The National - Boxer

bugler

Not sure if anyone has posted anything about this yet so...

The National will release their new album "Boxer" on May 22, the same day they start a small European tour.

http://www.americanmary.com/

2005's 'Alligator' was a brilliant, brilliant album but some much deserved recognition has more or less eluded them to date. This might be about to change, there is much more interest in this upcoming release than ever before and plenty of promo work being done around the UK.

While Boxer is probably not to the standard of Alligator it is still a very fine album indeed (it's been leaked of course) - they have been added to the line-up at that very big summer festival in Ireland too, I suspect they might be slightly better known by the time that comes around.

stiofain2005

I really like the new album. My favourite tracks are Racing like a pro and Ada.

Would prefer to see them in a more intimate setting than at a big festival myself.

monkey9

Boxer: best album this year.
Alligator : best album 2005

I love The National . love the lryics. love the shows. Absolutely brilliant band.

Do you really think you can just put it in a safe behind a painting lock it up and leave,

MikeHoncho

Its one of the best albums of the year no question. Cant think of too much off the top of my head that beats it. Lyrics as said before are just sublime:
"Make up something to believe in your heart of hearts
so you have something to wear on your sleeve of sleeves"

wordofmouth

Don't forget the drumming that man is gifted!
His lyrics are the best i've heard in a long time.
"i leaned on the wall, the wall leaned away"

Bubs101

Only got this album a month or so and it is phenomenal. Really impressed by these guys.

Pacifico

One of my favourite bands....they are playing three dates in Dublin aswell. 13th/14th/15th of May

keeffe2001

yeah ive got tickets!! can't wait

loved the first album, the second album is even better

MrJones

love this band as well! the drumming,, alligator was a brilliant album!

monkey9

I'm going to all three. Is that sad? I don't really care!!

MikeHoncho

Gonna see them here and at ATP. Alligator is a brilliant album too. One of my favourite bands at the moment. Ray Darcy played Fake Empire the other day which totally took me off gaurd in work. Great song.

Captain Darling

I think Slow Show is class. Really nice, simple song. Lovely.

Staph

stiofain2005 wrote: »

I really like the new album. My favourite tracks are Racing like a pro and Ada.

Such a beautiful album. Love these songs too, they are a result of a collaboration with Sufjan -fantastic!
I also like Mistaken for strangers.

Xavi6

Got the album yesterday having read this thread. Very, very impressed.

Orizio

Check out Alligator as well Xavi, its just as good imo.

deaddonkey

i got turned onto this band recently, i'm diggin' Boxer a lot.

Apartment Story has a real ring of cohen's suzanne to it. great song.

fourmations

on boxer..

opener is brill, rest is boring, interpol-esque

another joy division spawn

ciao

4

Xavi6

Orizio wrote: »

Check out Alligator as well Xavi, its just as good imo.

Yeah 'acquired' that as well. Not as good as Boxer imo but a really good listen all the same.

MikeHoncho

fourmations wrote: »

on boxer..

opener is brill, rest is boring, interpol-esque

another joy division spawn

ciao

4

I cant even begin to describe how wrong you are.

AnonoBoy

fourmations wrote: »

on boxer..

opener is brill, rest is boring, interpol-esque

another joy division spawn

ciao

4

You didn't put on an Editors album by mistake did you?

Seriously - from your post it sounds like you don't know what The National or Joy Division sound like because really, besides the singer having a low voice, there's no real similarity between the two at all.

BAZM8

keeffe2001 wrote: »

loved the first album, the second album is even better

Boxer is their 4th Album :
The National (2001)
Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers(2003)
Alligator (2005)
Boxer (2007)

and there is also mini album Cherry Tree (2004) as well..

Not trying to be a smart arse just wanted to be sure everyone knows of the all the delights that The National have to offer. (Boxer is the best though)

I have tickets for the 14th and can't wait. Love the drumming on Boxer top track "Mistaken for strangers"

Orizio

The National undoubtedly have one of the best drummers in music right now. And one of the best vocalists.

