неплохой, хотя чего-то цепляющего не услышал.

Pretty ok. Some song would do pretty allright on a mix list. Will not listen to the whole album again.

Nothing life changing but that’s fine

First listen

never heard of them, but i kinda liked it. mellow morning music.

Was not expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised. A Solid 3

Did not love the album, but it had a good sound and stayed there the whole time. Buzzkill and Lemonworld were a great little back-to-back in the middle of the album.

Pretty cool but somber overall. I get the feeling that somber is kind of a common sound of this band. Seems like it was one of the early adopters of that kind of early-mid 2010s vibe type music. I enjoyed it.

3 stars This is enjoyable. I like the mix of post punk with a folkier sound. This album came out at the height of 00s indie. I hadn’t heard of the National and I kept hearing about this album. They were highly billed at Coachella 2011 and I had never heard of them. I gave the album a brief listen back in those days from an illegal download and couldn’t get past the opening track. I just wasn’t interested and no reason to invest. Years later I was driving Uber and I would make playlists of entire artist album catalog that I wasn’t familiar with to get into them. I got through Springsteen, Prince, and REM this way. At some point I went through the National. I liked their popular prior 2 albums of Alligator and Boxer. With context, High Violet feels very refined- they had a thing and they do it well. But that was years ago and I’ve almost never returned to their albums. Why? They’re pretty good, right? Yeah. But they don’t last in my consciousness. The emotion is nice but it just fades and feels like a brief memory. That’s how the music lands with me. I know I like it but they’d never be my favorite band, right? So it’s good. I think they deserve an album in this list and maybe this is a good representation. But I may go a few years before I think about this band again.

Muy disfrutable, me recuerda a Hurts por momentos. Nota: 3.5

I had a mixed reaction. Music was a 4/5 but a lot of the lyrics made me cringe and were 2/5

I didn't dislike this one, but it certainly wasn't a barrel of laughs either. Quiet, introspective, maybe even a little melancholy. The kind of record that makes you appreciate the silence afterward. It's not even that the tracks are poorly crafted or anything; they're well-produced and polished. But they don't exactly burst with energy either. A real Nick Cave feel, but not in the most impactful way. It's solidly mid-tier.. not amazing, not terrible. It's just there. If you're into quiet, introspective indie rock, you'll probably enjoy this one enough. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Terrible Love - Sorrow - Bloodbuzz Ohio

Really enjoyed the first track, found the middle to be a bit more forgettable then ended strong. Nice album overall.

Enjoyed in places

Не чув цих також) Інді-рок, ну таке.

This is pretty good, but I just can't get into a lot of new bands. They really don't make it like they used to.

Nachere lange allgemeine Musigpause het mer The National ganz guet pässlet. Biz zwenig für es 4i aber eig acho besser wie es durchschnitts-3.

Unique sound, but a little tiring and too much same-same over almost an hour and a half.

It's like Beirut if you really narrowed the dynamic range. Soulful but almost monotone

Interesting sound, but not a lot of variety to it

So, I didn't love it. I didn't necessarily dislike anything, but it is pretty boring. It doesn't go on too long though so that is good. I feel like it wouldn't be so bad if I got to know the songs, but I just don't think that will happen any time soon.

Not bad but in no way memorable

Another one of those bands that are in the "vaguely heard of, not sure I could name one of their songs" group. This album is what I think of as "typical indie sadboi." The instrumentation and vocals are absolutely soaked in reverb, to the point that it felt like more of a texture than a vocal. This did make it a little difficult to understand the lyrics, but the general tone of sadness, ennui, and bleakness came through. The songs do seem to be all build up to a climax that never quite arrives, but none of them outstay their welcome. The standout tracks for me were "Sorrow," "Bloodbuzz Ohio," and "England." I quite liked the album, and it definitely feels like it might grow on me with further listens.

Emotional and good

Grew on me. Stopped and listened to Runaway.

Not terrible, but just not very interesting I'm afraid

I rather enjoyed this, but it is just standard late 2000s- early 2010s indie rock at the end of the day.

