Album Rating: 4.4 | Sound Off

High Violet has pretty incredible drumming too, like Terrible Love (alternate version) probably has his best drumming performance

Album Rating: 4.0

Boxer is his flashiest performance. I wouldnt say he was any less interesting in the next two. Love that sort of blast beat he does in Sea of Love that transitions into those rolls.

Album Rating: 3.5

i should clarify that i'm not saying he didn't have great drumming performances on those albums, but he wasn't as consistently at the forefront as he is here (or boxer/alligator of course)

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Oh yeah his drumming is always amazing it's just more subtly so on HV and TWFM whereas on Boxer it's almost the primary aspect of the music in a lot of places.

Album Rating: 4.4 | Sound Off

Yeah Boxer and Alligator are their most percussive, and HV was pretty driving but a little more straightforward rhythmically. They were adding more strings and electronics by then.

Album Rating: 4.5

I'll Still Destroy You is like the How Do You Sleep? of this album. Just towers above everything else.

Album Rating: 4.4 | Sound Off

Dark Side is about as good tho

Album Rating: 3.5

i agree with shadow

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

I love the subtle rhythm and blues/soul influence in Dark Side of the Gym

Album Rating: 4.5

I'd say second best is Guilty Party or Nobody Else Will Be There

Album Rating: 4.4 | Sound Off

Guilty Party and Born to Beg are my 3rd and 4th favs

Album Rating: 4.5

"Turtleneck" is a hard jam tbh



Think I'm on board with Flag about "I'll Still Destroy You" being the peak of the album, though not by all that big of a margin - "System," "Empire Line," "Guilty Party," and "Dark Side" all at least hold a candle to it

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Nobody seems to be talking about it but Carin is one of my early favorites, it's the most straightforward ballad here but it's just a beaut.

Album Rating: 3.0

Carin is fantastic, along with Guilty Party and System. I'm not as blown away by Destroy You as everyone else, though it is better than the majority of the other songs, in my opinion.

Album Rating: 4.0

because it was a single Boney.. (for the record it is my favourite song on here, but I'd overplayed it to death prior to album release)

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Ahah, that makes sense. I didn't really listen to the singles so I haven't overplayed anything yet. That also may explain why it's taking me longer to warm up to this than it is others.

Album Rating: 4.0

The first 4 and Carin are easily my favorites.

Album Rating: 4.5

"Carin" is wonderful, think it only just misses out on the highlight reel by way of other tracks being so frickfrackin' strong.



Think my preliminary track ranking is along the lines of:



Destroy > Guilty > Empire > System > Gym > Carin > Turtleneck > Day I Die > t/t > Nobody > Born > Walk

Album Rating: 3.5

long story short, another album that will probably lead to 50 pages of "what are the best tracks" is probably a sign the national are doing something right again

Album Rating: 4.5

They've been doing something right since Alligator