Album Rating: 5.0

Production is really one of the biggest issues though - not that it's poorly produced or mixed per se but rather that nothing seems to have any bite. I just listened to Boxer the other day and the difference between the organic, dry sound that has and the new one is striking.

Album Rating: 4.0

They've gone soupy or syrupy or both

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah seeing them in Detroit this year and I'm imagining them playing like 7 or 8 tracks from the new album and my god that would be dreadful.

Album Rating: 3.5

well um

you sure as hell are not in kansas

Album Rating: 5.0

You can expect one track from alligator and one track from boxer. Maybe two if they're feeling generous

Album Rating: 4.0

I saw them last summer and their setlist was great. tons of boxer-TWFM songs. would be a real bummer if they cut that many old songs for new ones

Album Rating: 4.0

Sadly they barely play songs from this album anymore

Album Rating: 5.0

I got mistaken for strangers and apartment story. I think they played something from this but I honestly don't even remember what it was

Album Rating: 5.0

There was a lot of high violet which i like significantly less than this and boxer

Album Rating: 4.0

Alligator songs I've never found as good live tbh - 'Mr November' maybe the exception.



Up against monsters like 'Bloodbuzz' or 'Swallow the Cap' etc etc they don't really stand up.

Album Rating: 4.0

Finished the new one, very tepid. Had enough decent songs for me to stick my flag in 3.0 territory, but man, these guys have fallen pretty far.

Album Rating: 5.0

I'm just bitter because I've never heard city middle or squalor Victoria live

Album Rating: 4.0

I was surprised they didn't call it quits after SWB - the band members were already finding fun stuff to do outside the band at that point, seemed logical.



They can still put on a show though, so I guess maybe they're just in that big touring band (Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, U2, REM) latter career auto pilot mode.



I'd say even the auto pilot is malfunctioning a bit here though.

Album Rating: 5.0

I read someone somewhere say the new one feels like an "excuse to tour" type of album - really doesn't feel like there's any particular narrative, concept, or passion driving this one which is not something I could say about any other Natty album. Kinda seems they felt they had to capitalize on Aaron Dessner's recent success/exposure - multiple songs feel like AD just copy and pasted some piano and guitar bits he had leftover from his TSwizzle/Big Red Machine stuff and just let Matt and the rest of the band ad lib around it then threw some floaty strings in for good measure.

Album Rating: 5.0

That's a good way of putting it. I read a write-up saying this is their first album that feels like the output of a legacy band and I can kind of see that. I'm hoping it doesn't stay that way because their album releases always felt so urgent.

Album Rating: 4.0

Does sound like that Boney.



Did see someone on RYM trying to argue this is their 'concept album' - it's their deep one.

Album Rating: 3.5

between the new National and new Beach House being two of the firmest duds of the yr, I am jumping this ship and hitting up the new Yune Pinku post-haste

there is a hope!

Album Rating: 5.0

If the concept is being burnt out then yes, it's a concept album.

Album Rating: 4.0

The new one getting full marks from the NME feels like a real brown paper envelope job.



That's saying this isn't just on a level with the best previous National albums but that it deserves to be in the shake up for 'best of the year' - ye gods!

Album Rating: 5.0

I'm not writing this album off after one listen, given The National's track record of even their weaker releases growing hard, but yeah, that take is just "yikes".



"Their finest album in a decade"-at least that leaves out their golden era, but still gonna dispute that.