'Green Gloves' is my fave track.

indiewindy

fourmations wrote: »

on boxer..

opener is brill, rest is boring, interpol-esque

another joy division spawn

ciao

4

Strange post, as mentioned the editors or interpol. The only band I find the nationals singer sounds like would be Stuart Staples from the tindersticks

fourmations

hi all

my comments on boxer are just my opinion
i'm not riling people for fun

I have tried it a few times
and get bored a few songs in to be honest
i feel there is a strong likeness to interpol in the style
particulalry "mistaken for strangers"

does anyone agree that fake empire is great?
I had so much hope for the album based on such a cool opener
but then i just feel it declines sharply from there

i think that there is a stong joy division influence there
(as there is with editors and interpol)

ah well each to their own
but i will give it another try

rgds

4

Xavi6

fourmations wrote: »

hi all

my comments on boxer are just my opinion
i'm not riling people for fun

I have tried it a few times
and get bored a few songs in to be honest
i feel there is a strong likeness to interpol in the style
particulalry "mistaken for strangers"

does anyone agree that fake empire is great?
I had so much hope for the album based on such a cool opener
but then i just feel it declines sharply from there

i think that there is a stong joy division influence there
(as there is with editors and interpol)

ah well each to their own
but i will give it another try

rgds

4

Yep 'Fake Empire' blew me away on first listen. Such a fantastic song. I don't necessarily think the album goes downhill from there but for me it is the highlight. 'Mistaken For Strangers' is a class song too.

I know where you're coming from with the Interpol/Editors references but I think the only thing they have remotely in common is that all the singers have a very bass tone to their voices. Musically I don't see much of a resemblance at all.

As with all music it's each to their own but I'd definitely give it another few listens before casting it aside.

MikeHoncho

Fake Empire was the song tha grabbed me first too but the more and more I listened to it its songs like Slow Show and Start a War became much more than they seemed originally.

AnonoBoy

Obviously you're free to not like them. It's all a matter of taste.

What I'm quibbling is the similarity to Interpol or Joy Division. It's just not there.

Although he does sound quite like Stuart Staples sometimes - which is no bad thing!

Bubs101

He sounds a bit like an American Nick Cave to me. Can understand the comparison to Interpol but it's misplaced. They have a very similar delivery of vocals but don't sound the same

fourmations

howdy

its not the vocal as such

but I really think mistaken for strangers
could be an interpol song, the sound, the song structure

anyway, i have listened to the album again today
and there is a good bit of variety in it
although I havent had any major revelations
its still just okay for me

I'll give it another listen

if you want a really cool interesting album
try antidoes by foals!

anyway, I'll sign off on this one
as i said Im not dogging the band
its just not for me


rgds

4

monkey9

The more you listen to The National albums, the better they become. Stick with them. Geese of Beverly Rd from Alligator and Lucky You from Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers are my favourites at the moment.

Orizio

Yeah I'd take Boxer over Antidotes all day long. Vocally, in particular, there is no comparison.

If you want to listen to the Foals...just listen to the Battles instead.

cautioner

I. Focking. Love. The National.

Got Boxer earlier this year, then pressed on with Alligator and Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers.
Boxer is definitely one of my favourite albums of all time.

Highlight=Green Gloves, but I love almost every song on the album.

Can anyone recommend another band or two of a similar style?

jill_valentine

I'm not entirely sold on The National. They're nice, I just can't seem to love 'em as much as everybody else does. Thought they were really underwhelming live, too.

lordgoat

jill_valentine wrote: »

Thought they were really underwhelming live, too.

Disagree alot with this. Saw te mlive recently and the were superb. Only problem i had was they hadn't enough time to play all their songs.

Although if you don't like them that much in general then live mightn't do it for you either.

Kid V

I just got boxer a couple of weeks ago and im not gonna tell you how many times i've listened to it. It is incredible!!

Best songs are brainy, mistaken for strangers and ada.
Sufjan stevens piano playing is great too:)

cautioner

Anyone else pick up the Virginia EP? It also comes with a DVD called A Skin, A Night, which I haven't actually gotten around to seeing yet.

But trust me on this, it's worth the money for the DVD/EP for About Today alone. 12 track EPs make me happy