High Violet

(2.5) just not really my thing

Not my cup of tea. Didn't hate it. Didn't love it either.

Enjoyable Forgettable

Hilariously bland. If this was released today, I'd assume someone had AI generate an indie rock album for them. On the other hand, it's also completely inoffensive. Perfect music to play at a hippie coffee shop.

Boring indie rock that sounds the same as the hundreds of bands that came before them.

Sounds like no one in the band had any enthusiasm to be making music.

Just so darn bland with absolutely no personality. Each track alone might stand as a fair example of the bands music, but together they form a never ending resonance of whinny 2010s production

too sad girl for me, never got into this band and this reminded why. their top hit from this album is like a 4, but the rest of it is kinda meh

Pretty Meh

I've tried these guys a few times and found them kinda boring each time. That stands true with this album as well. The songs are ok, but there's nothing that jumps out as essential listening and there's no innovation or radio hits to point too. The vocals are average at best, the musicianship is ok too. "BLAH" is how I'd describe this and all their music. Solid listener counts, but I've learned that means nothing anymore. People will consume what's there or what someone tells them is good. This is average stuff for someone who's likely down in the dumps or seriously depressed ("Sorrow", "Terrible Love", "Little Faith", "Afraid Of Everyone", come on!). I didn't connect to a single song. Another total headscratcher. I was damn near asleep by track 11. There is nothing on this album that justifies a place on the Top 1001. 2 stars, maybe, it's so vanilla.

3/10

Had hoge verwachtingen. De beschrijving klonk leuk. Wat nieuwere muziek. Maar t is echt ongelooflijk saai. Alles lijkt op elkaar. DNF

boring

Bland

Was initially excited to finally listen to some of The National on their own as I only knew some of their work as features on other tracks. First listen was a tad underwhelming but will try again to see if I have perhaps missed something that would help distinguish one song from another. Second listen has not revealed anything especially groundbreaking…fairly monotonous record, shame.

Maso

This is a deep dark indie rock album. It is full of very emotionally charged melancholy songs. It is beautifully arranged and Matt Berninger's vocals are deep, slightly monotone and full of sorrow and regret. His voice sounds not entirely unlike Tom Smith of The Editors or Johnny Cash without the deep south drawl. Their sound is really quite polished and enigmatic. But its not for me. I found it hard going listening to 43 minutes of heartbreak and grief. Individual songs would probably be pretty well received. But a whole album is just a bit much for me. It felt like the musical equivalent of a month of grey, cloudy, cold days. And as I live in the north of England, I need all the sun I can get. (2.125)

5/10

Groupe inconnu pour moi. Album agréable à écouter, un peu longuet sur la fin, dommage. Pas mauvais du tout. 2.5+/5

langweilig

Didn't hate it but I don't love it

Boring.

Meh!

I was kind of looking forward to this as I like a few songs and some of guest appearances by the singer on other artists’ work but had never dug into the discography. Was a bit of a letdown though. Not that it’s bad or anything but just nothing that stood out

++: Little Faith, Lemonworld, England +: Sorrow, Afraid of Everyone, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Runaway +-: Terrible Love, Anyone's Ghost, Conversation 16, Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks 4,9/10

This record is going into the “not rly sure this needed to be on this list” pile. Is it bad? No. But it’s not super impressive to me personally. It’s giving I graduated college in 2009 and immediately moved to Williamsburg, and this was the soundtrack to my early 20s. -Ruby This album is so murderously drab I was angry by the time I finished it. The production is great but that alone is not enough to save such uninspired and insincere compositions and arrangements from themselves. Millennials really did not know how to rock — it’s as if the Great Recession affected their psychology such that they were never courageous enough to take any sort of artistic risk. This album is exemplary of that particular Millennial cultural deficit. —Noah

Treads close to good without ever quite making it IMO. Singer has zero enthusiasm.

If the singer sounds like he can’t be bothered to wake up from a nap to preform, then I can’t be bothered to care about the music, which by the way all sounds like mopey, depression riddled sameness. There’s no variety on this album anywhere and I hate this band for not sounding like they gave a shit while writing these songs.

Not for me

problems of national concern...

Boring and self-serious

20/01/2026 A boring album, a boring listen. I have never heard of these guys before and I'm happy not to hear them again. Spotify listeners: 3.3 million

Kind of like a duller Nick Cave. Don’t really understand the hype behind this album. No really memorable songs. Not terrible but just meh.

idk also mixed and got very boring and repetitive 5/10

Dull dad indie. It is very hard to separate the tracks as they sound all so similar. Most of them sound like they are building up towards something before they end out of nowhere. The vocalist sounds like he's bored of his own songs. Sure, the instrumentation on here can be lush, but they doesn't mean much when everything else is so uninspiring.

Dirgecore drivel.

I have always thought of The National as Walmart brand Bon Iver. But The National came first?! I don't know what I believe anymore.

This wasn’t a bad listen but for me it just felt a bit boring, I think if you were to listen to some of the songs by themselves then they can have their moment but in a full album of songs where they all sort of sound the same it gets a bit repetitive. Also, as the songs have a lower tone to them, when complied together the album can become a bit dreary. The production was good and I feel like The National could have made more from this album with some variations of mood in the songs, with all that being said my favourite song was ‘Anyone’s Ghost’ and my rating is a high end 2 star.