Dreary and monotonous. Difficult for me to understand how this band became so popular given how uninspiring it is. It's not that it's bad, it's just unimaginative and dull. Takes some elements from 90s grunge rock, and it does have some beautiful compositions, but this is just not a record I would listen to with regularity.

Surprisingly listenable

Would have given 4 if it had "About Today".

Perfectly ok.

Imo the 4th best album by the national

3.5

2.5 - Might have liked this type of thing around 10 years ago. Pretty boring tbh

Has a Interpol feel to it but without the high highs.

Sorrow Little Faith Conversation 16 England

Afraid of Everyone Buzzblood Ohio Lemonworld Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

Whilst it’s a good album technically I don’t think I was feeling mopey enough to really appreciate this

Oh, The National, never change.

Velvety indie rock that flows together into a nice soundscape. This isn't a flavor of music I reach for often, but I can appreciate it.

Definitely 2010s rock

Very deep voice.

Notas: Algunas canciones estaban un poco sobre saturadas de efectos pero no estuvo mal Puntaje: 6/10

Solid but nothing too impressive

I had only heard of The National before this point. I was glad that they didn't sound like the Black Keys or Dirty Projectors, but none of the songs really excited me much. Very plain. 2.5/5 -> 3/5

An album that isn't even in the 2018 version of the book I have. I have a hard time with this late 2000s/early 2010s "indie." The sound was everywhere when I was a lad, so none of this feels important to the greater music scene. Put in Christopher Lee's Charlemagne album, you cowards.

Easy listening for hipsters. Nothing offensive, but nothing to knock my socks off.

I generally like this band, but I find this one a little underwhelming when compared to their previous two albums. There are some cool songs here, like "Terrible Love", "Bloodbuzz Ohio" and "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks", but a lot of the rest of it is pretty one-note. 3.5 Stars.

Not High Violet or Ultra Violet but Mid Violet. For all the bluster in the instrumentation, the songs and vocals do tend to be a dull dragging trip through dour town. There are some moments of quality like on Blunderbuss Ohio and Lemon World. It’s Matt Behringer’s Lemon Party and he’ll cry if he wants to.

At first I thought this album was a bit boring. But then I started listening to it while driving in the evening, and I began to appreciate its nuance. I’m not sure if it’s still a 4, but it’s a solid 3. 6/10

seilarrrrrr

This really is a poor man's version of Interpol's Turn on the Bright Lights (which really should be on this list). It has all of the moody depressing atmospheric guitar playing and energetic drumming but none of the catchy melodies, memorable songs, or driving bass lines. The drummer in this band is the only one who sounds like he is awake during any of the recordings here. It also sounds like they recorded the same song 11 times. I know I am complaining a lot about this album, but it isn't really that bad, it is just really boring. Mid 3.

Good music

I have something of an aversion to listening to bands if the first thing I hear of them is that they’ve been nominated for a Brit award or a Grammy or whatever. Chances are high that they’ll be some johnny-come-lately trendy band that have caught the zeitgeist because one of their tracks was on an advert or a movie soundtrack. I think in the case of The National, I might have been unfair. They had been going for 12 years or so before hitting the big time and seem to have had a solid track record of albums up to that point. The music is very much in the indie vein, with droning guitars and solid, repeating drum patterns with a bit of piano thrown in on some tracks for variety. I wasn’t immediately hooked on first listening, but I think I’m intrigued enough to give it another listen, which is always a positive sign.

Really good lo-fi sounding familiar rock. I don't know that I ever heard them before, but I won't turn 'em off now.

The Walkmen. The National. The Editors. I’m sure there are many more bands that sound the same with similar names. The 2010s were rife with them. I remember trying to enjoy all of these bands because my friends did. I’ve seen The National (and The Walkmen et al) live in concert. Anyone’s Ghost is a great track. Overall, best left in 2010. Give me Interpol any day. 2.5/5 for the mems

Music made by guys who wear sportcoats on stage like they're headed to a nice brunch on a Sunday morning...I'm assuming, as I've never seen a picture of them, but that's what how I imagine they'd appear. Button down shirts, tucked in, sport coats and trying to rock. You are probably holding a craft cocktail if you're at their show. It's 2010s indie rock and it's fine. They're good musicians, the layers are cool. The guy who is singing has a pleasant enough voice. They're really great at doing that slow vocal delivery, fast drum and rhythm section gimmick. Which is fine when you can pull it off, but they seem a bit transparent. Glad I listened, figured out who The National are as I remember them getting a lot of hype in the early 2010s. Wouldn't return to it.

