National - High Violet

  by Daniel Cressey

published: 13 / 5 / 2010

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Sounding ever more world-weary of voice and ever more epic in song structure, the National return with 'High Violet', another triumph of an album. The lyrics on this release are just as bleak as past recordings would lead you to expect. Misery, self-loathing, and depression drip from Matt Berninger's deep voice. The arrangements never let this slip down into maudlin pity though. Deceptively simple, the music can build to something epic from the quiet ingredients of quiet pianos, almost shyly retiring guitars, and smatterings of strings. The simplicity frequently grows to something greater without the listener really noticing, especially if focus is distracted by Berninger's low-key claims of misery and woe. Despite the acclaim afforded him and his band, Berninger is eminently believable when he sings “you'd never believe the shitty thoughts i think” and “I still owe money, to the money, to the money I owe”. The songs here are entrancing even when it sounds like the band are mocking their own misery singing (on 'Conversation 16'), “I was afraid, I'd eat your brains; 'cause I'm evil” and still somehow sounding compelling and even meaningful. Occasional forays into the unfathomable – “You and your sister live in a Lemonworld” for example are made more charming by their juxtaposition with everyday tales of bad days and worse nights. The downcast have rarely sounded so uplifting, and High Violet is both intensely personal and immediately relate-able. This is a truly essential album and one that is simply glorious.

Track Listing:-

1 Terrible Love
2 Sorrow
3 Anyone's Ghost
4 Little Faith
5 Afraid of Everyone
6 Bloodbuzz Ohio
7 Lemonworld
8 Runaway
9 Conversation 16
10 England
11 Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

Band Links:-

https://www.americanmary.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thenationalofficial
https://twitter.com/TheNational

Label Links:-

http://www.4ad.com/
https://www.facebook.com/fourad/
https://twitter.com/4AD_Official
https://plus.google.com/explore/4AD

Have a Listen:-

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