What was the purpose of me listening to that, it evoked zero emotion in me.

Eindruck: Joah klingt halt alles gleich, langweilig Rating: 4/10 Favourite: könnt ich jetzt garnicht so sagen weil…. Klingt alles gleich

A few bright spots, but overall I found it repetitive and droning. It was a slog to get through.

I was bored.

Great music to help cure insomnia

First song starts off walking with spiders. Spooky. Now he’s talking about going to Ohio in a swarm of bees. Dude’s got a thing for bugs. I’m with it. It wasn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t terribly interesting.

kinda boring

2/5 Halfway through I started losing it because it all felt very same-sy and it just made me want to pull my hair out. Nice mellow tunes, though. But yeah, some variation would've been nice.

This sounds like an album of potentially good songs that's had all of the energy drained from it, like an indie-rock-flavored LaCroix. Even the songs with more energetic rhythm sections ("Little Faith", "Bloodbuzz Ohio") have them buried in the back of the mix, as if the engineer was afraid that someone might start nodding their head in time with the drums. The composition and production are all well executed, and the lyrics are interesting (if incomprehensible), but most of the songs have no dynamics at all. They start and end at the same level of energy - which I'd call "more or less awake" - and don't seem to go anywhere interesting along the way. "Bloodbuzz Ohio" and "England" are the closest to being interesting to me, but they don't quite get there. Still, if anyone ever wants to make a Disco Elysium musical and Sea Power isn't available, this might be the band for the job.

High Violet has been in my collection for a couple of years - I bought it whilst on my travels on a complete whim, as similarly to the Pixies record, The National were a band I'd seen being praised widely and that had been recommended to me incessantly by friends and pub-goers alike. When I got home from my staycation, I gave it a spin and ultimately was left wishing I'd asked the cashier for a receipt. I thought it was moribund and one of the most thoroughly dull albums I'd ever heard, so it sat on my shelves collecting dust until fairly recently. From what I can remember, I'd had a bit of a crap day and wanted to see if an album that I'd dismissed as being too morose for me would reveal itself further whilst I was in a more compatible headspace. In some ways, it did provide a suitable soundtrack for my woes, but I still wouldn't be able to reel off too many discernible, standout features about it. Vocally, Matt Berninger has that somewhat "apathetic" style which doesn't allow his vocal passages or lyrics to really endear themselves to me. The music very much follows a similar vein - the album kind of just floats around and fills a hole whilst it's on, without being particularly memorable. High Violet will most likely be joining my clearout pile and collecting copious amounts of dust again for the foreseeable future.

Not so much for me, Bon Iver precursor which is cool

Nothing special, unique, important or ground breaking. It's not bad not worthy of "must hear" statues

The singer put in less effort into singing on this as I did listening to it. Musically fine but I’ve heard more uplifting Doom Metal

Didn't really hold my interest, just ok I suppose

Very dull album, this isn't my type of music. I found the songs to be repetitive in structure, and not super interesting musically. Part of this is because of the monotone singing on almost every track. The best songs were the ones most dissimilar from the rest. Standout Tracks: Little Faith, Lemonworld.

zzz

Voz do cara é boa, mas meio morta. É, nada me passou a cabeça do início ao fim. Ok, mas esquecível. 2*

Jesus cristo que álbum boooooooooring. Que soneira que deu mano. Definitivamente não é meu estilo. Não foi o pior álbum até agora, mas é um fortíssimo concorrente ao mais chato. As músicas não são ruuuins ruins, ma é chato demais. Só queria que acabasse logo kkkkk

I am really conflicted about this one. I did enjoy some moments, but most of it was really boring, and towards the end it screamed for being over already. I am gonna give it a 2 because of that fact but it's a strong 2, could be 3 if it had more. Something was missing. It's a pity cause it had potential, which was washed down the drain. Damn.

The cover perfectly reflects the music a mash of different elements that blur eachother, it is so damn hard to hear the instruments isolated from eachother with the echoes. The vocals are nice, but I cant understand half of the time

Aldrig gillat National direkt, för tråkigt och pompöst.

snark

Indiens motsvarighet till mumble rap? Sången ger en känsla av att inget händer. Detta till trots är det inte dåligt. Fina arrangemang och skivan blir bättre mot slutet. Stark tvåa!

Försökte när det begav sig, lyssnade en gång till nu. Det är för deppigt och enformigt för att jag ska orka ta till mig det. Som ett deprimerat arcade fire. Sorrow found me... Alltid svårt att återvända till något från när man var i den idiotåldern runt 18-20. Men det är ju inte jättedåligt.

Trying not to gaze at my shoes

Dull

To me this album is in a class along with, like, The Antlers where I know a lot of people who are like "the songwriting is so good" and "there's so many layers to the sound" and maybe a smidge of "they went to Berkleeee" or "they met in Brooklynnnn" and I guess if I could engage enough with it there's probably a story, but the vocals are so mixed down and the music is so thick and the singers never seem to have considered, like, enunciating and I just get annoyed. Sorry I'll never be able to appreciate Hospice or High Violet. I'm happy for you tho. Or sad that happened. Whichever.