I heard your dad cries when listening to this album.

there were a couple of songs i liked, mainly due to their more happy/unique sound but nonetheless this was an okay listen. the songs didn't insanely stick out to me or linger but maybe that's because i was doing calc homework while listening. i like lemonworld and conversation 16. they both stood out to me because of their contrast to the mellow monotone sounds of the previous couple of songs and they have a certain part that is catchy in a way.

I found it a bit boring and I didn’t love the guys voice, but that being said, the more I listened, the less I hated it. At first, it feels like the lead singer isn’t even sure of his own lyrics, like he’s singing into the microphone while someone off to the side is trying to tell him what the lyrics are and he’s fumbling along, mumbling, while trying to get the gist of the song out. He’s monotone and flat. The instruments kinda loop throughout the songs, which makes for a bit of a boring musical experience.

Good vibes but it’s missing something that is needed for me to want to return to the album…

I enjoyed this

Meh

High quality background music, has a lot of repetitive melodies which are perfectly pleasant but doesn't build to anything much in most cases.

Enjoyable listen!

Milk toast ass indie rock. It invokes images of shirtless guys playing the guitar barefoot on their college quad trying to remember disparate Allen Watts quotes to impress freshman girls who left their hometown for the first time a month ago….not that I’m speaking from experience or anything like that though.

Good.

I enjoyed this but nothing stood out for me, the droney style isn't my thing. I liked the drums a lot though.

Heard about this band, friends like them, but I never paid much attention. It was ok - I have saved Anyone's Ghost to my playlist.

Doesn't hit any high notes to make it out of the threes for me but keeps a consistent sound that is enjoyable through out the album.

I know about the National cause Aaron Dessner worked with Taylor Swift during her indie-folk era, but this is the first time I've listened to his band. I realize this kind of music is not for me. I don't hear a lot of melodies, hooks and chord changes, so it's not personally captivating. It's as if the music is just settling, like soda after the fizzle. (2.5-3)

if you had a high fever and had to sleep id recommend this. but if you wanted to listen to music I wouldnt

This kind of feels like the last moment of The National's career where they still seemed like they could have been remembered as a really interesting band. After this, it feels like too much of their early identity had been lost, and even on the last few songs here, it kind of felt like they were running out of steam a little. But for the first approximately 3/4ths of this album, there is some pretty cool stuff. High Violet has a couple of things to keep it feeling above most indie rock. It has cool vocals, it has a baroque atmosphere. But, in my opinion, this album is set apart from the pack mostly by it's lyrics and percussion. The lyrics are kind of doing a very poetic thing in a way that conjures up the Midwestern United States through imagery that almost verges on magical realism. My favorite lyrics here are probably on Bloodbuzz Ohio. And the percussion here is, compared to the rest of the band, extremely high energy. The chaos of these drums really adds an exciting through-line to the album and makes (especially the first half of) High Violet pretty exciting. The songcraft here is also pretty high in general. All in all, High Violet is an interesting flash from a band that I think had the potential to be a lot more. But it still exists as a cool moment in modern music history.

Vocals weren't my thing

Really enjoyed this music and the variety. A definite keeper! Good for an afternoon.

Favs: Little Faith, Afraid of Everyone, Lemonworld. The kind of album you could sink into. Warm blanket on a dreary day. Might just need to wait for days like that to come along to feel the warmth.

Would've loved this shit at 13. Sadly, I grew up.

wow, a lot of emotion in these first tracks. I'm digging it. This was pretty good, I'll give it 3 stars.

I am quote honestly not understanding why this is on a list of 1001 albums to listen to. It sounds like every coffeehouse -- no, Starbucks -- background listening music out there. There are times for dreary albums, but there are plenty of dreary albums. Why does this one stand out? "Afraid of Everyone" is ok, but yeah, I would probably only draw one or two songs from this album for a themed list, and that'd probably only be after I listened a few more times. IF I listened a few more times. It's not a terrible album, but I don't get any influential, groundbreaking appeal.

