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[leng jai]

Pretty much all of The National's albums are "growers". I mean they sound fine at the beginning, but they almost always get progressively better the more you listen to them.

 

[B33]

This album rules.

 

[Mogwai]

Any other iPhone owners who feels like their phone is ringing when you listen to I'll Still Destroy You?

That damn marimba of whatever it is.

 

[Icolin]

That moment in Empire Line when the piano comes in ;(

 

[Poimandres]

One of my favorites of theirs that I don't see pop up a lot is Daughters of the Soho Riots. I don't really like Alligator, but that and Secret Meeting are far and away that album's standouts for me.

Dude... Alligator is the best, this is coming from someone who only got into these guys around High Violet time. One of my favourite bands.

 

[Icolin]

Dude... Alligator is the best, this is coming from someone who only got into these guys around High Violet time. One of my favourite bands.

I'm torn between Boxer and Alligator as my favourite National album.

 

[bm1616]

Album was good on the first couple listens (granted it was at work and through earbuds). Gave it another couple listens and was finally able to get my vinyl this morning; damn you change of address. It's really starting to open up and sink it's teeth in me. Glad they decided to play around with their sound a little bit here.

Can't wait to see them live in a month.


Now I need to find time to give the new Alvvays album some more listens.

 

[jtb]

I love the album.

Guilty Party is easily my favorite song on the album

 

[Fancy Clown]

As usual the first listen I was like: pretty solid, nothing jumps out at me.

Then I play it again and hear all this shit I somehow missed my first time through: This is amazing.

So yup, another hit from The National. Gonna just spin this back and forth with American Dream which I'm still deep into and gotta really digest them both.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

the release surprised me, listening now. first song is pretty mellow

 

[Maridia]

It's almost a totally different album than the one I listened to Thursday night. There are so many gorgeous, terrible moments that have only just revealed themselves. Empire Line bored me a bit on first listen, but, now, I think it might be the best song on the album.

Except you can't really top I'll Still Destroy You or the title track...

 

[The Libertine]

I have come to the conclusion that this band really don't have any bad songs.

 

[Osahi]

Amazing album, like always. Still have to give it some extra listens to fully grasp it, but it doesn't dissapoint at all.

High Violet is still my favourite album from them, but it is crazy how hard it is to rank the others, as the quality is this constant.

 

[Lafiel]

This album is so great.

It's really something you have to listen to in it's entirely. The more I listen to the album the better it gets!

The National are just a fantastic band at nailing "mood". I don't know how they keep doing it.

 

[Niel]

Yeah Born to Beg has grown on me as predicted. Now I can't stop listening to it. These guys are incapable of making a bad song.

 

[Servbot24]

I like every single song on this album but it doesn't have any songs I'd rank among their very best.

1. Sleep Well Beast
Dark Side of the Gym
I'll Still Destroy You
Guilty Party
Day I Die
Born to Beg
Carin at the Liquor Store
Nobody Else Will Be There
Empire Line
Turtleneck
The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness
Walk It Back

 

[peppermints]

What's everyone's thoughts on Turtleneck? I could see it being a fun song live, but something seems off about it.

This definitely isn't grabbing me immediately.. but I remember being completely underwhelmed by High Violet and now it's one of my most listened to albums ever.

 

[Honome]

What a great album. No surprise since all The National albums are superb. Best album of the year so far, tied with A Deeper UUnderstanding by The War on Drugs.

 

[Lima]

Day I Die, Guilty Party and Born To Beg are definitely my favorites but no song is bad. I can listen to this from start to finish without skipping a song like with most of their albums. Great stuff.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

Only recently got into The National.

Hot damn I've been missing out, and just saw this new album dropped. Loving nearly all of it so far, which is rare because I'm pretty picky!

And Guilty Part is defiantly the standout track, when that rift at the end of the chorus moves in song goes to a whole other level

EDIT: Fuuuuuuuuck they are in Boston in like a month and it's all sold out

 

[Fancy Clown]

I like every single song on this album but it doesn't have any songs I'd rank among their very best

Yeah I agree with this. It's a very solid, low key, nocturnal album. Probably their "weakest" of their post Sad Songs albums though.

Also is it just me or does Turtleneck sound like a Pixies song?

 

[purg3]

Really enjoying this album. I would probably rank it 3rd right now in my personal list of their discography.

Also super pumped, I got tickets to their show here in Pittsburgh next month.

 

[LaneDS]

I like every single song on this album but it doesn't have any songs I'd rank among their very best.

1. Sleep Well Beast
Dark Side of the Gym
I'll Still Destroy You
Guilty Party
Day I Die
Born to Beg
Carin at the Liquor Store
Nobody Else Will Be There
Empire Line
Turtleneck
The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness
Walk It Back

Minus your ranking of the songs, I think I'm of a similar mind. Great album but the high points don't compare to their back catalog's highs.

 

[Blader]

Anyone watch the stream of the Ireland show tonight? I hope they someday release soundboard of that Green Gloves performance with Justin Vernon...that outro was something else.

 

[leng jai]

So now I've had listened to it a few times, in actually a little bit disappointed. It's still a very good, cohesive record. My issue is that there's no single song that really captivated me, it's like they are all 7 o 8/10s. The last two albums I would say there were 2 or 3 9/10 songs in each ibem

 

[Poimandres]

I dunno guys, I feel like Guilty Party, System, Empire Line are top tier National songs. Not best of the best, but in the top bracket. Maybe some more will wind up there after more listens. Anyway, no songs I find myself wanting to skip unlike High Violet and Trouble. I do agree there's nothing here as good as the best tracks off those albums though!

