More news on The National front.

and with that sput explodes

nice song (i need to listen in full lol)

I really like it. Sounds like something that would have been on High Violet but with more defined guitar riffs.

Excellent tune, only has me even more stoked for the album. Can't say I ever expected to hear a National guitar solo but they pulled it off really well.

need to digest it a few more times.. on first listen though, not that great, to be honest..

@butcherboy: you're just too doped up on that saccharine Perfume Genius album, give your ears some time to return to earth and you'll appreciate it

I only ever listened to High Violet by these guys, but I did really enjoy this. Time to go back and listen to Boxer I guess.

hahahaha.. yea fair enough.. besides, band is too good..

@Sowing Time for another track review I assume?

Could be, Toon...could be ; )

pretty good, a bit underwhelming but these guys arent exactly bombastic or anything anyway

YES A NATIONAL GUITAR SOLO

^^^ that was my first thought in hearing this

this is good

Wait Lucid you like the National?

Anyway song is great, didn't blow my mind but I expect it'll work better in the context of the album. I'm really excited for this new direction, it's not a huge shift but just enough to keep things interesting. Let's hope this is the start of another classic trilogy!

'Course I do, everything Alligator onwards is top-tier (TWFM is my personal fave). Have similar thoughts on the song as well, it's not amazing standalone but a juicy teaser for what's coming

Huh, for some reason I thought you didn't/wouldn't dig them much.

Song is incredible best band of this generation I. AM. READY.

Oh fuck this is gooooooood, the last minute especially omg
Glad they're not making TWFM part 2

you mean Alligator part 4

This feels more HV than Alligator, like Sowing said

Alligator is quite different from the last 3 albums though Lucid.

True, but they've earned a rep for churning out albums with similar aesthetics. This seems like the first big switch-up they're undertaking

alligator is amazing, but twfm is their magnum opus imo

Objectively speaking Boxer was probably their magnum opus but that's by far my least favorite post-Alligator album by them. High Violet was the best, TWFM and Alligator close behind and about tied.

How do you "objectively" determine their magnum opus?

when ur a moderator

despite having like 4 of their best songs, high violet is easily their weakest imo

objectivity in regards to music is an oxymoron

HV >>

it's not hard you just figure out what is generally regarded as their biggest statement album and their most successful offering

to most that's Boxer aka their M.O.

High Violet is the greatest album of all time.

All 5's but I find High Violet the weakest of their big 4 as well

Boxer is their best, TWFM is my fave tho

Pretty sweet

Solid. Expecting it to grow, because the last record took ages to do so. Now it's a favorite. Can't wait for this.

Great track ! I cannot explain it any other way

Sick, excited to listen

Song sounds like we might have got if U2 aged gracefully

This is excellent as expected

Gives off a different vibe than most of their music, but it's pretty rad. Bloodbuzz Ohio is in my top 5, so I really love this kind of energy coming from them.

Officially on that hype train

This kicks ass. Perfect mix of High Violet fuzz with Aliigator energy

Amazing track. And that guitar solo damn.

Is the song about matt's wife? Here he talks about that the album could be about fallen apart marriages: http://www.nme.com/news/nationals-matt-berninger-says-tone-new-album-dark-1790193
The lyrics would make sense in that context.

This might be an unpopular opinion but I think this is great.

doesnt sound like anything High Violet imo but a more modern Alligator sound.. gonna have to see how it flows with the album

wow legit tho a national guitar solo yall werent kidding

if they bring moar riffs 10/10

where r the matt screams from mid 2000's

rules

Well new Pitchfork feature has Matt and Aaron saying there's guitar solos all over the album and even a dueling solo between Aaron and Bryce
W H A T

that feature has me so hype GOD WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT 4 WHOLE GODDAMN MONTHS

This is fucking great.

Oh yeah, and solo is awesome [4 or whatever]

Enjoyed this a lot. Firmly believe band can do no wrong

4 fucking months

Boxer > High Violet > Alligator > TWFM

TWFM is far too reverb drenched and overproduced to be their best album, still great tho

And this track is awesome, I like this more upbeat direction they seem to be going

not really the direction i wanted them to go in.

its alright

Looks like this'll be their most lively, love the mesh and groove of the instruments.

rules

This track > Alligator > Everything else

Well, that's... good?

issa pretty good but uh not great, knowing me though it'll probably grow

yea guys this album is definitely gonna be their NATION.

I don't like this on first listen

Love it

rules

really like the new song a lot

New song sounds great. Probably my most anticipated album for the year.

Had to spin this again on my stereo when I got home. Very good. I need a nice pair of headphones, ffs.

This is probably their catchiest song to date, or at least one of. I won't complain if this becomes their first full-fledged radio hit - they've earned it.

The system only dreams in total darkness.
Why are you hiding from me?

We're in a different kind of thing now.
All night, you're talking to God.

I can't explain it
any other,
any other way.

The fucking National killing it again.

I feel like there is some Sufjan influence here from Bryce's collaborations with him. The electric piano melody at 2:40 especially

Yes! A National guitar solo.

Aww shit, lucid beat me to it.

"I feel like there is some Sufjan influence here from Bryce's collaborations with him. The electric piano melody at 2:40 especially"

Well Sufjan has played on their last three albums so it could very well be him playing it.

crying at how good this is. tfw your favorite band picks up the same new musical interests as you at the same time

is this still 'boring' tho? lol

"AD: That song, “Sleep Well Beast,” is one that took the longest to make and was also the most fun. It's impressionistic, and it goes many places. It's also maybe the longest song that's ever been on a National record, so it felt like a weird focus even though it's not a single. Somehow it seemed to sum up a lot of the energy that was going around the band."


I'm sweatin'

Fucking slays. Very happy that they went into a slightly different direction because as good as their last album was, I think they pretty much had explored their Boxer/High Violet sound to the fullest.

agreed ^

love it. fucking brilliant.

"Well Sufjan has played on their last three albums so it could very well be him playing it."

I'm aware. I was talking about Sufjan influencing Bryce and Aaron's songwriting in a notable way

Another great song by them, what a surprise...

loving this just as much as everyone else. the alligator vibes rock my socks

nice to hear that you still form your opinion within the scope of everyone else's

glad to please you with my comment. it's a good day

indeed

What is a The National?

guitar solos in most songs on the new record, gonna have to catch them live this tour - National go 'rock star'

last tour when they performed a near metal version of 'Humiliation' I was hoping they'd plug in those guitars and rip on the next album

what the fuck, i want to hear that.

Sounds pretty cool

'Humiliation' was the heaviest tune in the set by quite a distance

Awesome song. So excited for the album

holy shit

I really like this.

Humiliation live is fucking insanity.

I've never listened to The National, but this was really good. The guitars in this song are great.

This is incredible!

Holy crap, looks like it's gonna be 5 classic National albums in a row.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar5WNZQJtfc

idk if this made the album or if they changed the name, in another video Matt was joking about changing the name.

GOAT band