Was ok once I realized the sound they were going for. Drums were a bit too busy at times and sounded like a techno beat trying to be fit into indie songs. Probably wouldn't listen again but sounds like ok background shopping music.

220226 18:46 3

I should really like this album as it's a genre of music that is amongst my favourites, but I found it to be just ok. Apart from Englad, I didn't really feel there was a track that stood out. 3/5 Not bad, not great.

Hmmm... I like indie rock, but this album was a lot more somber than what I normally listen to. It was still good, just not something I would wanna listen to often.

Music is okay, but can’t stand the singer. This album is no exception…

Pretty plain and I suspect Boxer will be on here too. Maybe nix this one in a revision (2.5/5)

My usual vibe but not as good

Solid

Yeah

10’s Indie Rock ⭐️Conversation 16

Awash with sound but it's only when the band pick up the tempo and create a sense of urgency that it really delivers

I never liked The National as much as most of my friends. Still a fine album with a few really good songs.

Ikkje så dumt

Solid indie rock that reminds me quite a bit of Nick Cave (but the good kind).

Bloodbuzz Ohio was used in a commercial on Current TV like 15 years ago. Seems I'll always keep that association.

It was okay. Felt like a more depressed Interpol. Was fairly chilled out at time but just not for me.

A good option, but no so magnificent

nice easy listen, but sound gets monotonous. and the lyricism starts becoming just entirely depressing and doesn't inspire anything in me

I quite like The National though I find this is tempered by often finding them a wee bit boring.

I like this album better than I think I do. Many times when I'm doing 1001, I'm not able to listen closely enough or pay attention to the whole album all at once.

4/10. Kinda boring, not for me

shorten it up! Good songs

need to give this one another listen

A quirky one. Kind of dark and withdrawn but with a “lighter” sound, like a less claustrophobic Joy Division. A lot of the songs feel like endless buildup with that humming guitar/piano/string drone that seems to be present in every song. I didn’t love it, but it’s worth more attention. Best song: Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

when it started i had to check that my laptop speakers hadn't gone weird and needed a driver restart

Here’s where I stand with the National: they’re a decent band with an excellent drummer. Seriously, listen to how the drums drive every single song! Without them, or with something more subdued, this album would be an absolute snooze fest. I like their sound — it sets a mood, feels like an overcast day — but I’m never quite able to love them.

Erster Eindruck:gefällt mir,entspannt Lieblingssong: sehr ähnlich (Lieblingszeile:) Overall Rating: 6/10 Andere Anmerkungen: angenehm für Hintergrund, mag ich auch, stimme tief bisschen cool (bleachers)

They're alright

Standard indie album

They're like a meeting of The Vaccines and TR/ST; the lead's voice reminds me alot of Robert Alfons of TR/ST. Songs felt very hit and miss for me, "Terrible Love" was great towards the end, "Sorrow" was fantastic and "Anyone's Ghost" fell flat for me, then back up again for "Little Faith"! Tracks started to bleed together towards the end and I began to wonder when the album would be over. Not a good sign. Overall, this is an album that I did somewhat enjoy and, from previous experience with music like this, it has the potential to grow on me until I love every track, much like Mount Kimbie's The Sunset Violent.

Didn't tug at my heartstrings but very soothing

Decent late 2000s-early 2010s indie album. I was hoping for a bit more here, but it's still good. I'm not upset about this album, I'm just not overjoyed that I've now discovered it.

Easy listening but unremarkable

I like it but it’s not like up there - the songs are ok I like the guys voice the songs are nothing special

Moody…if I’m in the right moody. However, if I want to hear a voice like this I rather listen to Hozier.

Terrible Love: 3.5/5 Sorrow: 4.5/5. Anyone's Ghost: 4/5 Little Faith: 4/5 Afraid of Everyone: 3.5/5 Bloodbuzz Ohio: 3.5/5 Lemonworld: 2/5 Runaway: 2/5 Conversation 16: 3.5/5 England: 3/5 Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks: 3/5 Verdict. 3/5. Starts extremely strong, ends just okay.