Seemed pretty blah

2010. Pretty ok songs that didn't take me anywhere. Soft alt rock.

It sounds like it was well done, but all the songs sound the same and blend together.

Pretty forgettable - Spotify started playing similar stuff at the end and I didn’t even notice I was listening to a different band

Fuck off mate

дущно

Too much like a 40 minute song for me.

I get what they are doing here but I’m not sure it’s as good as it’s perceived to be. This sounds like a more energetic Bon Iver and that’s probably the only thing I can take out of this. How about a sadder Evan Dando, does that help? I’m not excited about this. The music can be good and bearable but vocally it’s quite boorish

Tbh this isn't really my cup of tea but I can see why people like it. I saw that he had a collab w Taylor Swift and I can feel the same general vibe with the two. I liked Sorrow and Anyone's Ghost but overall this isn't exactly something I would listen to in my free time. There wasn't really any point that stood out to me, which is why at some points I was almost bored and wanted to change the song.

Not bad, but not practically know worthy either. Seems like I just wanted to check the box for her rose depressing summer music with that certain woe is me sound.

No thanks.

It's so fucking dull. It's just some sad-sack sounding bloke mumbling into a microphone. Every song sounds the same, and they all bleed into one another. I actually like a depressing album if it invokes some kind of feeling in me, but this sounds like he's struggling to pull himself up from the sofa. There's absolutely zero edges to this, it's just one monotonous, boring slump of an album.

Un peu boring

2.5/5

Vraiment pas pour moi, surtout le mood. Très terne. Je ne vais pas réécouter

Sorrow // Conversation 16 // 2.5/5

Doesn’t really move me one way or another. The background music of depression is how I would describe it. Wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever heard.

This album bored me to tears. I really can't stand the vocals. I'd say it has no redeeming qualities but I kind of liked England and I actually enjoyed the last song. Favorite track: Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

Nice sound…

They sound like more interesting bands but with the more interesting stuff stripped out. Not a bad listen but doesn’t feel like it belongs on a ‘you must hear this’ list.

didn't catch me

..

Dull and monotonous. The lead singer sounds like he doesn't care if you like his music or not because he isn't sure if HE likes it or not. I could see this music paired with credit rolls on drama films that people watch once and forget. They're probably set in the Pacific NW.

Too mellow

Pretty gloomy album. Many of the tracks just fell under the same umbrella in terms of song construction and never really got going. No payoff, just one setting all throughout. Side note: This list has obviously exposed me to all sorts of artists & albums and I always have to remind myself that every single album on here is someone else's favorite album. Makes me feel a bit bad when making these sort of semi-negative reviews, but I can only rate based on my personal experiences and interests. Music reaches everyone differently and can be interpreted in so many ways. That's why music is such a treat! Anyway, I won't remember this album come tomorrow. Onto the next one!

Not for me, distinctly average

I’ve tried many times over the last decade to get into The National, but I always struggle. High Violet hasn’t changed that. For me, around 80% of this album feels dull and dreary, with only the occasional highlight breaking through. When the band does lift the tone, the music comes alive—“Conversation 16” being a perfect example. It makes me think that The National are at their best when they allow a little more energy into their sound. Overall, though, High Violet comes across as monotonous and forgettable. Favourite track: “Conversation 16” is brilliant, and “England” is also a strong moment. Beyond that, most of the album doesn’t leave much of an impression. Least favourite track: The opening two songs, “Terrible Love” and “Sorrow,” are such slow, uninspired ways to start an album—I won’t be revisiting them. Album artwork: Very cool cover—possibly the best thing about this record..

Completely unmemorable. I do not understand why so many people hold this band into Thai regard.

I just don't like The National. They are highly regarded in the indie community, but I find their songs slow, musically boring, and Matt Berninger's voice very grating. I like some monotone groups, like Leonard Coen or Joy Division, but this is missing the sauce that makes those so compelling. Even the song names and themes just are so unappealing to me, like Bloodbuzz Ohio.

Assez oubliable, j'ai eu l'impression que toutes les chansons étaient les mêmes. Mais je n'ai pas non plus été très attentif... 2/5

Interesting but dreary. It's raining outside, so I needed something more cheery.

Push Play for Sleep.

blubblubblubblubnummmbubbalupbummmmm... gummmbluhhh bummm Will Leitch does a cruel and inaccurate impression of Matt Berninger that makes me laugh. Can't disagree. "Bloodbuzz Ohio" is a good track but the rest is humblebumble low-register sadboy stuff.

Listened to the whole thing but wasn't a fan of their sound

Not my style, but good background music.

Very average and boring. It did slightly pick up in the second half but this wasn't my favourite.

