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LP Giveaway: Boxer, Alligator and High Violet →
STREET DATE: 05.11.10 | EMUSIC | INSOUND (LP+T-SHIRT) | AMAZON | ITUNES
RATE HIGH VIOLET:
[STARRATER]
The National are grown-ups. They sing about having children, about the ups and downs of middle-aged life. It’s indie rock for your parents. Blah blah blah, serious old people music, blah blah blah.
If I read one more damn review that talks about how The National is dad rock, I’m going to be sick. For some reason, music pundits have decided that The National are too nuanced for the at-risk youth. These kids with their drugs and their Facebook and their Sleigh Bells, these kids won’t get this band. Forget. That. Noise. This isn’t mature music for people with humdrum lives. This is fascinating music for people with real lives, long and short.
Somewhere along the line we forgot about this type of music – we forgot that sad music can be weirdly uplifting. It’s rare to find intelligent and intelligible lyrics these days without first rooting through layers of gauzy haze, and you’re more likely to find a watering can on a record than a clarinet. The National are here to remind us how multi-faceted and absolutely stunning this rock and roll of ours can be.
High Violet is a synthesis of The National’s career to date, their best album in a run of stellar albums. Throughout the record, swelling and orchestral instrumentation supports Matt Berninger’s trademark baritone with clarity and profundity. The songs are beautiful. They are well written and well executed, perfectly polished to avoid overproduction but still carrying themselves with poise and professionalism.
Success wasn’t guaranteed; this band treads on thin ice. In another artist’s hands The National’s songs could easily tip toward stunning mediocrity. They don’t have sex appeal. They aren’t songs to play at parties. They don’t contain embedded clues for listeners – the tempos and production techniques used by other artists to construct false energy or emotion are missing here. Instead of laying it all on the surface, The National put faith in their talents and their audience, a gamble that is handsomely rewarded. These are meticulously crafted studies in nuance and subtlety. The melodies are lush, layered, and exquisite. Dark though their themes may be, these tunes are gorgeous.
“Afraid of Everyone,” “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” and “Lemonworld” make up the heart and soul of an album not lacking in either. It’s a simply awesome trio. At track five, “Afraid of Everyone” is a well-placed orchestral lament, an ode to the confusion of the world. Following it is “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” the song that perhaps best showcases Berninger’s pipes, describing the thrill of being surrounded by family with a swelling feeling that fills my chest as I listen to it. Following that high, on “Lemonworld,” the New York natives find a bit of meaning – or is it emptiness? – in the countryside. It’s an emotionally rich run that I could listen to over and over and over again. Such is the depth of these songs.
The song titles of High Violet suggest a bleak existence, a world full of evil and malice. “Terrible Love” and “Little Faith.” “Afraid of Everyone” and “Runaway.” In the lyrics, Berninger hints at an apathy toward life, detachment described in lines like, “Living or dying in New York it means nothing to me.” In reality, though, this album proves the opposite – that there is beauty to be found even in the darkest times of our lives. These guys are sensitive, almost to a fault; are we supposed to believe that they really don’t care?
The National care about capturing life without its sugar-coated shell. They care about making music that is best enjoyed fully and slowly. They care about crafting complete songs that make complete albums that deserve second and fifth and tenth listens. After that many spins I still haven’t gotten a handle on all the minutiae that make High Violet special, but I do know this: Everyone keeps saying that this is a sad album. It’s not. It’s an honest album, a real album. And it’s breathtaking.
88 /100
88 — Outstanding. First-class piece of work in its given genre. This particular artist’s best work to-date. [Rating Scale]
LP Giveaway
To enter to win a copy of the National’s Boxer, Alligator and High Violet on vinyl (or CD), leave a comment with your thoughts on High Violet, rate the album and “like” PMA’s Facebook Page. A winner will be picked at random on May 21st. Stream High Violet at NPR.
DOWNLOAD: “Bloodbuzz Ohio” and “Afraid of Everyone”
WATCH: “Bloodbuzz Ohio”
by on May 13, 2010 ‡ 16 reactions
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{ 44 comments… read them below or add one }
srsly wanting this lp.
Also I agree for the most part – I think The National’s old-timey baritone make their songs border on grandfather rock, and I guess combined with middle aged life stories ground it to that dad-rock style. I dont know, I’m 19 and fucking love it.
Wish you mentioned Conversation 16 — can’t say why exactly, but it is one of the stand out tracks in my opinion.
I agree with it all, I might love Boxer a bit more still but this one is just as great: “Coversation 16″ is ridiculously romantic, “Anyone’s Ghost” is a perfect pop song, “Sorrow” is an anthem… but since their music doesn’t really fall in those categories is just GOOD, moving, interesting, beautiful
It’s a great album, one that most other bands could live their entire lives without writing one as good, but to me it still falls short of Boxer.
Boxer for me was their highlight, the song structure and lyricism were and still are unmatched (maybe only matched by Frightened Rabbit’s honest and witty lyrics), it’s something I can listen to time and again.
With High Violet I’ve listened to it about six or seven times now and whilst it’s definitely grown on me, it still lacks something, something’s missing that Boxer has.