- Aggressively dad rock. One of those artists I probably ought to like on paper but never really caught my imagination. - Somehow, I only discovered them around this time and they were five or so albums in. I don’t feel like I really missed out. - They do a nice job of slowly building up an atmosphere with layers of instruments but too often there’s no real payoff. The bored, baritone vocals do it no favours either. Just all feels a bit beige. Beige is fine sometimes. Nice pair of khakis or a neutral wall in a hallway, but it’s not going to inspire me to keep wanting to hear it again and again.

Solid album. Nothing special. Nothing scary

Love a good midwest nostalgia vibe, but I do wish there was a bit more range. Starts to blend together sonically after a few songs, which makes it hard to appreciate the lyricism. Favorite Tracks: Terrible Love, Anyone's Ghost, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

People love to blame Jack Antonoff for why Taylor Swift's music became bland. For my money, I put the blame on Aaron Dessner. Boring fuck.

Kinda slow and sad, not really my thing

Solid, but I'm assuming if you are already a fan it hits harder. For an outsider it's good at first, but starts blending together in a not so easy to remember way.

First two tracks are very special. Especially 2. Wonderful song. 3 is very touching eventually, after beginning more standard. I really like the lead vocals. They have some power behind their nonchalant costume. 4 is an example for that. 5 was my least favorite so far. Trying a bit too much to capture my attention. 6 I loved. A moving song. There's a thing about this band sound. It's very very, cohesive. Which in one point of view is a great positive, but on the other hand, it makes it hard to differentiate the individual members. Maybe it the style of mixing that was very popular at the time.maybe it tries to compete with the huge sound of pop music at the time. But many times, for me, it's all a bit buried. I like my bands sounding a bit more airy, more personal. Anyway. 7 is very nice. 8 brings a different vibe which is needed at this point in the album. And does it in a great way. A very good song. 9 brings a dark tone that I like aswell. Ten is nice, but I don't really get the lyrics. The closing track is unfortunately not remarkable. Better than what I thought. I think it fair to give it a 3.5

similar to Wilco,not my cup of tea

I was a bit disappointed by this because I have friends who have told me how good The National are. I was disappointed because a number of the songs start well, interesting, catchy even but instead of flowering into greatness, they just bumble along and fizzle out.

A bit depressing really. Didn't get into it.

Don't mind the band, reminds me of a cross between gang of youths and war on drugs. not overwhelmingly in love with it but I think it would have its time and place. I think I don't really like deep male voice lead vocals.

Ah, the 3rd best National album. Why not. This list should only have Boxer on it.

Sad dads.

3.5.

If I could give this negative stars I would

I listened to part of this in its native habitat, the subway tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan. I liked some of it a lot more than other parts, which were generally where they veered off the rock path towards something more like ... I can't find the words to describe so let's say more like The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice. Is that a description? Not sure.

music to get high and be sad to

Interesting group. Had not heard of them before this list, so it was a treat listening to something new to me that wasn't Krautrock or foreign music. Overall, I liked the album. It brought back some memories of Joy Division mixed in with modern beats. Very interesting indeed. The lead singer's voice reminded me a bit of the lead singer for Lord Huron. Interesting that The National is from Ohio, and Lake Huron is in Ohio. Just a weird coincidence. 3.4 / 5. I couldn't get it to 3.5 stars, but it's a good album and should be heard by everyone before they die.

This seems like the kind of album I'd probably really get into if I forced myself to listen to it a few more times and really tried to get it. At some point it would click, and become one of my favourite albums of all time. The problem is I don't want to have to put that much work into enjoying something. It's deep and moody and introspective in ways that don't seem to fit me, and I often found myself wishing for something more distinctive in the wash of dull indie rock that didn't seem to ever pay itself off. Maybe that's the point of it (I suspect so), and if so kudos! It's really well done. That's an artistic choice I can respect, even if I don't personally love it. I would willingly listen to this again, but I won't be seeking it out.

Would listen to it again, but nothing really outstanding about it, from my perspective

Solid listen. Always nice to get a modern album after living in the 60s for a few weeks.

