Boxer

Listening to this morose motherfucker on what was meant to be a cheering spring morning walk was absolutely a mistake. Reading (with increasing bafflement) all the glowing reviews, I see that another The National album made it to the main list, which I had apparently blotted out of my memory. Re-reading my review of High Violet, I can say that this album is better than that one - at least this one doesn't have the overworked grandiosity of High Violet - but don't mistake that faint praise for me liking this album, because I absolutely do not. It's like Death Cab For Cutie without the charm, optimism or likeability.