2 // Very 2010s rock album. It sounds exactly like what you'd expect from an album with this cover. To me, this is nothing music

такий потужний 2010 hopeful core, навіть сердечко защіміло. я ніколи їх не слухала, але щось подібне в ті часи так (radical face, наприклад), якщо не казати про зміст, то просто оце відчуття ностальгії за часами, коли ти підліток і все краще ще попереду, це вже змушує мене зачепитися за альбом. чи є тут щось окрім цієї ностальгії, складно сказати... така музика - одна з перших кандидатів на те, щоб бути заміненою шіїшкою, бо я не впевнена в щирості цього гурта, коли вони це спивають. це дуже проста, спокійна і безпечна музика, щось що грало в кав'ярнях до винаходу лоу-фай хіп-хоп плейлистів, і на мій смак, я би краще послухала дженерік інді ніж дженерік лоу-фай. але не більше того.

i usually like dry melancholic indie rock but this albums bland production and sleepy vocals really weren't doing it for me.

Felt like Leonard Cohen with a more upbeat band.

Beaucoup de bruits dans ma tête, il ne me reste plus beaucoup de place pour dancer

It's good. A bit monotonous but a couple of decent tracks

Reminded me a bit of Coldplay, but without any hooks, and I'm not a fan of Coldplay. Pretty dismal and atonal. Two stars. I was tempted to knock this down to one star, as the Wikipedia article about the band said they sounded a bit like Joy Division, and I took great umbrage at this, but I guess it's not the band's fault that their weak output has been compared to greatness.

On the whole found this one fairly bland but with the odd stand out track. Didn't make much of an impression to be honest.

boring af

Sounds like Depeche Mode on Valium

Pretty boring, and it does not sound special at all. Why is this on here?

Very meh. Vocals too low/mumbled to make out the lyrics.

...it was okay i have no real input. pretty bland but not bad

1.7/really quite boring and the lyrics are so bad. makes less sense than fall out boy

Uf. Canonical indie. Not my thing.

no

Yawn. This was terribly boring and repetitive and tedious.

Este grupo me gusta, no me entusiasma, pero me agrada escucharlo y siempre espero sus discos. Este ya lo había oído y solo tenía en favoritos Bloodbuzz Ohio. Me he quedado igual, tienen discos mejores que este.

I found this to be musically boring.

It was fine. I guess. It had such a nondescript sound, that I listened to three songs from different bands past the album before I realized.

I swear I've tried with this band. They're kinda droney-shoegazey, from Ohio, support progressive social causes, and even have a member named Bryce (half-star granted for that). I even shelled out for the Dressner brothers-produced Grateful Dead tribute box set. They have so much going for them, but I just can't enjoy their music. I just don't love their sound. I think it's a matter of dynamics. Everything they do is compressed to keep the highs from getting too high and the lows from the lowest. Matt Berninger's voice barely wavers from his narrow baritone. The result, while meticulously produced, smacks of indifference.

Bändi saa omat kicksinsä fiilistelystä. Lisäksi he sattuvat ajoittain keksimään nautinnollisen melodian tai pari. Tekee mieli antaa jonkinlaista tunnustusta. Matala 2.

The nostalgia is real. This takes me right back to visiting the reptile zoo - full of hope, staring at a motionless snake that clearly has no plans to move before the heat death of the universe. This album really captures that same feeling. Interesting for the first 20 seconds of each track, and then you slowly realize: it’s just the musical equivalent of a lizard basking under a heat lamp. Not bad by any means and perfect music to slowly fade into the background of whatever you are doing.

2/5 pretty good but not for Chad. Had a very small Grizol vibe

★★½

Not a fan of the singer's voice

expected more from this tbh as i've listened to the national before and really liked their sound. this was really dreary

Sort of shit that gives the genre a bad rep.

Not bad

Mellow

This album had a good opener, but then it quickly started sounding kind of like... Coldplay? I mean, it doesn't *really* sound like them, but it also kind of does. Anyway, it's just not my cup of tea, and I have to demote it for tricking me in the first minute.

I find this kind of music the hardest to rate. Is never search it out to listen to. But while it’s playing I can vibe to parts of it. They’re probably a pretty solid live band. But I’m left unmoved after listening to this. 2.5/5

Nice album but it plods along and I find Matt Berninger’s voice difficult to get excited about

Depressing didn't finish

Aside from a select few tracks, the discography of The National remains sedating for me, even despite their drummer's best efforts

Didn’t grab me like Boxer

Very boring, repetitive, depressing.

A bit bland and samey.

I am starting to think I just hate most music.

Wow. I couldn't get into this band. It wasn't for me. The band has talent, but I am not a fan of the music genre they are doing. This is the type of music my dad listens to, but not in a good way.

Not terrible (well, outside of "I was afraid I’d eat your brains, caaaause I'm evil" anyhow), but utterly forgettable.

High Violet is often praised for its moody atmosphere and emotional depth, but for me, it lands with a bit of a thud. The slow tempos, muted instrumentation, and Matt Berninger’s deadpan baritone all blend into a grey blur that never really lifts. It's the kind of album that feels like it’s building toward something... but rarely gets there. There are moments of beauty in the arrangements, and the band is clearly polished, but the overall effect is just a bit too dreary and self-serious. Nothing sticks, and by the end, it’s hard to remember what stood out—because nothing really did.