I kind of go back and forth on The National. Berninger has an excellent baritone voice, but sometimes it doesn't sit 100% right with me; it's almost too good. Overall, I like this though; it's at least a strong three, and there are days I'd give it a four.

Og det her like folk å høre på? Æ har aldri hørt på The National før, men har lenge visst at det e et sånt favorittband for diverse mennesker (som æ har antatt har god musikksmak), og det kan hende æ bare va feil tid og sted og dårlig humør og kæm vet ka, men æ synes ikke det va særlig interessant, eller gøy å lytte til. Alt hørtes, ikke grøtate ut, som sådan, men som om noen hadde skrudd på en innstilling man vanligvis skrur av, men som likevel ikke gjorde ting mer interessant. Men for all del, folk får like det dem like, sjøl om det ikke va nokka for mæ.

Monotonous. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.

Some great tracks on this one, though I'm not typically a fan of this era's style. I thought it was a good listen overall, but I did miss those big highs. The chord progressions felt a bit repetitive at times. Still, it's a solid experience. 7.5/10.

Chilliger Sound und dann kommt das Intro von Little Faith und tritt einem in die Eier...... Gab entspannte Lieder aber hat mich nicht vom Hocker gerissen

Wollte 2 Sterne geben, weil durchschnittliche Indie Musik, aber "Bloodlust Ohio" fand ich einen richtig coolen Song.

This was fine.

Anyone's Ghost is a great song.

Honestly, it sounds like a more monotone version of Interpol's stuff from 5 years before. This doesn't shatter my earth but it's a solidly ok album... Very whelming.

Similar earlier Albums of other bamds are better. Thisbis good but not great

Enjoyed it more than expected

Eh. Technically fine, just found it a bit boring

Its okay, malonus švelnus balsas. Gražios melodijos.

Nice

C’est exactement ce que sonne les années 2010

Immersive, probably really good if you’re really into music world or live in lemon world. A bit inaccessible to me though. The Ohio song slightly catchier

I had heard them before and wasn't impressed, but this time around it was more enjoyable. Worked well as flight music but don't know that it would keep my attention otherwise. Prob a 2.5 but I'm feeling generous.

Just was alright. Didn’t hate it but then again, nothing to love either.

Forgettable 2000's white people music

Nice but boring? Feels like a mix of Death Cab For Cutie and Interpol I guess, but more boring than both

Matt Berninger is easily one of the best lyricists of the 21st century, and that remains consistent across this band's discography. But my problem with The National is that the songwriting has always just been bland. Each layer on its own is totally fine, certainly not bad, but the music is never the star of the show on the records, and therefore the band never really feels like a band. HOWEVER, if you enjoyed Matt's contributions to this album but, like me, can't really back The National, I highly HIGHLY recommend checking out the duo project consisting of Matt and Brent Knopf in 2015 under the name EL VY. The album "Return to the Moon" should absolutely be on this list.

Maybe we were too harsh on the BritPop maybe the true scourge of this list is the 2010s overproduced Indie Slop which this list apparently has a metric fuck ton of. This was alright, and generally I enjoy 2010s overproduced indieslop but it is getting tiresome. 6/10

Dull in a weirdly pleasant way. Only one song really grabbed me here on multiple listens. The album's production is great, the vocals are good and clearly the band are very talented with a clear vision. It just didn't really land with me. It's a good album, just not my thing. The vocals sounded familiar, then I read that these guys recorded the Rains of Castamere for Game of Thrones. A fun fact that made me think about how much that show sucked ass from season 5 onwards, but I won't deduct points for that. Highlights: Little Faith

A pleasant surprise.

Decent indie background noise

I never got the hype for the National 🤷🏼‍♂️

Decent album. Got bored with it after a while.

Enjoyed

sound feels nostalgic or trying to forget something. very emo, but nothing harsh

Ok

This is such an okay album. It’s a nice indie album but like. That’s it. It feels like any of these songs could have been in a commercial or an AMC show you forgot existed

White nice

mid

Ok

I was excited for this album, as I’ve always liked what I’ve heard from The National and “Bloodbuzz Ohio” is a phenomenal song. First pass through of this … I liked it. It’s not a ringing endorsement to call something “accessible” but that’s how I felt about it. I’ll listen to it again, but I don’t feel like I was listening to anything timeless or classic. Solid three stars.

