Album Rating: 2.5

seeing the national next week i'm too scared to listen to this in case the setlist is like 90% this and 2 pages

interesting that if anything this sounds like a sequel to TWFM; they missed the memo about the logical progression being this followed by two solipsistic clunkers (one of which I really like!) with SWB as the recherche comeback to challenge notions of tedium and general rote. bizarre progression. i love it

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

I'm not convinced a single song here would warrant inclusion on TWFM though, that's where things fall down ('Smoke Detector' is exempt from this criticism because that doesn't sound anything like TWFM).



My least favourite on TWFM is probably 'I Need My Girl' (maybe 'Heavenfaced' if not) but honestly if that was here it'd be one of if not the very best song (other than 'Smoke Detector')

Album Rating: 4.0

---this does not read like a 4/5 album---

---averages out to a 3.54 lol---



Yeah I'm aware, I don't base my ratings off the tracklist average. Sometimes an album gives you good vibes and other times there's just no connection there, and that in itself is at minimum worth a +/- 0.5 of personal discretion leeway.



The more I listen to this the more it grows, which is a classic National trait (and one that was missing from the overly sleek and immediate IAETF, and let's not even bring up Frankenstein if possible) so I think I might be on board with the 4 to stay even though I originally figured this would wane to a 3.5 after the novelty wore off. We'll see in a month or two either way.



I do genuinely believe this is their best album since SWB, even if it's a whole tier below that one, which I personally have 5'd and believe to be top 3 National.

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah this is definitely setting some hooks in, I’m still convinced that there are 2-3 skips (Coat into Tour is a rough duo) but I really love at least 5 tracks and several others are growing.

Album Rating: 3.5

first five tracks, space invaders, hornets, and smoke detector is where its at. shoehorn tropic morning news somewhere in there and i think this prob a top 25ish aoty



that stretch of coat, tour manager, and crumble is kinda rough

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

It is with great displeasure that I have to announce this won't make my top 250 albums of the year



At least it won't be in the bottom 50 with 'Franky Two Pages'

Album Rating: 2.8

no combination of songs from the last 2 national records comes anywhere close to top 25 territory lol

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

my combo playlist of the last three albums would make a top 100 for any of the last three years..that's as high as we're going.



And by top 100 we're talking the bottom half of a top 100.

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

'no combination of songs from the last 2 national records comes anywhere close to top 25 territory lol'



What about a 'Ye' style 23 minute runtime made up of 'Smoke Detector' at 16 speed?

Album Rating: 2.8

from sad dada to gym rat dads - I feel it

Album Rating: 3.8

Marvelous review, Johnny! I'm toying with the idea of writing an at least broadly positive counterpoint review myself, but if I do I feel confident the writing itself will be thoroughly out-shined.

Album Rating: 3.5

do it sunny



nu-national fans... we exist!

Album Rating: 4.0

I must be the only one who enjoys Coat on a Hook

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

are you the opposite of an open book?



I mean Matt could at least have told us what the opposite of a coat on a hook is

Album Rating: 2.0

good album for those who enjoy the sound of paint drying



smoke detector is cool though

i wish they'd fuck off with all the features god damn

Album Rating: 4.0

I think they refuse to abandon the features because on streaming services the songs show up on the guest artist's pages as well and lead to additional revenue. When those other artists are Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers, and Bon Iver, that's a lot of extra plays.

Album Rating: 3.8

Yeah, I was on The National's band page on Spotify the other day and noticed that The Alcott, of all songs, was their second most played tune.



Made me cringe so hard, like the hipster I guess I am.

Album Rating: 4.0

Not to mention “Coney Island” is listed at number 1. It is interesting how streaming has changed the presentation of features like that. For example if a song like “This Is the Last Time” came out today they’d definitely have billed it as featuring Sharon van Etten, but before streaming when you couldn’t like double bill artists on a song there was less incentive to do that. I wonder how it affects royalties.