This did not grab me. I found the lyrics obscure. They did not invoke much for me. I wasn’t very fond of their rock sound. The singer‘s voice threw me off in some songs. I can imagine that some people love them and their sound. But this was not my cup of tea (with the exception of three songs.)

The first tag listed for this album is "boring" and boy is that apt.

2☆→dégâts psychologiques légers ça doit être un bon album quand t’es en fucking DÉPRESSION genre ma journée est ruinée ça ressemble quand même à ma playlist de sieste de H23 j’aime (relativement): Lemonworld, Runaway j’aime pas: le reste

Dull and boring.

Didn't do it for me. Dude's just kind of talking.

It's all a bit dull and dreary and a bit of a slog to get through.

Just another ex-1001 album!™ http://1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie.wikidot.com/album-artists-a-z-ex Even before I pressed play, I knew it'd be an ex-1001 album. I found it quite mundane. Feels like the sort of music that's made for life insurance adverts.

I should like moody dad rock but never gotten into them. Not this time either. Bloodbuzz Ohio is decent

I've no idea who these people are ngl. The lyrics are probably the best part. It's very after the party/hungover vibes for me. It's like depressed Lumineers idk why 😭😂 vocals are giving Chris Martin's alcoholic cousin. FAVES Sorrow (strings here 🥹) Anyone's Ghost Bloodbuzz Ohio Conversation 16

literally dgaf it's kinda giving me not a lot. Decent but i think im just in a shit mood

At first I thought it was fine, but the more I listen to it the less happy I get

Boo hoo, cry about it

I dunno. 2? 3? Not terrible, but very boring

Midlife angst sounds boring

this is the type of music to put on when you really don't care what is playing in the background. solid, solid "meh". drums were decent but vocals just boring, mumbling. (and why oh why do folks love this album but hate on some Coldplay???)

Possibly the most monotone album on the list. Not sure how a band so boring generates so much hype.

This is a remarkably dull album. Not dreadful, just a bit boring to my ears.

Overall mediocre album. Had an interesting indie/alt rock vibe initially, but the repetitiveness got boring fast. Nothing stood out lyrically or instrumentally. Also too many mentions of Ohio. Rating would’ve been higher if Ohio was never mentioned.

Probs deserves a 3 but ultimately blended into the background as mush as yesterday's did, so here we are...

Generic 2010s Indie Rock that doesn't further the genre or help explain why its on a list like this. 2/5

Drivel

I can't find any connection to this music. For me it sounds like background shopping music. Nothing more. It is not bad or terrible but not in any way interesting.

Boring meandering repetitive pretentious. No bueno

Meh

wait, is the singing good or bad??

Dull and dreary.

Somehow this band seemed to want to grow every song from a humble beginning to a grand, sweeping crescendo, and yet, it felt like there were no dynamics to the music whatsoever. I turned up the volume thinking maybe that was it, but there was a haze over the overall sound. It was all so flat. I found it distracting and even annoying. So I guess I didn't much like this album.

A band I have never been interested in checking it. It sounds like its parts are better than its whole. Just feels kind of boring to me. Not my favorite at all.

Wasn't bad, listened to the whole thing. Probably not going on my list to come back to.

Ah, thought I’d like this. Unrelentingly dreary I’m afraid, only just got through it.

Older me would have liked how depressing this is, but not current me, alas

Another boring indie album

Dull for the most part apart from a few glimpses here and there. High 2*

Musical half erect edging. They muse be able to tour endlessly as their singer so rarely passes a droning mumble. Good drums?

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: ⬜🎨🖍️ Production: 🧈😊👌 Music: 🌧️🖤〰️ Rating: 🖍️🖍️(🖍️)/5

Another one where I've never heard of the group. Interesting album cover. I'm always looking for new music, but this one just didn't click for me. It sounds like more downbeat Coldplay. It's not bad to listen to, but kind of blah. I can't imagine I would listen to it again.

Zzzzz… I’m sorry, but I find this very boring. I told myself I just wasn’t in the mood, and decided to relisten. I definitely appreciate it more, but why the hell is this on the list?

Meh

2.5

Quizá sorprenda a muchos, pero creo que es música de riff y punto.insufiviente para mí gusto.

A sensação de que as músicas estão sempre correndo atrás de algo que quer alcançar.

J. Crew-core Like a mopey indie drama film, High Violet uses every emotional trick in the book to make you think that its deep.

Bill Callahan but in a 2010 indies band. I thought it might grow on me over the 16 songs but sadly it did not. It’s perfectly serviceable in itself but just not quite my genre of music. The songs did start the meld together and at one point I could have sworn I had already heard the song before. Bit too long as well. This is definitely for someone just not me. 4/10

I've tried National albums in the past and their style has never been my favorite, their take on indie rock with these chamber pop esque melodies and Matt's understated and low voice make for something that sounds pretty but becomes tiresome the longer it goes on. It helped in Boxer that it had some post punk elements that appealed more to me but on this one they transitioned into a brighter and kind of lush sound which again, I can see what they try to do with this but it ends up sounding flat and boring to me. Simply the formula for the songs of this album of mid tempo pretty songs with some nice accents and bored vocals really isn't exciting or something that I can appreciate in its own terms, it just sits there without much to catch my attention or worse sound like the worst indie cliches I've heard, even Bloodbuzz Ohio while good it bears reseamblance to a lot of boring indie that probably tried to replicate this song and failed, even the energy on it doesn't work because it just feels so restrained. It's just too stiff for its own good

Felt virtually indistinguishable from any other "alternative" indie rock band of the era.

