Album Rating: 3.0

the national is like by the numbers indie rock that's just more informed, better executed, and has it's(?) own personality ~ idk

Album Rating: 4.4 | Sound Off

Foxy I meant that TWFM is very subtle and depressing sounding to me so it's not that immediate imo

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Trouble is also their most downbeat

Album Rating: 4.4 | Sound Off

Yeah. My friend and I like to describe TWFM as soupy and thick and molassasey, whereas HV is lighter and more accessible.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

The end of I'll Still Destroy You is giving me some serious A Moon Shaped Pool vibes

Album Rating: 4.4 | Sound Off

A Moon Shaped Pool is way more chill than that except maybe Burn the Witch, which doesn't really belong there imo

Album Rating: 3.0

Seems like this record has weaker vocal melodies than past records but the electronic arrangements and production value generally make up for it. Pretty sure this will grow to a solid 4 like most of their discog for me, maybe in the next two weeks

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Talons, the ending of Tinker Tailor is what I was thinking of actually.

Album Rating: 4.0

Agreed, like on Day I Die, i like the "day i die, the day i die" start to the chorus but then the "where will we be" part is boring. Or like Born to Beg starts out really good and then the chorus is mediocre.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

I don't care much about vocals melodies tbh so it's not a huge issue for me.

Album Rating: 4.5

"Wait how is TWFM not immediate?"

TWFM was not immediate for me at all

Album Rating: 4.5

LMAO WAIT P4K DIDN'T GIVE THIS BNM HAHAHA

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Ye p4k been slipping on the BNMs this year.



Surprised this hasn't been named BNM here yet either.

Album Rating: 4.5

Did they realize people could predict what they'll give BNM to so now they are trying to be edgy and coo

Album Rating: 3.0

For the national it's less vocal melodies and more how the arrangements frame them. Most of the melodies are pretty static but the beds of sound on which they shift constantly reframe and draw motion from them.

Album Rating: 3.0

Idk if there have been any records this year which it would be a crime not to hand a bnm to honestly

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Yeah that's pretty accurate Toad. When I think of the National I never think "oh yeah remember that melody?", it's more about the overall impression.

Album Rating: 3.0

Actually essential BNM for me this year would probably be Arca, Mount Eerie and Milo, the rest I could understand not grabbing them. Like Laurel Halo I think is my aoty but I understand the snub

Sorry for rambling and being generally unhelpful to forming a coherent convo

Their site has shifted to pop/hip-hop demographics, I don't think their current writers really care about p4k-core like the National or Grizzly Bear.

Album Rating: 3.0

Indie rock is not very hip at the moment

Kind of surprised they didn't tag EMA with a bnm tho. It's kind of in that political space that they like to overhype. Maybe the sound is too inaccessible?