Red Mosquito

Yah, I'm pretty bored. I've listened to it 10 times now? zzzzzzzz is my response.

y'all cray

Saw two of the three shows on Tuesday in NYC/Brooklyn as well as Letterman and Colbert.

What an amazing week.

Going to the L.A. Greek show and can't wait.

BurtReynolds wrote:I wasn't feeling the first half of this, but the second half is kicking my ass with greatness.

awkward, clumsy lyrics and a drab singer? Have you ever heard The National? its kind of what they do.

i'm the opposite... i really like the first half, but haven't quite got into the second half yet... but i really like pink rabbits

anyone else going to the Philly show at Mann Center?

Yeah the vocals are pretty boring.

I'm still trying, but...

he's prob my fav vocalist ever by now

I've listened to this enough to know how I feel about it.

It's inconsistent. The lyrics are not abstract and freewheeling as in the previous albums; they're cheesy and forced. The whole thing feels a bit too contrived and self-conscious.

There are some good moments for sure, and it's still an ok-to-good album. But it doesn't touch Boxer or HV in terms of songwriting.

yeahno

Bob Loblaw wrote:... But it doesn't touch Boxer or HV in terms of songwriting.

solace wrote:yeahno

bob's right. they peaked with Boxer and HV. they're "comfortable" with putting out what they put out and Trouble doesn't change who they are nor does it introduce us to a new chapter. there's nothing on Trouble that beats anything they're done before. Its still a good album, but if someone asked me to introduce them to the national, i'd give them boxer, then HV, then gator, then this.

this album is way better than High Violet for me, sorry. i won't argue that Boxer isn't their best album though, because it is. and Alligator is a better album than High Violet too. This album is a very solid #3 for me and I took to it quicker than any new album of theirs since SSFDL.

honestly? Sea of Love live was better and more exciting live than Abel last week at Mercury Lounge... and i'd put probably 3-4 songs on this in my top 15-20 National songs, so i'd say that's pretty solid after 6 albums.

Slipped might be in my top 10 National songs ever too actually. Some of Matt's best lyrics to date. And Salt has become a top 3-5 for me after last weeks shows.

few bands in recent history have put out 4 (imo) classic albums in a row. i can't think of one personally... even Wilco had a bit of a dropoff after their 3rd straight classic album (YHF) with AGIB. i like good music, i don't care if bands make drastic changes or not. Change for the sake of isn't a good thing, I don't want them to "change who they are". Plus this album has more in common with Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers than it does HV.

also, as someone who has been seeing them live for coming up on 10 years in September, they're better live than they've ever been at the moment (not surprisingly). can't wait for DC/Philly/Richmond next weekend.

Dismiss it as fanboy homerism, I don't really care, but this is by far one I'd my favorite albums this year (only one that comes close so far is Phosphorescent). And has only gotten more enjoyable as weeks go on.

solace wrote:anyone else going to the Philly show at Mann Center?

I'll be there. I managed to score some pretty good seats, too. Of all the times I've seen them, I usually didn't have a great view.

diesel wrote:bob's right. they peaked with Boxer and HV. they're "comfortable" with putting out what they put out and Trouble doesn't change who they are nor does it introduce us to a new chapter. there's nothing on Trouble that beats anything they're done before. Its still a good album, but if someone asked me to introduce them to the national, i'd give them boxer, then HV, then gator, then this.

100% agree with this. Good album by a great band that just doesn't top their last albums.

solace wrote:this album is way better than High Violet for me, sorry. i won't argue that Boxer isn't their best album though, because it is. and Alligator is a better album than High Violet too. This album is a very solid #3 for me and I took to it quicker than any new album of theirs since SSFDL.

honestly? Sea of Love live was better and more exciting live than Abel last week at Mercury Lounge... and i'd put probably 3-4 songs on this in my top 15-20 National songs, so i'd say that's pretty solid after 6 albums.

Slipped might be in my top 10 National songs ever too actually. Some of Matt's best lyrics to date. And Salt has become a top 3-5 for me after last weeks shows.

few bands in recent history have put out 4 (imo) classic albums in a row. i can't think of one personally... even Wilco had a bit of a dropoff after their 3rd straight classic album (YHF) with AGIB. i like good music, i don't care if bands make drastic changes or not. Change for the sake of isn't a good thing, I don't want them to "change who they are". Plus this album has more in common with Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers than it does HV.

also, as someone who has been seeing them live for coming up on 10 years in September, they're better live than they've ever been at the moment (not surprisingly). can't wait for DC/Philly/Richmond next weekend.

Dismiss it as fanboy homerism, I don't really care, but this is by far one I'd my favorite albums this year (only one that comes close so far is Phosphorescent). And has only gotten more enjoyable as weeks go on.

Well you're off about High Violet and Wilco's A Ghost Is Born...in my professional estimation.

I connected with this album very quickly and find myself really enjoying discovering the deeper subtleties to it. Can't blast it in the car but it's getting its fair due. How does it compare to their other efforts? It's their next album, I don't do comparisons that lead to ranking... rank this.

Gods' Dice wrote: Well you're off about High Violet and Wilco's A Ghost Is Born...in my professional estimation.

AGIB has aged well, but when it came out in 2004, I didn't know too many big Wilco fans who weren't let town after YHF. It's way better than Sky Blue Sky and infinitely better than Wilco The Album at least.

I know a ton of people personally who got into The National based on High Violet, but coming off Boxer, which is in my top 3 of the 00's, it was def a let down for quite a while for me. Grew on me and wound up my 2nd fave album of 2010 after Teen Dream.

oasisfan35 wrote:I connected with this album very quickly and find myself really enjoying discovering the deeper subtleties to it. Can't blast it in the car but it's getting its fair due. How does it compare to their other efforts? It's their next album, I don't do comparisons that lead to ranking... rank this.

preciesly.

People need to learn to enjoy albums/music for what it is, not what it isn't, or what they wished it to be.

Judge it on it's own merit, you don't ALWAYS have to have some sort of yardstick.

I know I've been guilty from time to time, but you're setting yourself up for disappointment if you expect bands to always outdo their last album.

If you're truly not enjoying this album and have been a fan for at least the last 2-3 albums, I honestly feel sorta bad though, because I wish you could experience how much joy it brings me.

TWFM is getting pretty rave reviews across the board, so apparently a lot of people like it. (granted so is the new Vampire Weekend, so I digress... )

lol you don't have to feel bad for us, there's plenty other music for us to enjoy outside of this band

and every fucking album is getting rave reviews, why do people always have to bring that up like they needed to convince themselves they're in the right

Heathen wrote:lol you don't have to feel bad for us, there's plenty other music for us to enjoy outside of this band

and every fucking album is getting rave reviews, why do people always have to bring that up like they needed to convince themselves they're in the right

Tell that to Daft Punk (mostly rave reviews, but a lot more negative ones than TWFM too).

But that wasn't the point, I was just saying some people were acting like this was getting panned or something crazy.

Plus, as long as something moves me, I know for a fact I'm "in the right", since that's all that actually matters .

That said, I am curious what are some of your favorite albums this year if not this one.

I've been posting regularly about my favorites of the year in the 2013 thread but it's safe to assume they'd be a waste of your time for the most part