Well made album. You need a special mood to get into it. Sorry - I'm not in this required mood.

Not my sort of thing, too much noise under the music. But not objectionable. 2

The National is a band that I really feel like I should like and I really want to like. But I just don't. I can't put my finger on why. I think all of their songs sound basically the same, and the one word I'd use to describe that sound is "plodding", which is not an adjective I generally would use in a positive sense.

This is very twilight riverdale 2010 core. It is kind of boring but not annoying either.

Dreadfully dreary.

very chill and laid back album - i didn't listen too intently, but it was very relaxed for the most part, or at least there weren't any massively jarring arrangements that i feel like i heard. maybe i didn't give it a fair listen.

Chill and nice sound. Very interesting how there’s an album like this that came out during my prime music listening time, (I guess now is my new prime listening time because of this list actually) that I’ve never heard of before. Not super memorable though. None of the melodies specifically gripped me and I couldn’t give you the tune of a single song. 2 Star.

As I was listening to this I was really wishing it was a rainy fall day because it seems like it would have created a perfect vibe for the album. Because of that, I think I wanted to like this album more than I actually did. Early on I thought I’d go with a four, but then I found myself losing interest. There’s rain in the forecast tomorrow, maybe I’ll see if my theory is correct. For now, I’ll round down from a two and a half.

Meh

Just not for me. Everything sounds the same.

Hey this ain’t horrible as far as indie bullshit goes. 2.09

A little boring, but there was some cool stuff in there. not entirely my cup of tea

Boring unfortch. The national is also in contention for Worst band name of all time sorry.

Absolutely boring.

So boring. Why is this repetitive music lead by a singer who sounds like he'd rather be somewhere else, on this list???

Torn. Parts I enjoyed and parts I didn’t. May have enjoyed it more on a different day.

The 5th album of a fairly middling indie band has no place on this list. No hits. No breakthroughs. Nothing special or unique here. Sonic dishwater. The soundtrack to a forgettable Zach Braff movie.

Gevoelige muziek voor als je goed wilt janken. Denk ik wel chill in de herfst als je je niet top voelt. Verder fok ik er niet echt mee

Is it just me or do The National make really boring music?

Not bad.

forgettable

I’m not sure if there is another band that has received as many attempts by me to appreciate them as this band. There is just something about them, this album being no exception, that does nothing for me and in a way that I find very irritating. It’s hard to describe. Everything about them is completely competent, but I find the constant melodrama to be very off putting. Do I hate this? I don’t know. I’m definitely don’t like it, though.

2.5 Everyone raves about these and I can see the appeal but I was BORED

Sad and boring - 2/5 Reviewed 20/08/2024

I've always found the national to be kind of dull, pretentious and certainly quite overrated. I don't think you could really call this "bad" but it's absolutely not for me

Nothing for me.

#298. I literally don't remember what this sounded like. I listened to this less than 24 hours ago and I've already forgotten it. I know it was hipster folk, which explains the forgettableness, but I don't remember hating any particular part of it either, so I guess it gets a meh out of ten. 2/5: meh

Boxer was good. This is just the same thing, generally artists need to grow, captivate. Just boring.

Just ok. Kind of bland and depressing.

Found this to be boring. A style of modern music that I just don’t enjoy that much, too slow. 2/5 Won’t listen again

Meh

Newest album so far I've had to listen to. I don't think I'm the right audience for this because the music just ended up sounding corny to me. From their end there was no lack of energy or passion, and the music fit well to the singing. It just didn't land for me in a way that I imagine the band originally would have liked.

Low violet

2+

The tone here is lowdown and somber but it's not a hallow wallow. There is substance and it's pretty good. The songs run into the next without much change so it feels like one long epic. Berninger is pining throughout the while album. His monotone voice drones on, he becomes a brain eating zombie, and eventually spirals into complete madness talking to birds. Failed relationships really got to the guy. The band is still on tour and I can't imagine the show being anything but depressing. Do they hand out a ix of tissues and a lighter at the ticket check? Not a bad album but got to be in a mood...2.4.

I respect The National as an artist. They make some decent music and continue to remain relevant. My only issue is that you need to be in a certain mood to listen to them. Their sound is so somber and glum that often times its just not what I want to listen to. That's not to take away from High Violet which is an OK album. It just doesn't resonate with me as something I want to spend time with. For that reason I have to mark it down. 2.12 stars

Never really got my attention. Kinda underwhelming

Just.. boring. I really couldn't get into this.

Pretty chilled stuff, but became fairly boring and monotone

Kind of boring. Like if Ian Curtis was still around and decided to join an early 2010's folkish band. Something like a further toned down Lumineers.