I remember The National being a pretty popular band around this time, with a lot of DJs and producers remixing their tracks. Whenever I checked out the original versions of some of those remixes, they never left much of a lasting impression. Listening to this album now, I kind of feel the same way. It’s definitely not bad, it’s a solid product of its time, but it sounds like the average indie rock bands of that era. While it wasn’t an unpleasant listen, nothing about it really stands out, and I can already tell this will be one of those easily forgettable albums for me.

Plutôt sympa mais relativement oubliable. Un peu une vibe de musique qui pourrait être dans la BO de Life is Strange par moments. Pas de truc particulier positif ni négatif à dire.

Je connaissais « fake empire » d’un autre album. Je trouve ça agréable à écouter et j’adore la voix, un bon 3,7/5

I'm at a 3 here, it was pretty easy listening today and blended into the background but I couldn't really pick out anything that caught my attention. Not bad, but pretty average for me.

9/8/25. Will take me a couple listens, but like the deeper lyrics and somewhat uplifting melodies on a few of the songs. This isn't really my genre, but it's very accessible.

Genre: Indie Rock Decent record, with some big production and some pretty good songs, but with vocals that lack luster. Everything in 2010 had to sound like this: reverb-y, songs progress almost like a Bruce Springsteen song, and everything gets real big. Some songs do it great, others are okay. Decent album. 3/5

Thought this was solid. Kinda surprised how much I liked it since I don't really love what I'd heard from the band or singer before (not really a fan of his voice). It's another one of the modern-ish indie-rock efforts where the music is more atmospheric and melancholy but with the purpose of building as it goes rather than being constantly present throughout. As a result, there's less happening than you think at times, then more happening than you think at others. I guess I'd call it deceptively boring. Or deceptively interesting, depending on where you're at. It was a tad long for the experience, but didn't drag too much. It's fine, maybe even good. Not sure I'd say it's something you need to hear before you die, though, even if I liked it well enough. Overall: 3.25/5

Non male per nulla molto vibes da musica di sottofondo

Did every indie band during this time get a pamphlet telling them how to sound? It’s fine, it’s just not interesting or different.

It was fine. Relaxing

I like the national and i love alligator and boxer. I engaged with this album when it was released and enjoyed it without falling in love. It has a lot of what i like about the national: the heightened state of emotion, perfectly captured in lush orchestration and the deep baritone vocal. Something that sweeps you up and takes you away for 3 minute. For this album i feel like the high water marks like blood buzz still have that, but there is a bit more filler. I also feel like thier expanded sound, designed to fill the stadiums they were now playing removes a sense of intimacy that i really miss

High Violet has that brooding, late night vibe with Berninger’s vocals pulling you in, the kind of album that makes you want to revisit it after

bloodbuzz ohio is an excellent song. the rest of the album is not bad but as good.

Enjoyable. Bloodbuzz Ohio !!

It was nice. Mellow, nice melodies, pensive. Somewhat reminiscent of 80s alternative music. I wanted more bite though.

OK. Often just a smear of sound, which isn't my thing. Some decent stuff, but nothing inspiring, just kind of boring.

vibes

The monotony of this is a turn-off. All the songs sound formulaic ... and it's depressing.

Ok but mines the same sound as Bon Iver and Volcano Choir etc.. Although if I’d heard The National first I’d have probably said same about Bon Iver etc on hearing. LOL

Був в мене період прям фанатіння по The National і навіть колись я обнімався з вокалістом (було дуже душевно) на концерті. Але мало було в моєму житті гуртів, до музики яких я охолонув би настільки сильно наскільки це трапилось з National. Все ще звісно люблю певні їх пісні, як, наприклад, mr november (не з цього альбому), але загалом я став якось розуміти чому цей гурт деякі люди хейтять.

3/5

One song in and I can tell they're good but not my kind of thing. Not something I'd casually listen to but I'll put it on when hanging out with people.

Pretty good. Better than I was expecting. If I was born 15 or so years later I might have been really into this group. BEES!!!

