Album Rating: 4.2

Vanderlyle has the only cringe lyrics here and one of the more boring/predictable crescendos in their discog imo (Runaway too, but that one feels a bit less twee)

Album Rating: 5.0

how are the lyrics cringe? curious

Album Rating: 5.0

This album is absolutely perfect, wouldn't change a single thing about it. Every song has been there for me at a time when I really needed it, the flow is perfect, everything serves a purpose, the themes are totally cohesive, every song's arrangement is incredible. "England" would not work as a closer, it's the perfect penultimate track but you need "Vanderlyle" as a comedown/epilogue - a hint of light at the end of the tunnel.

Album Rating: 5.0

Vanderlyle is essential



Even more essential in a live setting :D



Anyone's Ghost at least motors along a bit, totally harmless at worst, useful album track for pacing. The two after, back to back, are too dirge'y as a pairing for me. Momentum is totally killed by that point, I definitely prefer Side B

Album Rating: 4.0

i was hoping seeing vanderlyle live would change my mind, but they didn't play it when i saw them

Album Rating: 5.0

"Anyone's Ghost" is the best pop song they've written, essential.

Album Rating: 4.2

@Sowing Vanderlyle crybaby cry or I'll explain everything to the geeks as refrain lines have always rubbed be the wrong way; hard to explain, but I guess it feels like a mismatched register. The chorus as a whole is also a bit wishy-washy by National standards and the verses (while fine in and of themselves) are so sparse it feels underwhelming - I feel it's meant to have a strong post-cathartic tone to it, but the chorus doesn't have much to build off and so feels pretty twee as is

"but you need "Vanderlyle" as a comedown/epilogue - a hint of light at the end of the tunnel." essentially this - apart from it feels overly telegraphed and doesn't land right imo

Album Rating: 5.0

Vanderlyle lands way better than Anyone's Ghost and Runaway do, but to each their own

Album Rating: 4.0

RE3 Remake is gonna be so awesome

Album Rating: 4.2

"Vanderlyle lands way better than Anyone's Ghost and Runaway do, but to each their own"

I mean, I'm very comfortable viewing these as the album's bottom 3 ;] Good thing the rest is up to scratch (agree with Doof re. Afraid/Faith killing the momentum, but they're both solid tracks in their own right)

Album Rating: 5.0

What I do love about The National songs though, is there always seems to me moments I absolutely love in every single one



Anyone's Ghost: Second verse kills me

Runaway: WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I'M ENJOYING BEING LED TO THE FLOOD

Vanderlyle: That refrain hits hard

Album Rating: 4.0

runaway would have been great if it was like 2 minutes shorter. now it drags too much

Album Rating: 4.5

Just throw Anyone's Ghost out of here tbh [2]

"Album would be better if they slashed Vanderlyle and ended on England" nah, Vanderlyle works as a closer. England would be still be a cool closer as well though

Album Rating: 4.2

"Runaway: WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I'M ENJOYING BEING LED TO THE FLOOD"

Yessss best line

Album Rating: 4.5

best lyric on the album imo:

"I gave my heart to the Army

The only sentimental thing I could think of

With cousins and cousins somewhere overseas

But it'll take a better war to kill a college man like me."

Album Rating: 4.0

Nemesis is going to be so much cooler than Mr X, who was already a beast. Also looking forward to more zombies attacking all at once

Album Rating: 4.5

This is a good bit Gyro

Album Rating: 5.0

Why are we talking about resident evil here, are they gonna be on the soundtrack or something?

Album Rating: 5.0

I suppose Little Faith isn't better than many of the other tracks on here, but it's on par with them for sure.

Album Rating: 5.0

I was a comfortable kid

But I don't think about it much anymore

Lay me on the table, put flowers in my mouth

And we can say that we invented a summer lovin' torture party