Fine, not really my vibe. Very moany indie dudeish. Conversation 16 was the best if I had to say

Soooo boring

Ok 2/5

Meh! It's aloof in this way that feels moderately depressing. And maybe melodramatic feeling. Only a tiny notch about 1 star.

Ok

Boring

This album made my dick softer than usual....

I see the appeal just not for me.

Blind album and artist. Honestly could've lived without this and been okay.

Não vejo algum nexo na tentativa de reviver ou homenagear o pós punk.

Vocals suck tbh with you, not a bad album, just boring

This artist had so much potential with the opening track, which had a vibe of ominous building-up prelude to (presumably) an earth-shattering intro. Annoyingly, though, every track was precisely like that: build-up and no payoff. The mumbled, indistinct vocal got old fast, and the low, atmospheric instrumental present in most tracks was good in isolation but tedious when listened to for 47 minutes straight. That being said, Terrible Love was a good opener, and could’ve easily been the legendary opener to an album that made some very different decisions. The second track, Sorrow, was also good. After that, only tracks with higher energy (usually dictated by the presence of louder percussion) were enjoyable - including Afraid of Everyone, Bloodbuzz Ohio, and Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks. 2/5

This was more of a solid album than not that had a majestic, easy-going feel to it. Some of the songs were hard to get into because they are slow paced and have the same sound and feel to them. I had to get used to the singer's voice as I found myself thinking there wasn't a lot of feeling put into it...but I also recognize this is a different style of music too. The drumming was superb on several tracks. I'd probably not return to this too much in the future. Favorite tracks: Terrible Love, Afraid of Everyone, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Conversation 16, England.

Kinds boring.

Not for me. Don't like the guys voice. Instrumentals are decent

Favourite Song: Terrible Love I knew Terrible Love already and had always liked it. The other songs can feel quite samey. An enjoyable album, but could be easily skipped if you weren't in the mood.

He mumbles terribly and they play the same 3 chords over and over. Lyrics are non-sensical.

Couldn't get into this. Very melancholy & turned into background noise very quickly.

snoozefest

# 145 : it's Ok, nothing pulls you in, no hits, Slow and steady and kind of a bit boring.

A couple songs are ok but overall do not like the dreary monotonous voice.

2/5 Not my type of rock.

World’s most boring album

Terrible singing pretentious and monotonous singing voice. Really poor lyricism which is driven by storytelling but of such a cliché topics.

The National is pretty hit or miss for me. When a song hits, it really hits. This album by them, for me, has just a bit more misses than hits.

Feels like walking through pea soup. I can understand the sentiment but the songs and structure of the album didn’t speak to me. The quality of the band is there though.

the droning tone of his voice starts to get to u after a while its meh

Dismal vocals ruin the whole album, otherwise the music is OK

Started out promising and then just completely stalled. Bland indie music.

Found it pretty boring. The live versions on deluxe edition were pretty good tho. Rating: 2.4

This might be a controversial statement, but the National are just a mediocre indie band. I’m not sure I can ever get behind a band with a vocalist as bland as Matt Berninger. It’s like listening to milk sing about the heartache of being a cow. It doesn’t click with me.

2.8

Generic melancholy 2/5

Too dreary and monotonous for me

It was a moody indie album that still felt too cool to actually be upfront with its feelings and used OK stories instead

Een slecht album kan ik dit niet noemen, het is gewoon echt mijn ding niet. Het is voor mij vaak gewoon gezaag, te "wenerig" en het ambetantste van al is dat ik zijn zangstijl echt niet kan hebben. Dat maakt het voor mij moeilijk een album ervan uit te luisteren. En die doo doo doo doo altijd in Lemonworld, wie vond dat een goed idee? Irritant man. De titel conversation 16 vat het wel goed samen: je telt gewoon de gesprekken, want het blijft maar duren. Twee sterren voor de muziek kunnen er nog af (als ik zijn stem weg denk).

Historically, when I came across a band signed to 4AD, I would anticipate that they'll be somehow avant-garde, emotionally expressive, and psychologically unsettling. It seems like after the 90's sometime the label veered off of that persuasion to draw in "indie" bands absent the challenging "artiness" including The National. In this record they sound soothing and morosely bland, and of the time in ~2010, it seems like they could break out into a "stomp, clap, shout" at any time. The songwriting and musicianship are inane and vacuous like corporate telephone hold music, and the singer sounds like his sleeping pills are kicking in.

Thought I would like their sound but it really got boring on me. Fairly samey.

bland. Could say it's the songwriting, which is dull. There's something else squashed about it. They sometimes try interesting stuff in the backing & yet it never makes the song sound any different. I remember friends being excited about this album. It only made me like their earlier stuff a lot less which was a real bummer at a time when I didn't have too many avenues to find music I liked. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

Not terrible or anything but I feel like between 2003 and 2013 I heard this same album six other times by six other bands.

"Sorrow" sounds like a song that would play in a TV show, when the main character is going through something big and there is a montage of them doing stuff with a sad face. Like Ted from How I Met Your Mother. Good track tho. Not much can be said about this album by me, it is calm and quiet but just not my particular style. And the lyrics are very repetitive.

