Album Rating: 5.0

Agreed, definitely one of the best closing trios of all time

Album Rating: 4.0

i love the first half of conversation, but i feel like the 'eat your brains' bit ruins the awesome atmosphere from the former half.

but it's the best lyric of all time

Album Rating: 5.0

It works really well in the context of the song, just like the lyrics of Geese

Album Rating: 5.0

I still insists this is the darkest of all their albums if you put the theme in context with their other albums

Album Rating: 5.0

Nah man this is their lightest, which isn't saying a lot for them considering how depressing it still is, but I hear more optimism and triumph in here than the surrounding albums. I get more depressed by most of Alligator, Boxer, and especially TWFM than most of this, besides Sorrow. Last three tracks especially are very resounding.

Album Rating: 5.0

Wow, I see the exact opposite. In the preceding albums he is facing the troubles of adjusting to adulthood but in those albums he is with his wife/partner and they find comfort together (Apartment Story, Geese of Beverly Road, Fake Empire). However here, its like the wife herself has succumbed to the mundane nature of adult life and they are finding it hard to relate. He's more lonely, more desperate as his wife is now herself subjecting him to dinners and other stupid stuff he doesn't like feel like at all. It is why I insist Conversation 16 is their saddest song in their whole catalogue. He's now alone unlike in Boxer and Alligator where he had Karen.

Album Rating: 5.0

But in real life Karen is with him the whole time, they've stayed together since before Alligator I believe. Maybe they both feel isolated here and that's what you mean, but he's not alone.

Also I think you have a misunderstanding about what those three songs you mentioned are about.

I'm pretty sure Apartment Story is him and Karen sadly realizing that they can't screw around like in a high school relationship or whatever anymore, and they've accepted that they're responsible adults who go to dinner parties now, have full time jobs etc. The sadness of adulthood and nostalgia of frivolous youth is so much of what Alligator and Boxer are about, and I feel like there's a better acceptance and handling of it on High Violet, at least at times.

Geese is a tribute to a bunch of hooligans Berninger saw set off car alarms and screwing around the neighborhood, the geese squacking being the car alarms. Again, nostalgia for childhood shenanigans.

I'm pretty sure Fake Empire is about the U.S. under Bush, at least on the surface, but I'm not as sure about that one.

Album Rating: 5.0

In apartment story they have definitely not accepted the situation at least not in a remotely positive way "everything we did believe, is diving off the balcony" but at least they have each other to give each other comfort. I have always imagined Geese to be the two of them just letting lose and leaving behind the shackles of adulthood if only for a night. The very sad melody kinda highlights that they do know that it isn't going to last. Again they have each other. Slow Show doesn't really need any explanation. He's going back to his partner who "puts a ribbon on his brain" after having a horrible day at the office where he feels like he doesn't fit at all. Contrast this to songs like Conversation 16, afraid of everyone, and terrible love where in the TL he is facing extreme anxiety in raising his family and feels just so alone! That is why I see this one as the darkest of all

Album Rating: 5.0

If anything your arguments are convincing me that this is their most anxious. Yes, there's trepidation over having a kid and a family, but those things end up being the most important things in life, and many of these songs have more energy and resounding crescendoes than Alligator or Boxer which overall makes it a little lighter to digest. I hear more optimism and hope in here than Alligator or Boxer, but lyrically I guess this isn't much less sorrowful, because there is a lot of anxiety and sadness in the lyrics.

Album Rating: 5.0

This pricey stuff makes me dizzy

I guess I've always been a delicate man

It takes me a day to remember a day

I didn't mean to let it get so far out of hand

This is both their most flat-out depressing album and their most cathartic tbh

Album Rating: 5.0

Still going through their discography but this has stood out as the best so far.

This is the most immediate, and it was my favourite on my first listen through their discography. Overall though I think I prefer Alligator.

Album Rating: 5.0

I’ve completely abandoned this band. Still appreciate ‘em and love this album but I dunno they’ve just temporarily run their course I ‘spose.

Album Rating: 5.0

Blasphemy.

Album Rating: 5.0

I’d have said the same if it wasn’t for Lambchop and Tindersticks. Blame Doof.

Album Rating: 5.0

The National owe a lot to Tindersticks but when you see The National live you realise they ARE a rock band.



Tindersticks and Lambchop just aren't - they're arty sorts, they'll never get the blood pumping in that way.



Ok, the gig this year was weaker than the previous time I saw the band, and the latest album is weaker than the previous album too. Thing is, they're still one of the best. Treat them more like R.E.M. - you could have stopped listening after 'Green' but then you'd miss out on 'Automatic', something like that :/

Album Rating: 5.0

The National have transformed into more of a 'band effort' - they've become much more of a 'guitar hero' band, far less strummin' now

Album Rating: 4.0

Am I the only one that thinks the new album has absolutely nothing on this?