Not bad, hadn’t listened to The National in a bit. Don’t necessarily need to come back for a while, but enjoyed the experience.

Fine. Pretty good. Never got into them. Though I do remember one member of this group telling another that they WILL like The National.

Okay

It was decent.

It was alright. Not painful on the ears but I'm definitely not a fan of mumblecore. Could hardly understand a single lyric.

Not bad. A nice, easy to listen to, indie album. Maybe a bit too bland.

Just a bit too much like Phish and bill Callahan had a drony baby for me. That's mean. There is plenty of redemption here: clever lyrics, solid arrangements, and a nice balanced tone...this National album just feels a bit to samey for me.

Some great tracks on this one, though I'm not typically a fan of this era's style. I thought it was a good listen overall, but I did miss those big highs. The chord progressions felt a bit repetitive at times. Still, it's a solid experience. 7.5/10.

It was ok. Not great but a good listen.

Cool album, I just think I need to familiarize myself with 2010s indie sounds. But this is quite a sonically pleasing body of work, but definitely not what I am particularly use to. There's a lot of "moments" but just not enough to fully bring me in. Not a bad album, it's just a cool album. Maybe I may need a few more listens to get into it.

good indie, nothing special

Anyone's Ghost, Conversation 16

Really enjoying this album. Started off shaky, wasn't huge on the opening track but maybe I would be now that I get their sound more. Really like the guy's voice. It does feel like other bands of the era - heavy reverb guitars, songs that build but don't really change at all; not a lot of differentiation between tracks. Too much going on, feels like a wall of sound in a bad way. And, although I was enjoying it, it quickly became very forgettable after I turned it off. Really nothing memorable about this to me, despite being a fairly solid album 2.5

Adding to library

Rating: 2.5 I feel like The National’s target audience is 35-45 year old men, and I’m not even close to that age but I do like them approximately twice as much as when I was younger. So maybe the prophecy will come true? Maybe I should actually review the album and say that it is otherworldly beautiful at times, horribly slow, boring and corny at others. Like there are some seriously bad lyrics all over this project. The highlights are all at the beginning of the album.

I found this to be ok and average at best with the only real standout being “Bloodbuzz Ohio”. 2.5/5

I can respect the hell out of these guys for continuing to release albums on their own terms and their own sound. I just never really understood the hype. It’s a totally fine listen that probably hits better in the right mood. But for moody, ambient, melodramatic indie pop-oriented sounds I’ll probably push play on bands like Nick Cave and War On Drugs that do it better.

Good listen and maybe a band I’ll come back to and enjoy more over time. But didn’t have a ton that stood out on this spin so safely in a middle of the road rating. 3.25

I'm not the biggest fan of The National. Think they're totally fine, but not worth all the hype. Unless we're talking bout their collabs with Tay Tay... Bloodbuzz Ohio remains my favorite song of theirs, though not enough to get me to round up on this one. 3.5/5

What are we doing here. It's fine. It's not an addition to the original list that belongs at all.

Feels like a fairly unique sounding album, and I think I enjoyed it. It can sometimes feel a bit whiney gloomy, but that mellow and sad tone is also what I like about it. In general the album started out fairly strong, just didn’t finish on top. ’Afraid of Everyone’ was probably my favourite track on the record.

During my gap year and start of college I got into The National and this reminds me of those times. This may be one of the last CDs I bought before going to Spotify full time. I think “Bloodbuzz Ohio” is a great track but the rest of the album doesn’t really carry the same impact. It becomes a quite introspective and samey. I remember “Terrible Love” but I think it’s mostly due to it being the first track. Their followup album “Trouble will find me” is stronger in my opinion. Still, Bloodbuzz Ohio is a good track and saves this album. The National have some good tracks but on this album they are not many.

Found this pretty enjoyable but it did feel like the album you drive away from being dumped by your Mrs to. Also not sure I really heard most of words because of his voice versus music balance. Even tried adjusting my settings. Think it would be good music to be stoned to or basically decent come down shit

Felt like I was in the sad part of a 2000s romcom.

Yeah this was alright. Nothing I’d listen to again. Overall: 3/5