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mr. mayonaise
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These songs are great, though Kanye trying to turn around and stunt on some anti-capitalist “I’m not for sale” shit is a little hilarious.
I love 90s alt-rock (as my avatar suggests) but this isn’t really doing it for me the way Static Tensions and Spiral Shadow did. Those two albums were ferocious and unpredictable, there is just nothing else quite like them. By comparison, this one sounds a bit predictable. Maybe it needs a few more spins to open up.
Funny, “Slipped” is currently one of my least favorite songs on the album, but I can already feel it growing on me. At first, I was indifferent towards “Hard to Find” and now I love it. The back half of this album is just phenomenal (not that the front half isn’t good too but damn I Need My Girl through the end is just wow)
Hmmm, I would say
1. Boxer
2. Trouble Will Find Me
3. Alligator
4. High Violet
5. Sad Songs
6. The National
Funny, our ranking is the same aside from this new album. It took a few listens to really sink in (like it always does with The National) but after listening to it all weekend, it outshines Alligator and High Violet for me.
I cannot agree with England as an example of a song that is not The National’s strong suit. That song is amazing, one of the best on High Violet IMO. But I agree with your comment overall, this album seems to have more depth to dig into than HV.
I think Graceless is anthemic, and Humiliation is somewhat anthemic too. But yeah, there are definitely more of the somber slow-burners this time around.
There seems like a lot more personal relationship baggage this time around. A lot more really fucking depressing lyrics like “If you lose me, I’m gonna die”, “Baby, you gave me pain and tears”, “I won’t need any help to be lonely when you leave me”, “You said it would be painless, it wasn’t that at all”, “Now I know how dying feels” and so on. Shit is just bleak from start to finish.
I like it, but if their previous albums were self-deprecating and melancholy, this shit is downright MOROSE. The songs are all catchy and/or pretty but I’m seriously starting to get worried about Matt.
Damn, even for The National this is a dark and broody album.
I guess this is just one of those times when I don’t really get the hype. To me, this sounds like a less exciting version of The Gossip. For example, I listened to “Shut Up” and it was catchy enough, but it immediately made me want to listen to “Standing in the Way of Control”, a similar-sounding song dialed up to 11.
Stylistically, this is right up my alley, and I really want to like it, but… I dunno, the songs just kinda chug along without really going anywhere. “Love Under Will” is pretty good, though.
If the members of NMH need to make some extra money, I’d much rather they reunite for a few shows than license their music to an Audi commercial. What’s the problem here?
I kinda want to agree with you, and I kinda don’t. MBV was great, but it was no Loveless. Daft Punk remains to be seen, but that first single was pretty boring. Futurama came back and it just wasn’t the same.
On the other hand, bands like Dinosaur Jr and Portishead came back with great albums that stood up to their earlier work. Also The Knife wasn’t really my thing, but people seemed to love it.
So I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule about comebacks. Some can pull it off, some can’t.
Damn, this is real sad. Around the Fur and White Pony are both gems. Deftones and System of a Down are the only two “nu metal” bands that ever did anything interesting, with Deftones being the better of the two.
I may have to give it a few more spins before I come to a conclusion, but right now I gotta disagree. It’s more cohesive and less scatterbrained than Kiss Each Other Clean, but none of it is really very memorable. I just don’t think the smokey, jazzy lounge thing is I&W’s strong suit.
To me, I&W has always been about beautiful lyricism and a sense of personal intimacy, and I’m just not getting that with this one.
Does he say “If you want to see me cry, play Let it Be or Nevermind”?
This is a lot better than Demons, which I liked but wasn’t enamoured with. The whole second half of this song is just phenomenal.
Agreed, I think it’s obvious from everyone’s lists that this is a band with a LOT of great songs and anyone who is really pissed off about Stereogum’s list should look at how different and diverse the alternative lists are. There is no right answer here. The National affect a lot of people deeply, but also very personally.
Forever After Days off of the Virginia EP is a really great song too, not sure if it’s top 10 material but if anyone out there hasn’t listened to the EP, I would at least check out that song.
10. Exile Vilify
09. So Far Around the Bend
08. All the Wine
07. The Geese of Beverly Road
06. Bloodbuzz Ohio
05. England
04. Anyone’s Ghost
03. Apartment Story
02. Brainy
01. Fake Empire
That’s just me, though. No love for “Anyone’s Ghost” from anyone else? I think it’s easily the best song on High Violet, with England being a close second.
I don’t see the Elliott Smith comparison at all. If anything, Kurt reminds me of Nick Drake.
I saw Kurt play a free show at NYU with Owen a few weeks back. It was a totally rad set (even though the audience was full of NYU students) though I can see how he might not fit in with Fucked Up and Zola Jesus.
This album is dope.
are you saying Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm is not a great song?
Her “typical political shortcomings” cost thousands of people their lives. Basic human dignity? She didn’t have any, so why should anyone have any towards her?
Probably because it samples Marilyn Manson’s “The Beautiful People” which was produced by Trent Reznor.