Album Rating: 3.5

So is the consensus watch the short film before you listen to the record? Or vice versa?

Watch the short film first

Album Rating: 4.5

Well Where is Her Head is just incredible.

that, quiet light and rylan were the standouts for me

Those 3 plus T/T and Dust Swirls for me
I cannot state enough how PERFECT Rylan is

Album Rating: 4.5

Thankfully, Hairpin Turns is the worse song on the album. So Far, So Fast and T/T are other standouts besides Rylan

Light Years such a perfect and devastating closer

Album Rating: 4.5

Not sure about the choir that opens Dust Swirls, but everything after in the song is great

Album Rating: 4.0

If we skip Her Father In The Pool and Underwater, You Had Your Soul With You is easily the most subpar song on this record, but then Gail Ann Dorsey and that motherfucking string quartet swoop in from the heavens and take your heart out.

Short film was absolutely gorgeous. Cant wait to listen to the new album.

Album Rating: 4.5

Just watched the short film.



Hated every second!



Seems like they’ve gone ‘posi vibes’ - an about turn similar to Anathema in terms of jaw dropping scale.



A happy daytime sentimental movie National with prominent female vocals is the last thing I personally wanted. If the album all sounds like the short film which I also found cloying with a naff aesthetic then it’s getting a 1

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

I think I know your taste well enough Doof to be quite certain that this will cap at a 2 for you at most.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Where Is Her Head is practically a full blown pop song and I flippin love it. Album is steadily growing on me.

Album Rating: 3.3

"happy daytime sentimental movie"



...even for your standards (the bar is truly on the floor here too) that is a wilful misreading of the text lmao

Let's talk about scale-that's an astoundingly surface-level, old-man-cynical boomer take lmao
Like Doof we're friends but jesus

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

I’m over it, it’s clear Doof wants to hate the new National stuff. Not gonna let it upset me at this point.

Album Rating: 4.5

Even the drumming clips sound bad



How can National *drumming* sound bad?



Well they've done it.



Why are cheesy female vox drowning out Matt every other song?



Every strength of the band has been jettisoned. Noble? Yes. Am i happy the band have found a new musical muse? Yes.



Does it sound awful to my ears? 100%

Album Rating: 4.5

In 25 minutes of clips of tracks and the three singles I haven't found a single worthy Matt melody OR lyric.



SWB had a bit of that slide but now it seems he's gone Mark Kozelek minus the personality and in-jokes. Can I have a melody and turn of phrase Matt cheers.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

There are a couple of songs where it's all female vox with Matt quietly in the background. You're probably gonna hate it. As for me, well, I think it's on par with this. Doesn't surpass anything from Boxer to Trouble, at least not on first listens. Not In Kansas is one of the weakest Natty tracks in years but the rest is sublime.

Album Rating: 4.5

I haven’t heard a note of anything sublime but cool.



The critics love it, I think it’ll be very Sput, Sowing will 5 it - it sounds Sowing-core and I don’t really mean that as a slight, that’s fine. The band aren’t just singing for me after all.



Favourite bands, if they hand around long enough, tend to move in directions I don’t like as much from time to time. The problem here is unlike SWB which had 3 or 4 songs I didn’t particularly like all that much but I enjoyed the overall approach here I hate the style.



Like I said even the drums aren’t drawing me in and with The National that’s my red flag.



I might review it - dust down the 0.5 (I jest, I jest...)