High Violet - The National

hshortt · 21-05-2010 05:42PM

Brainy is brilliant tune, best on Boxer in my opinion.

Sútalún · 21-05-2010 05:43PM

hshortt wrote: »

Brainy is brilliant tune, best on Boxer in my opinion.

My personal favourite is Slow Show. I could literally listen to it all day.

hshortt · 21-05-2010 05:53PM

Great track too, there's a demo of it on another disc.

*Edit* yep, the Virginia EP -> http://www.americanmary.com/sound_thevirginia-ep.php

Van Occupanther · 21-05-2010 09:30PM

After 5 or 6 listens gotta say this is an outstanding album and gets better every time. No filler, great lyrics and playing. A big improvement on Boxer imo, for some reason I never loved that album the way I love Alligator though I'm gonna return to it soon to reappraise it. Expect them to become a lot bigger and well deserved too. "I still owe money, to the money, to the money I owe..." - what a line. Matt's voice continues to develop too, he really is a top singer with fantastic delivery. A triumph.

Sútalún · 22-05-2010 11:47AM

Can't believe people have under 10 listens! haha.. I reckon I've literally listened to it over 100 times! And not tired of it. Sorrow still hits me everytime.

Table Top Joe · 22-05-2010 02:10PM

monkey9 wrote: »

LOL!!! What on earth are you talking about?? They are practically the same album. In fact, the only time Oasis took a 'change of direction' is when they went completely downhill with Standing On The Shoulders of Giants.

Ha ha!! I can't believe you used the term 'change of direction' in the same sentence as Oasis!!

Id have to agree with Spirit,i had the exact same reaction to "Whats the..",i was a bit let down,it wasnt as raw as the debut

Anywho,is the new National really that big? all the reviews and people here keep refering to how massive theyre gonna be? really? i dont think theres anything on the new album that could be played much on daytime radio......i dont listen to daytime radio though so maybe its on all of them right now! i love them,my favourite band of the last decade(thanks to Uncut for putting "About Today" on a free cd a few years back)but i just cant see them competing with Coldplay,Snow Patrol and all those horrible bands anytime soon(thank Christ)

"High Violet" is still growing on me,their albums take ages to grow on me like no other band/artist i know,its one of the things i love about them

Spiritoftheseventies · 22-05-2010 08:01PM

Table Top Joe wrote: »

Id have to agree with Spirit,i had the exact same reaction to "Whats the..",i was a bit let down,it wasnt as raw as the debut

Anywho,is the new National really that big? all the reviews and people here keep refering to how massive theyre gonna be? really? i dont think theres anything on the new album that could be played much on daytime radio......i dont listen to daytime radio though so maybe its on all of them right now! i love them,my favourite band of the last decade(thanks to Uncut for putting "About Today" on a free cd a few years back)but i just cant see them competing with Coldplay,Snow Patrol and all those horrible bands anytime soon(thank Christ)

"High Violet" is still growing on me,their albums take ages to grow on me like no other band/artist i know,its one of the things i love about them

Wouldnt be the worst thing if daytime radio didnt play them to be honest.

Table Top Joe · 22-05-2010 08:31PM

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Wouldnt be the worst thing if daytime radio didnt play them to be honest.

Of course,theres many a band or just single song ive had ruined for me by hearing them/it once every hour every day for a month or however long a radio playlist lasts

Spiritoftheseventies · 22-05-2010 10:10PM

Sútalún wrote: »

Can't believe people have under 10 listens! haha.. I reckon I've literally listened to it over 100 times! And not tired of it. Sorrow still hits me everytime.

Album is ordered but again its the law of diminishing returns. The more you listen to any album the less enjoyable is.
Re 100 listens I doubt I have listened to Doolittle, Funeral, Automatic for the people that many times.

jill_valentine · 22-05-2010 11:12PM

Table Top Joe wrote: »

Anywho,is the new National really that big? all the reviews and people here keep refering to how massive theyre gonna be? really? i dont think theres anything on the new album that could be played much on daytime radio......i dont listen to daytime radio though so maybe its on all of them right now!