Boring

Sounds like a shitter band version of bon iver

Sucks.

I don't know if this is a bad album or not, it just bored me too much to decide.

Not for me. Boring.

A mostly very middling album for mine, never scaling anthemic heights or delving into brooding depths. Petty but not acerbic, romantic but not passionate. Perfectly listenable. Two and a half. Fave track: Coversation 16

Not a fan of the style of singing in this. It is very subdued. The instrumentation is good I guess This is a high 2/5 or low 3

Unsure: I'm just not really sure whether I would like this album ever. It kinda felt like a really shit copy of every Coldplay song ever but at the time being different and also just boring. Personally I don't think it has aged very well sounding perfect to go into some early-10s tv montage and added to playlisted of middle aged parents trying to listen to "new" music.

I like when he sounds like Nick Cave, but man is this album boring. Nothing here bad, but this came in one ear and out the other, and you can easily place what time this was made in the history of music, and in that case it is not a good thing. It's just so wishy washy, none of the "intense" moments feel like they earned it, and I'm just left questioning why this album has so much praise. Especially with such deep lyrics as "I'd eat your brains, 'cause I'm evil, 'cause I'm evil." Not bad I guess, but I never wanna hear this again. I'm thinking a light two at the moment, but it may be a one by the time I rate it. Nah, it doesn't annoy me enough for a one star.

Bit too dreary for me

They give you this album for free if you’re 40 and divorced and white and male.

Did not like it

Okay but not my thing

Definitely wasn't expecting an album by this band on here. This was a surprise! I like The National, and I think the singer has a cool voice. Unfortunately I can sometimes find myself bored with his inflections and overall performances and this kind of permeates around all of their releases. He has this cool low timbre to his voice and I think that's great and attractive to the ears. BUT, lower timbre voices naturally sound like lower energy. It's why choruses tend to be in a higher register for singers; because the sound is more exciting and that's the hook moment. So he naturally has that sound and then doubles down on it by making SO many of his melodies be this ostinato one-note repetition over and over and it's like extra low energy. Maybe that's just his sound, and it's certainly a core element of The National's sound but I would love if he broke away from that more and had more register changes / contrasting dynamic changes. Great opener. I love how cacophonous all of the instruments are. Hard to tell exactly what's going on besides the voice and piano. Love the super compressed drums. Yea after listening full through, my initial preconceived gripes were prominent throughout the album. Just a weird balance of too many low energy vocals over the top of NOT low energy music. It's a 2/5 for me. I would have preferred "Trouble Will Find Me" to be on this list instead of this one. I dig that record.

Muutama hyvä biisi, mutta yleisesti aika masentavaa. Kakkonen on turhan julma, mutta minkäs teet tällä asteikolla.

Vähän tylsä. Potentiaalia oli herätellä isompiakin tunteita, mut jäi pliisuks

I like the National but the song do run together a bit.

Ethereal in a sense, but also too hum-hoo and forgetful. That BloodBooze Ohio song is an ear worm, though. As was the alternative version of Terrible Love

Not for me

This band has always bugged me. The vocals on this album are annoyingly louder than the instruments, forcing their importance and it's boring and tedious. All the songs sound the same.

Just so dull

I knew they were big, but I never paid The National much attention. Just listened to this album & really enjoyed Sorrow, Bloodbuzz Ohio & Conversation 16. Nothing’s offensive here, but nothing is too thrilling, either.

Lord help me, Arcade Fire yesterday, The National today.... major snoozefest. I completely lost interest in alternative music in 2000s. I had kids (who liked pop music), and a busy life, and I thought it was just that I was getting old and irrelevant that I wasn't particularly interested in a lot of the new alternative music coming out. I read enough to be aware of the bands that were getting critical acclaim (The National, Arcade Fire, Wilco, Neutral Milk Hotel, etc, etc), but I just thought I was getting old and just didn't get it. These days I am less inclined to blame myself. I really try with these records, but they are all so fucking dull! It's the emperor's new concept album, I swear. Even the singles are dull. How is it possible to write a song called "Bloodbuzz Ohio" that is this boring? It's literary and worthy, emotional and poetic and profound and tasteful and blah blah blah blah blah, I am so bored.

the national's high violet is a very middle of the road album in my mind. in some ways, it was an easy listen because it didn't hold my attention and wasn't a challenging listen. i say challenging to mean doing something different or unexpected. there was minimal excitement. the album was even and steady in tone, and not a terrible listen, but it had such a bland and disconnected vibe. as a result, it wasn't very memorable or interesting for me. it wasn't catchy. i did enjoy the lyrics from "anyone's ghost"--i thought it was clever!

High Violet is boring. 2.

Seem them live twice and while 99% of public is in awe I get utterly bored. Tried again but his voice doesn't grab my attention, while normally I am into sad songs and melancholy. Sorry, 2 stars,

Ok album but nothing special

This is really boring as hell. His voice is not bad though.

Honestly didn’t finish. I like the National one song at a time a full album is too much. Might revisit

Wat een verschrikkelijke zeur-plaat is dit weer....

Surpreso que The Nationals eh tao popular! Musica boa pra continuar deprimido, I guess