Still….definitely one of the best of the year so far.
I’ve been listening to The National for years, and Alligator’s long been my favorite, with their White Sessions recording shortly behind. The latter basically features the best of Boxer plus a few B-sides that should have made it, along with the best recorded rendition of “About Today” to date. I was skeptical that High Violet could approach those same spheres, but this album is absolutely captivating, is unquestionably better than Boxer, and may end up edging out Alligator. The more you listen, the more it sinks into you, and the more you realize this album simply doesn’t have a single weakness. There will be no better album this year.
I haven’t listened to the album in its entirety but from what I’ve heard I’d say it rings in at a very solid 89/100. As a part of the facebook / hipster bull shit generation bands like The National stick out to me for their realness, their rawness. Seeing them last summer was a great experience, I was thrilled for this album and their ability to deliver something fresh proves that they’re not dad rock – The National is a relevant band & they prove that time & time again.
exactly. isn’t it a really horrible stereotype that youth is about drugs, unplanned pregnancies and the bloody beetroots?
the adult-rock thing just doesn’t work, i mean it’s totally not coldplay or something. this is one of the most beautiful albums of the year and i would’ve thought so if i was 16.
Definitely loving it so far! Great review…when I get paid I hope to buy it along with the new Band of Horses!
Good, but nothing, no thing beats Fake Empire.
yeah i dont know if this is their best album, but i like it a lot.
hope i win the lps!
I was completely blown away by how great this album is. A big step towards a more mainstream appeal…94/100.
I CANNOT rate it, because I haven’t listened yet, but now I think I would really like to.
Giveaway *cough cough*
Thanks for the review.
Wow what a sick giveaway, 3 incredible LPs by such an amazing band.
Anyway, obviously from that statement you can already tell I’m a fan. I liked Boxer and Alligator but never held them in such “masterpiece” worth regard as some, although I did, and still do recognize them as superb albums. High Violet is what pushed me over the edge with The National. Their sound is perfected, the songs are insanely well orchestrated and it is impossible to argue there is a more consistent band in indie right now. “Anyone’s Ghost”, “Bloodbuzz Ohio” and “Lemonworld” push the border between pop and rock perfectly, the vocal hooks are intelligent yet catchy.
Calling The National “dad-rock” is very unfair to the band. Just because they play heart-felt intelligent music does not mean they should be pidgin holed into an “adults-only” club. There is something for everyone to relate to in The National’s lyrics.
The best part of The National’s albums, at least for me, is they take a while to really sink in. High Violet is just starting to get under my skin after many many listens and I foresee it growing even more in the future. At this point The National can really do no wrong.
i love the thought of ‘afraid of everyone’, ‘bloodbuzz ohio’ and especially ‘lemonworld’ as the album’s heart and soul. i really can’t get enough of that song. i wouldn’t say the national have managed to make an even better album than boxer but it certainly is just as good. i feel like they have taken an even more confident approach this time. instead of starting of with the album’s most salient track, like they did on boxer with ‘fake empire’, they start of with the slowly developing ‘terrible love’, which sends shivers down your spine and then take the same gradual approach for the entire album. i love it when track orders make sense!
i’d also love to like your facebook page and i’ve tried to do so for quite some time. it’s always telling me that “this public profile is not visible.” searching for pretty much amazing on facebook, i also can’t find you! please fix this! please let me like you!
That’s strange abcpony,
The settings on the PMA Fan Page on facebook is set to be accessible to everyone. I have no idea what the issue might be. :/
I thought this was an incredible album, and I thank the national for creating such a beautiful work of art. It’s rather sad lyrics, and soaring melodies are perfect for contemplating on a rainy afternoon. By the way, I love the album cover, definitely my favorite of theirs so far. Musically, I think it’s a tie with boxer, the songs are amazing and it’s my favorite new album of 2010, but no one song on High Violet can top Fake Empire. Go and buy it, totally worth the money!
This album needs multiple listens to get the full effect. I didn’t hit me immediately like Alligator or Boxer, but after giving it a few runs, I can say in all confidence that this deserves to be up at the top with the two previously mentioned album. Lyrically and musically, this album never fails to impress.
And it has Sufjan Stevens, so you HAVE to buy it.
Favorite songs:Anyone’s Ghost, Afraid of Everyone, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Conversation 16
Either The National have outgrown me or I have outgrown The National. I think this album is absolutely gorgeous. It is musically perfect. But it carries no emotional resonance to me. For the first time, Matt’s vocals no longer relay an authentic pathos. Instead, his broken sadness and gloom just make me roll my eyes.
I’ve come to accept that this is my own failing. It really is a gorgeous record. It just doesn’t break my heart the way I would expect from a National record.
I’m a newcomer to The National, but since I discovered High Violet, I’ve streamed it about six times from NPR and made a point to listen to Alligator and Boxer. I think “lush” is the perfect descriptor for this album– it’s definitely the reason I’m hooked on The National now.
I have not been listening to The National for a long time. But I thank the Best of the 00′s podcasts for introducing me to “slow show”. Since then I can’t get enough of their music. I am not sure what it is about this album, but I find it weirdly uplifting. Not sure why, but I do. I would say that this is my favourite album of the year, and considering the big albums that have been released in May alone, I guess that is saying something.
