Album Rating: 4.5

If Side B was as strong as Side A on Sad Songs I'd rate it higher than this - easily



Not sure about better, but at least as good for sure.

Album Rating: 5.0

Really I think the only bad song on SS is Sugar Wife, but I'm a bit biased I guess

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Right there with you Radio and Pika - Sad Songs is my second fave Ntl tbh

Album Rating: 5.0

Damn now that's a hot take. Something about the unrefined flashes of genius on that album make it really special. My favorite thing about The National is how organic and natural their growth has been. They've never compromised their sound to make a buck. You still hear the same band that made SS in IAEtF.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Haha ya, Sad Songs was my first so it will always have a special place - and the highs on it are some of the highest across their discog IMO.



Agreed hard. That's what puts them amongst the greats for me.

Album Rating: 5.0

alligator > boxer just due to the fact alligator feels a little more raw and has a less polished production to it, which is kind of the charm of the album. However they're both 10/10s in my view alligator just has that something

Album Rating: 4.5

sad songs has some of their best work

Album Rating: 4.0

I'm a sucker for their s/t.

teehee

Album Rating: 5.0

I think their s/t is great, just not in the scope of everything else they've done.

Album Rating: 4.6

They're pretty much a perfect band if you consider Sad Songs to be the real debut, sort of like considering The Bends as the real debut of Radiohead. The s/t National, and PH, aren't terrible albums but they're pretty far from the quality of everything each band did afterwards.

Still have to listen to 'Sleep Well Beast' and 'I Am Easy to Find', but am I nuts for thinking 'Alligator' is far and away their best? I've loved pretty much everything so far, and it seems like the consensus is that 'Alligator', 'Boxer', and 'High Violet' are pretty much equivalent in terms of quality and appeal. But for as much as I liked 'High Violet' and (especially) 'Boxer', I instantly thought 'Alligator' was a solid step above both of 'em. This is fucking fantastic.

Album Rating: 4.0

but am I nuts for thinking 'Alligator' is far and away their best



I completely agree with you there. Sad Songs and Boxer are very very good. High Violet has some of their best songs, but I only enjoy half of it. Everything after it that just no.

Album Rating: 4.0

Kind of, because Boxer is better, but they are both a step above HV or anything thereafter. Essentially they peaked at Boxer and then every album then got progressively 'worse' from that point, like a slightly lopsided mountain. Having said that I can't recall much about the first two, need to revisit.

Album Rating: 4.0

Definitely give Sad Songs another go, Demon.

I agree(ish) with Pika - some of the tracks on 'High Violet' were astounding, but it's an inconsistent album overall. Still very good, but inconsistent. I actually liked 'Trouble Will Find Me' better overall, even though its "highs" weren't as high as those on 'High Violet.'
This is still the one I keep coming back to, though. Secret Meeting, Karen, Daughters of the Soho Riots, Baby We'll Be Fine, All the Wine, Abel, City Middle...this thing has so many standout tracks, my god.

Album Rating: 5.0

I consider pretty much all of their albums hard classics, or close to it, aside from their bookends. Only band, to me, that can rival The Beatles in quality and quantity. Not one bad song from Alligator to SWB. I think it's worth noting I started on TWFM when it released, so I have a soft spot for their 2nd wave of music, more so than fans that found them before or during their big 3. I wouldn't say they've gotten worse, but they have slowly eschewed from the sound that they had on "Alligator," which I also believe to be their best. They've never made the same album twice, for better or worse.

Album Rating: 4.5

Can we take a moment to appreciate just how amazing Val Jester is? What a song. And then that transition into "All the Wine" takes my breath away.

Album Rating: 5.0

Ye Val is a beaut, prob one of the more overlooked tunes here.

I have a feeling this album is going to take on more significance than ever for me in the coming years as I’m finally reaching the life stage the lyrics describe.

Album Rating: 5.0

"have a feeling this album is going to take on more significance than ever for me in the coming years as I’m finally reaching the life stage the lyrics describe."



Cries to the tune of Friend of Mine : (

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Oh to be young again