Album Rating: 5.0

I like All the Wine more in the context of Cherry Tree than here.

Album Rating: 5.0

I'm in a state, I'm in a state

Nothing can touch us my love



How can you not love it?

Album Rating: 4.0

Lyrics on All the Wine are fun enough but don't blow my mind, nor is it the 'ballerina cock in hand' the bit that makes 'Karen' one of my favourites here (it's the section that starts 'without warm water in my head...').



I think Matt's lyrics improved massively after this album

Album Rating: 4.0

I genuinely just find the chorus really anti climactic in a not too appealing way



'and aaa-llll the wiiiii-iiine is aaaaa-lll for me' is really too flat even by Matt's standards.



'I won't let the psychos around' bit is flat out shit as well.



Decent verses though and it chimes nicely, a drunken twinkle in the eye vibe.

Album Rating: 5.0

This is his most unique lyrically and I think still the best lyrically (with Trouble as the second best lyrically).

Album Rating: 4.0

'most unique' probably too unique if I'm honest, there's usually an awful clunker like 'I won't let the psychos around' in every song here.



Some have clunker atop clunker.



I mean 50% of 'Astronauts' is cloying as fuck. Some people like that the phrases and phrasing both stick out more on this release - I don't because some of the lyrics are bad.

Album Rating: 4.5

lyrics are great

Album Rating: 5.0

Where you see bad or cloying I see charming and naive.

Album Rating: 4.0

'Astronauts' I actually find difficult to listen to now, and it's track 4.



'Abel' as well seems very grabby. I don't see how it's much better that 'Turtleneck'...in fact it might be worse.



'Baby' and 'Friend' are sub par and back to back...imagine either on my beautiful 'Boxer'. Brings me close to tears the idea of tarnishing that album with such averageness.



Still, 'Soho' and 'VJ' are solid weepies, 'Secret-Karen-Lit Up' is a good opening trio of mid-pacers, and 'Geese' and 'Mr.N' arrive late to save the day.



Album is a solid point behind all that followed, no one will change my mind on that.

Album Rating: 4.5

this is better than boxer

Album Rating: 4.0

Boxer ranked/rated:



1. Slow Show [5]

2. Brainy [5]

3. Fake Empire [5]

4. Green Gloves [5]

5. Ada [5]

6. Mistaken for Strangers [4.5]

7. Start a War [4.5]

8. Apartment Story [4.5]

9. Squalor Victoria [4]

10. Racing Pro [4]

11. Gospel [4]

12. Guest Room [3.5]



Almost impossible to fault. It has five songs better than anything on 'Alligator' for a start :/

Album Rating: 4.0

If Boxer is so much better than this I'm in for a hell of a time

Album Rating: 4.0

They broke through to the next level on 'Boxer', 'Alligator' caused barely a ripple of interest in 2005 but the next album changed all that. This one was overlooked and underrated at the time so I'm glad 'Alligator' found its audience eventually though.



'Boxer' is one of the most consistent albums you could hope to find imo.

Album Rating: 4.0

Also, why the general dislike for Astronauts around here? Its a banger for me.

Album Rating: 5.0

Boxer has 3 songs I don't care for, this has 2. Boxer has more pantheon level songs than this, but not my much. The middle grade songs are equal. So I guess it comes down to whether I like All the Wine and Mr November more than Start a Warm, Slow Show, and APartment Story.

Album Rating: 4.0

Clay, the dislike is probably just me. I'm stuck in a liking 50% of the song and strongly disliking 50% of the song. It's a thing that happens again and again on this album - I like 'parts of songs' not whole songs.



Never a problem much after this album.

Every song on Boxer and HV is a 5. Not quite for this and TWFM, but pretty close. It'll never happen with SWB because of Turtleneck

Album Rating: 5.0

I'm not a fan of Sorrow, Little Faith, and especially Anyones Ghost, but the rest of High Violet is basically 10/5, especially England and Bloodbuzz

Album Rating: 5.0

Astronauts was the first song I loved off this, one of the first National songs I really fell for actually along with Anyone's Ghost.

Album Rating: 5.0

Fake Empire is the best song they've ever written agreed