The National - Trouble Will Find Me

yeah this album is a return to a heavier focus on lyrics (verses at least) compared to HOOKS ONLY m.o. of high violet

that might explain my reluctance

it's okay to be sad, alfred

don't turn into the lex on me here.

I'd trim this a bit - "Don't Swallow the Cap," "Humiliation" and "Slipped" don't add much, at least based on the first few listens.

ahhh i really like humilation and slipped

yeah this album is a return to a heavier focus on lyrics (verses at least) compared to HOOKS ONLY m.o. of high violet

― bish (bosch), don't kill my vibe (rennavate), Friday, May 10, 2013 3:54 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark

feel like HV had barely any hooks :/

Hmmm... Listened to the new one seven times now... And even though I really love it's mood, I somehow do miss the immediacy and, indeed, the "hooks", of High Violet.

I love the singular mood on the new record, as it is very focused on a particular sadness/subdued vibe. But I just switched to High Violet and noticed I do relish the "urgency" on that record, that seems to be lacking on the new album.

Something about the track order that does not really appeals to me on the new one. It is quite bland? I still stand by my earlier remarks, that I love the focus on the new one. But after playing it seven times, the switch to High Violet seems like a pretty big step backwards? I miss the dynamics, most of all.

I will have to hold out on a definitive judgement...

There seem to be no standouts on this new album. I have songs I prefer, but there aren't any 'Sorrows''s, 'Lemonworld's' or 'Englands''s...

Conflicted.

i really love sad music, might be my favorite type of music. the Cure being my number one and the Boo Radleys being my number two. after reading this thread i'm really, really looking forward to hearing this new album. not even going to listen to this leak and will buy it. nice, coming in out in just over a week.

That's a great top two bands Bee!

Does someone not like England?! Wow.

thanks Kitchen Person.

cover of this album has that "by virtue of the hype and the market this record should be a Big Record with a Big Concept but we don't know what it is so we're just going to give you this kind of bombastic minimalist cover image to ponder" thing

― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, May 10, 2013 11:11 AM (4 days ago)

Good thread idea.

http://thatdoesntsoundright.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/591px-the_mars_volta-de_loused_in_the_comatorium-2003-cover.jpeg

^right

yeah all those hypgnosis (sp?) covers are definitely the major source point for this

u2 and coldplay are basically the paragons of this, since their lyrics being mostly meaningless bombast is at the heart of both of their aesthetics

but yeah new thread i think

I don't like "England," either.

I think I like my 10-track reshuffled edit of this new one quite a bit, though I do think next time around they might consider bringing in an outside producer to mess with their sound a bit.

I never made one, did you? Xpost

and if you want to see me cry then let it be or nevermind

Pink Rabbits is my favorite. Slays me.

You didn't see me I was falling apart
I was a white girl in a crowd of white girls in the park
You didn't see me I was falling apart
I was a television version of a person with a broken heart

Loving this album more with every spin. It's so harmonious and singular in the feeling it wants to channel.

Only 'Heavenfaced', the sixth song, I just cannot listen to, because of my allergy to all things U2, and it really comes too close to being U2. Other than that, fantastic album.

Pink Rabbits: Morrissey reference alert ("Bona Drag was still on")

hahaha, they posted a link to Target on their Facebook, who will have it on sale for $8.99 tomorrow. Reminds me of back in the 90s when Best Buy started carry 4AD CDs for crazy loss leader prices and I bought just about everything available.

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/18030-the-national-trouble-will-find-me/

Is the lack of discussion about this new release in any way a passive aggressive kinda thing??

There's a new National album !?!

"This Is The Last Time" is the first track to really get my attention. Though I still like everything else so far...

alfred's review of this in spin is totally otm

Kudos for linking this band to the John Cale of Paris 1919. There's something to that, whether or not it is actually there.

"don't swallow the cap" is an early standout

Some words here - http://sickmouthy.com/2013/05/26/albums-from-may-part-1/

Good read, Nick. I like the idea of Jim O'Rourke behind the mixing table on this one. I really, really enjoy this National album, they are so good at what they do. But now you spoiled it all by presenting me with what could have been ;)

Nah, I do think O'Rourke in particular could have helped them to be more 'sparse' at times, which makes you listen more closely, with even more attention.

this bands shite

Listened to the boxer on repeat in the cleanroom today. That album is still the best. High violet is ok but the first track sounds terrible, and I don't understand. Excited to hear new one if spotify ever gets it.

go carl co!

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/music_box/2013/05/the_national_s_trouble_will_find_me_reviewed_too_many_crescendos.html

i had to point out to carl that i employed the term "Crescendo Rock" as early as 2006. and that it IS an actual genre of sorts with last fm tags and everything. but surely there are cases of even earlier coinage.

alfred's review of this in spin is totally otm

― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Thursday, May 23, 2013 11:13 PM (5 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Kudos for linking this band to the John Cale of Paris 1919. There's something to that, whether or not it is actually there.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, May 23, 2013

aw thanks!

Alfred-nice catch on Berninger utilizing his head voice more. and, eek, I guess that's the highlight of the album for me thus far. Making HV look rather strong in comparison, and I thought that was a but of a letdown. Especially lyrically. 'I was afraid I'd eat your brains'?! They seem to be treading water a bit with the crescendo rock trick, works great on a fantastic riff like England, not so well on a mediocrity like This is the last time.

Appreciate the Sad Songs shout out above-my favorite track of theirs may be Murder Me Rachael. I miss the really loud songs they used to do.

I really love This Is The Last Time.

I got invited to see these guys tomorrow night in Brooklyn, at the Barclays Center. Such an odd band to become an arena headliner.

Trying to like this... But it's not working.

Do I need to look up the lyrics and sit down with it top really get it? I'm prepared to do that if ILX thinks it wise.

There's too much going on on this record, too many ideas, too many layers, too many instruments. It blurs together as a consequence, and the songs lose a sense of individuality; live they were more discernible as separate entities, Graceless had far more energy and punch, for instance. For that reason, for me, this is inferior to High Violet and Boxer by quite some way. My wife adores it though, but she likes them far more than me in general.

Its too tasteful. They're very tasteful generally, obviously, but this over-stepped, I think.

Agreed, and I think it's just too long a record to maintain this sound successfully. Boxer has a similar consistent sound & feel, but is the perfect length for an album (IMHO) so it never drags ...

no surprise this has appeared on a few EOY lists.

As maximalist as it is, Boxer has a certain economy in the way it's mixed; there's never too many elements.

This album is... not for me. Sends me to sleep.

I see all your points and don't disagree with 'em, but fuck it, I love this record anyway. I think Berninger's writing is good enough that I can overlook the goopiness.