High Violet

Very nice and cozy.

3.5

I listened to this one a bunch when it was new. It pairs perfectly with a grey and rainy Pacific Northwest winter. One of my favorites.

I had only heard of The National before this point. I was glad that they didn't sound like the Black Keys or Dirty Projectors, but none of the songs really excited me much. Very plain. 2.5/5 -> 3/5

Bland

I know about the National cause Aaron Dessner worked with Taylor Swift during her indie-folk era, but this is the first time I've listened to his band. I realize this kind of music is not for me. I don't hear a lot of melodies, hooks and chord changes, so it's not personally captivating. It's as if the music is just settling, like soda after the fizzle. (2.5-3)

Why are the on the list again?

This kind of feels like the last moment of The National's career where they still seemed like they could have been remembered as a really interesting band. After this, it feels like too much of their early identity had been lost, and even on the last few songs here, it kind of felt like they were running out of steam a little. But for the first approximately 3/4ths of this album, there is some pretty cool stuff. High Violet has a couple of things to keep it feeling above most indie rock. It has cool vocals, it has a baroque atmosphere. But, in my opinion, this album is set apart from the pack mostly by it's lyrics and percussion. The lyrics are kind of doing a very poetic thing in a way that conjures up the Midwestern United States through imagery that almost verges on magical realism. My favorite lyrics here are probably on Bloodbuzz Ohio. And the percussion here is, compared to the rest of the band, extremely high energy. The chaos of these drums really adds an exciting through-line to the album and makes (especially the first half of) High Violet pretty exciting. The songcraft here is also pretty high in general. All in all, High Violet is an interesting flash from a band that I think had the potential to be a lot more. But it still exists as a cool moment in modern music history.

Bloodbuzz Ohio was used in a commercial on Current TV like 15 years ago. Seems I'll always keep that association.

need to give this one another listen

Here’s where I stand with the National: they’re a decent band with an excellent drummer. Seriously, listen to how the drums drive every single song! Without them, or with something more subdued, this album would be an absolute snooze fest. I like their sound — it sets a mood, feels like an overcast day — but I’m never quite able to love them.

Back in 2008, I bought tickets to see R.E.M., Modest Mouse, and the National. I was mainly interested in Modest Mouse, but I knew a couple R.E.M. and National songs, so I was fairly excited for all three. It turns out the National were by far the best band on stage that night, which ignited an obsession that lasted a few years.

High Violet isn’t my favourite National album, but it is up near the top. Probably top 3 at least. And it has some of my favourite National songs on it like Lemonworld and Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks. I still think Alligator or Boxer would have been a better pick for this list.

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.

I really really can’t stand the National; pretentious morbidity, want-to-be dark poets. Godawful.

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.

Ah, the 3rd best National album. Why not. This list should only have Boxer on it.

I kind of go back and forth on The National. Berninger has an excellent baritone voice, but sometimes it doesn't sit 100% right with me; it's almost too good. Overall, I like this though; it's at least a strong three, and there are days I'd give it a four.

The National stand for everything that was wrong w/ Brooklyn in the 2010s, a hipsterism that's hopefully on its way to obsoletion, but I'm not going to insincerely denounce the band that got me listening to genres I wouldn't've dared appreciate before. I understand that they don't exactly make rich or very exciting music, but it's not pretentious, it's honest enuf, and it exhibits an authentic beauty I'd like to swim in. Berninger's baritone is a rare thing and his lyricism, tho imperfect, has its moments of provocation + identity: 'Don't leave my hyper heart alone on the water / Cover me in rag and bone sympathy'; 'Awesome prince, get your sleep / Lose your heart in history.' We don't need any more bands like them in the world, but they've a place.

Monotonous. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.

Wollte 2 Sterne geben, weil durchschnittliche Indie Musik, aber "Bloodlust Ohio" fand ich einen richtig coolen Song.