I think you might be underestimating how much slow-burn momentum they've built up in the US in particular. The demand for the High Violet stream briefly crashed the New York Times website, and it went into the Billboard chart at #3 - that's ahead of AC/DC and The Dead Weather, and two doors down from Justin Bieber.

lordgoat · 22-05-2010 11:34PM

Geese of Beverly Road is my favourite National Song.

The Pontiac · 22-05-2010 11:41PM

Table Top Joe wrote: »

i dont think theres anything on the new album that could be played much on daytime radio......i dont listen to daytime radio though so maybe its on all of them right now!

I hope not. Daytime radio makes for chronically bad listening. The album is getting a lot of exposure on the evening/nighttime slots though, which is always a good sign.

Table Top Joe · 22-05-2010 11:56PM

jill_valentine wrote: »

I think you might be underestimating how much slow-burn momentum they've built up in the US in particular. The demand for the High Violet stream briefly crashed the New York Times website, and it went into the Billboard chart at #3 - that's ahead of AC/DC and The Dead Weather, and two doors down from Justin Bieber.

I have to admit im very out of touch with whats big(and whats not)over the last few years,most of my friends arent really into music and i dont listen to the radio(at any time of day)so i havent a clue,just really taken aback by all the reviews of the new album going on about how big its gonna be,im only 29 but i might as well be 50(im listening to Sinatra right now in fact:D)i find out about new bands through Uncut and various other music forums,they could be filling stadiums for all i know

Tell you what(edit,this goes for Ollie too),recommend a radio show for me! i used to listen to Dave Fanning and Tom Dunne a few years back,any tips? i have a fairly eclectic taste,is there any show that just plays good music as oppossed to all Indie,or all Rock etc......Mystery Train was good too now that i think of it

By eclectic i mean anything but dance music....or chart ****e obviously

Table Top Joe · 23-05-2010 12:02AM

lordgoat wrote: »

Geese of Beverly Road is my favourite National Song.

Id have to go with "About Today" myself,its got a great hypnotic rhythm to it,and brilliantly melancholic vocals,The National at their very best imo

Sútalún · 23-05-2010 01:29AM

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Album is ordered but again its the law of diminishing returns. The more you listen to any album the less enjoyable is.
Re 100 listens I doubt I have listened to Doolittle, Funeral, Automatic for the people that many times.

Yeah just checked, round about 60 times Id say.

Eh yeah I'd normally agree but the National just grab me in a way other bands don't. I listen to A LOT of music and I've never been affected by a band like the National. It probably sounds kind of pretentious but it's honestly true. Before I listened to Boxer for the first time I thought I knew who my favourite band were but no, I wasn't even close!

I love a lot of other bands, I probably prefer other songs by other bands but the National's work as a whole, their albums just stand alone.

Spiritoftheseventies · 23-05-2010 08:23AM

jill_valentine wrote: »

I think you might be underestimating how much slow-burn momentum they've built up in the US in particular. The demand for the High Violet stream briefly crashed the New York Times website, and it went into the Billboard chart at #3 - that's ahead of AC/DC and The Dead Weather, and two doors down from Justin Bieber.

Wow didnt realise the album was that big. If Im right the last time that happened was when Nevermind knocked Michael Jackson off the number one spot. Yeah the slow burn momemtum definitely a factor. Like the fact there is no real immediacy with any of the tracks with maybe the exception of bloodbuzz ohio.

jill_valentine · 23-05-2010 09:45AM

I agree that I can't imagine any of the tracks off High Violet tearing it up in Barcode on a Saturday or anything, I don't think they're going to be the new Take That like, but I think for a band that still had grown-up real jobs until fairly recently, this has been a pretty huge leap for them.

I think that's probably part of the appeal though, it makes people root for them a bit. I mean it's hard to begrudge them the album price when you know it's probably paying their mortgages.

Spiritoftheseventies · 23-05-2010 01:37PM

jill_valentine wrote: »

I agree that I can't imagine any of the tracks off High Violet tearing it up in Barcode on a Saturday or anything, I don't think they're going to be the new Take That like, but I think for a band that still had grown-up real jobs until fairly recently, this has been a pretty huge leap for them.

I think that's probably part of the appeal though, it makes people root for them a bit. I mean it's hard to begrudge them the album price when you know it's probably paying their mortgages.