 

[Icolin]

Fantano gave it a 7/10: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=odQcHCsW2YA&feature=youtu.be

Pretty surprising as he's often said that he doesn't care for The National.

 

[LaneDS]

More than most albums in recent memory, I've picked up a lot of small touches with good headphones that I completely missed, say, listening in my car. It's a cool album for sure, not my favorite, but I'm getting more of it on subsequent listens.

 

[Icolin]

So my thoughts on this album are that it's really great, and has been in regular rotation since it released. No surprises there.

While there are uses of electronic elements here and there, it's definitely still very much a National album. The catchy lyrics, gorgeous guitar lines, rapid fire drumming, and instrumental swelling are here in full force.

Best track for me is probably I'll Still Destroy You. Everything else is really great though, except maybe Turtleneck. I'm just not really into it, which is odd given that I love The National's more energetic, rock your ass off songs. Maybe it'll grow on me once I see it in a live setting!

 

[Ashtrax]

After a few listens now, the album as a whole really grows on you. Ended up picking up the limited edition vinyl for the missus as she is a huge fan also.

Probably my favourite track is 'Dark Side of the Gym', it absolutely reminds me of 'Earth Angel' (I can't remember the artist, but it's the song that plays near the end of 'Back to the Future'). The only criticism I have of that song is that I wish that after the breakdown at the end, I could actually go for one more loop of the chorus.

The rest of the album is decent, like some have said, Turtleneck is probably the odd one out in comparison to the rest of it.

Also happy to say that I have secured my tickets for their tour in February!!! Playing at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne again which is so good. I was expecting they would tour with a feature festival, but lucky they have decided to skip that.

 

[LaneDS]

Turtleneck on first listen was my least favorite song from them in the Boxer onward era (I really don't like their first two albums much). It's a little more tolerable now but I still don't really dig it.

 

[Random Human]

I'm surprised "Turtleneck" is so divisive. That song totally fucks.

After a bunch of listens the album finally clicked for me and I'm liking it a lot. Most underrated part: how the title track somehow feels totally apocalyptic but uplifting. It's hard to describe but I love that ending.

 

[Mogwai]

I'm surprised "Turtleneck" is so divisive. That song totally fucks.

After a bunch of listens the album finally clicked for me and I'm liking it a lot. Most underrated part: how the title track somehow feels totally apocalyptic but uplifting. It's hard to describe but I love that ending.

The title track is rather special. I don't dislike it but I think I'll come to like it more over time.

 

[Not]

The title track is so Kid A (the song) I had to go listen to Kid A a lot after hearing it once

 

[Icolin]

I cosign the opinions on Sleep Well Beast (the title track). One of the National's most instrumentally interesting songs to date. The looped background vocals and steady beat create a dope groove.

On another note, I just saw The National's peformance at Centquatre, which happened around the time Sleep Well Beast was released and wow this album is gonna be great live.

 

[Random Human]

Here's a pretty good live performance of a bunch of songs from the album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TDk83RvooU

I don't think Matt knows all the lyrics yet

edit: Wait, I just realized this is the concert Icolin was talking about

 

[vatstep]

I saw them in Boston tonight, the first date of the North American tour. The setlist was pretty good (although I'm not sure if they're one of those bands that plays a different set every night) and the stage setup was really cool. Great show.

 

[Lima]

I saw them in Boston tonight, the first date of the North American tour. The setlist was pretty good (although I'm not sure if they're one of those bands that plays a different set every night) and the stage setup was really cool. Great show.

Which songs did they play from the new album?

 

[faint.]

I saw them in Boston tonight, the first date of the North American tour. The setlist was pretty good (although I'm not sure if they're one of those bands that plays a different set every night) and the stage setup was really cool. Great show.

I wanted to go so bad but had plans in place by the time I saw they were playing here. Glad you enjoyed the show.

 

[Blader]

Great show last night. I'm glad they did Lemonworld, that's one of my favorites. Though he did fuck up the chorus twice, haha.

I can't tell which Dessner is which, but whoever was on the left can really shred

Which songs did they play from the new album?

Most of them. The only ones they didn't do were Sleep Well Beast, I'll Still Destroy You, and Born to Beg.

 

[SamVimes]

This album is probably going to end up in my top 3 of the year, though Turtleneck feels like a not as good Nick Cave song.

 

[Icolin]

Great show last night. I'm glad they did Lemonworld, that's one of my favorites. Though he did fuck up the chorus twice, haha.

I can't tell which Dessner is which, but whoever was on the left can really shred



Most of them. The only ones they didn't do were Sleep Well Beast, I'll Still Destroy You, and Born to Beg.

Hope he does Lemonworld in Vancouver. That's also one of my favourite songs by The National, if not my single most favourite.

 

[Blader]

Also, the opener last night was *great*! I had never heard of Adia Victoria before but I really dug the performance, and listening to her stuff on Spotify now it's all really up my alley.

 

[purg3]

Any gaffers going to the Pittsburgh show tonight?

 

[Doc Holliday]

Saw them in Forest Hill Queens last night. They were great as always. Moment of the night....

Matt tells a story about how Donald Trump stole Joey Ramone’s girl and proceeds to perform a great cover of The KKK took my Girlfriend Away lol

 

[purg3]

god damn what a good show. Matt went all through the crowd singing Mr November, shit was crazy hype. Loved it.

 

[Forward]

Need more time with it.

But I think that the only thing that keeps Trouble Will Find Me from being my favorite The National album is Boxer having Apartment Story winning the spot for it for free.

 

[Icolin]

Sleep Well Beast (the track) has really grown on me.