I would easily give it a 10/10. It may not be perfect but to me I wouldn’t change a thing about it.
Ah, a new national. This is album is fantastic. It takes a little time, but after a bit Bloodbuzz ohio has that same awesome stutter-step-yet-rythmic feel as Squalor Victoria, a feel found nowhere else. I’m seeing them this June, and I’m really psyched.
I have been completely obsessed with this album since the NY Times started streaming it a few weeks ago. I think it is their masterwork.
Best album I have heard since OK Computer. Easily 10/10. There is not one track that is skippable-I just want each one to keep going indefinitely. May be presumptuous-but it will definitely be a contender for album of the next decade for me.
“These kids with their drugs and their Facebook and their Sleigh Bells, these kids won’t get this band.”
hhahaha. I posted a review of this album on my music blog.
http://musicinducedeuphoria.blogspot.com/2010/05/record-review-national-high-violet.html
“Bloodbuzz Ohio” speaks to my SOUL, no joke. I’ve lived in Ohio all my life but I’m preparing to leave by the year’s end. As life changes and people move on, I’ve realized there’s nothing keeping me here. That song (and alot of the new album, really) reminds me of the Gertrude Stein quote, “There’s no there there,” as in home as we knew it in our youth changes and won’t go back to the way we remember it. We have to look forward and make a life of what we have, not what we had, even though what we had seems so much better.
All three National albums are superb. Everyone’s going to have a favorite but there isn’t one that’s going to be proclaimed by most to be “the best National album,” so comparisons are meaningless. Part of what makes them great is that they’re so consistent, which is perhaps part of that whole “grown-up” shtick.
Really liking “Afraid of Everyone” lots of emotion flowing from that track, along with the others, obviously!
I still love Boxer a bit more, but maybe it will grow on me…dad rock? crap, I must be the lamest 17 yr old in Australia
I really enjoy the album, but I find that it just isn’t Boxer. The songs just aren’t as catchy as before, but it is still an amazing album, and I can’t wait to catch them at Bonnaroo.
I’m loving “afraid of everyone” and “england. At the same, this album can’t top boxer which holds a special place for me
Conversation 16 is definitely a standout for me, thought it’s really hard to chose. I can say, however, that Runaway is probably my least favorite track so far.
in my mind boxer is still the best national ablum, but this is quite a work of art. must say England is the greatest track and may just be the best national track ive ever heard.
Terrific review. I was hesitant towards buying this album. However, after only one listen it is simply amazing. Whereas Boxer was dark and slightly minimal, High Violet is grand and orchestrated without being over the top. You can almost feel this band’s talent. Highly recommended
I have loved the National for years and they have aways been able to make me laugh, make me cry, and make me stand still in awe of what the world can be. They have always had this sense about them that no other band gives – one of raw honesty, whether happy or sad, and it absolutely blows me away. Many people have said they don’t like this album because its not like the others – they think the band has lost their edge. But it is the exact opposite. Those who are a true fan of the national can see that they have slowly disected the things that society tell us are songs and they have found the heart to what music is all about. This album gets better every time I listen to it. The lyrics stop me in my tracks and give me stomach aches because they are so good. I fall asleep to Matt Berninger’s voice, I wake up to the beautiful melodies, and I go through the day thinking about the lyrics, waiting to get home and listen to it some more. This review makes me feel better about all the other ones that truly don’t understand what the National represent. The only thing I would have added is “Conversation 16″ and “Terrible Love” are also great.
“high violet” is a solid 7/10 for me. The Boxer is still tops in my mind. I love Afraid Of Everyone.
The national is my favourite band at the moment. Can’t stop listening boxer and high violet. I fell in love with slow show, the song is so great and the lyrics are beautiful. I wish they were more popular here in Uruguay.
This album is amazing. I loved alligator when it came out and was impressed with boxer. If only I can get my friends into the national…
I like High Violet a lot, though it’s REALLY hard to top Boxer (IMO). Maybe a couple more listens through. And yes, my favorite thing about The National, other than Matt’s haunting baritone, is that their music is depressing though “weirdly uplifting”…hit the nail on the head.
Hmmm I can’t seem to access the facebook page for PMA, it keeps taking me back to my FB homepage whenever I click the link. But I rated it and wanna enter anyways.
Great album, Bloodbuzz Ohio was the only song that stuck out for me at first but some of the other ones (especially England) are more subtle. It’s a grower like all National albums. It doesn’t have as many songs that could make great singles like Mistaken For Strangers, Apartment Story, or Mr. November, but it’s their most consistent album. I was never a fan of the low baritone voice until I heard Matt Bersinger sing. One of the good things about The National’s lyrics are that they’re a bit ambiguous, they manage to keep that here in this album which is a good thing. “It takes an ocean not to break”….great lyrics that you can interpret in any way that you want.
fc_sportfreundeAThotmailDOTcom
Not much love for Runnaway? It’s my favourite track
Vanderlyle is gorgeous!
Definitely The National best album to date and one of my top 10 of 2010.
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