Didnt realize they still had jobs. REM being my favourite band and all, remember reading how they used to sleep in vans and all that stuff before they finally made it big.
Will be curious to see how National respond to the follow up given how big the album has become.

foals · 23-05-2010 09:59PM

conversation 16 is out of this world

great album

monkey9 · 24-05-2010 01:09AM

lordgoat wrote: »

Geese of Beverly Road is my favourite National Song.

I am so happy to hear someone else say this. A favourite by The National is such a hard question to answer, cos at any given moment, the answer could change.

This, just as a default answer, is my favourite song. "Hey love, we'll get away with it. And we'll run like we're awesome and totally genius". Just completely and utterly love this song so much. Like everything The National do, this song just snuck up on me and demanded to be listened to over and over again.

I'm listening to Alligator at the moment and the moment in Lit Up when Matt sings "I'm in control and i believe so lit up. Lit up lit up alright" is just epic!!

lordgoat · 24-05-2010 01:19AM

monkey9 wrote: »

I am so happy to hear someone else say this. A favourite by The National is such a hard question to answer, cos at any given moment, the answer could change.

This, just as a default answer, is my favourite song. "Hey love, we'll get away with it. And we'll run like we're awesome and totally genius". Just completely and utterly love this song so much. Like everything The National do, this song just snuck up on me and demanded to be listened to over and over again.

I'm listening to Alligator at the moment and the moment in Lit Up when Matt sings "I'm in control and i believe so lit up. Lit up lit up alright" is just epic!!

Ya it's grown on me so much, it's what i sing in my head most days recently. I also changed my sig to a slightly altered version of it. In fact i'm going t listen to it now and then go asleep.

JerryHandbag · 24-05-2010 11:06AM

As someone who has Alligator, Boxer and High Violet are the first 2 albums worth checking out?

loveissucide · 24-05-2010 01:58PM

JerryHandbag wrote: »

As someone who has Alligator, Boxer and High Violet are the first 2 albums worth checking out?

Get Cherry Tree EP before either of those. Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers has it's moments, first album is meh.

H8GHOTI · 26-05-2010 02:42PM

Another fan here.
The fact that they are playing Electric Picnic & the high praise they're getting in here, I had a listen to High Violet and it is a very good album. When I seen them on the EP line-up back in March I looked them up on youtube and didn't think much of them. No idea what songs I listened to though, obviously older stuff as this wasn't released then. I'll have to back now and listen to their last couple of albums.
Roll on September, looking forward to seeing them now.

Monkey61 · 26-05-2010 03:13PM

JerryHandbag wrote: »

As someone who has Alligator, Boxer and High Violet are the first 2 albums worth checking out?

Ah yeah, but they aren't quite as good as the rest. Sad Songs is quite enjoyable and has a few standout tracks but it takes a while to grow.

I do like the first album, but again, it isn't amazing and takes a while to get into your head.

Spiritoftheseventies · 28-05-2010 03:21PM

Album dropped in this morning. Thanks to whoever suggested CD Wow. May use them again.
Inside sleeve is very good I must say. They are the most unassuming bunch really.
Quite like the lyrics for Anybodys ghost. One take on that is you become someone elses ghost after they die. Ie they take part of you with them when they go.

Peyton Manning · 28-05-2010 09:53PM

For those that don't know, The National's youtube page has loads of videos from their live performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Here's a teaser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsFZYXt0E0E

Carcharodon · 29-05-2010 12:47AM

Went to see The National last night and they certainly didn't disappoint, they were fecking brilliant, played a lot off the new album.

GopErthike · 29-05-2010 02:06AM

Don't know if this is off topic, but what is it about 'Fake Empire'?? My daughters love it (They are toddlers by the way) we make them listen to a lot of music, but man this song just grabs them. . It's beautiful to see such a reaction.

Mardy Bum · 29-05-2010 03:17AM

GopErthike wrote: »

Don't know if this is off topic, but what is it about 'Fake Empire'?? My daughters love it (They are toddlers by the way) we make them listen to a lot of music, but man this song just grabs them. . It's beautiful to see such a reaction.

Seriously epic song right there.

High Violet - The National

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