here are a bunch of quoted posts from the other thread that will probably look terrible and be impossible to read
i think this might be the best National albumunfortunately there's not much more in the way of upbeat art-rockers like "You Had Your Soul With You" and the moody midtempo tracks they've always preferred still dominate
― ufo, Monday, May 13, 2019 11:40 PM (four days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Not In Kansas seems a standout on first listen but there's a lot to take in, especially with all the guest vocalists.
Must be a couple of their longest ever tracks on this record too.
― groovypanda, Tuesday, May 14, 2019 2:30 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
i really like "where is her head", the way it builds with all the overlapping vocals is wonderful
the interpolation of thinking fellers union local 282's "noble experiment" in "not in kansas" was quite unexpected but it's nice to be reminded of that
― ufo, Tuesday, May 14, 2019 3:03 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
i think this might be the best National album
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, May 14, 2019 6:23 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
as long as it's better than the last one.
― The Pingularity (ledge), Tuesday, May 14, 2019 6:31 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
it's in many ways a continuation of the last one but lacks a moodbreaker like "turtleneck"
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, May 14, 2019 6:34 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
holy shit "Not in Kansas": a monologue about Berninger's reminiscing about R.E.M.'s "Begin the Begin."
― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, May 14, 2019 6:37 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
the guest vocalists actually make this thing feel less long than it is
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, May 14, 2019 6:38 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I do regret that they didn't write a song for "Her Father in the Pool."
― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, May 14, 2019 6:39 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
xps yeah the arrangements are what i like the most about this album, it's probably not their strongest collection of songs but the arrangements are all their best and most interesting they've ever been
"turtleneck" was the worst thing about sleep well beast, completely out of place and also just not very good
the guest vocalists are all very welcome and provide a nice foil for berninger, but none of them have quite the same impact as when gail ann dorsey first comes in on the bridge of "you had your soul with you"
i am probably going to attempt to edit this and sleep well beast down to a single album to finally make a national album that i love the whole way through
― ufo, Tuesday, May 14, 2019 6:43 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
"the pull of you" is absolutely perfect
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, May 14, 2019 11:52 AM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
first testament was really great
the sequel was incredible
like the godfathers or the first two strokes
every document's indelible
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, May 14, 2019 12:34 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
"not in kansas" -> "so far so fast" are like the two best national songs ever, right in a row
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, May 14, 2019 12:41 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
and "oblivions" is the kind of song only they could write
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, May 14, 2019 1:31 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
There's some lovely stuff on this record. I don't know if it is their best album, but on first listen there is nothing that stands out as a reason why it couldn't be.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, May 14, 2019 2:23 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Man, "Not In Kansas." It's been ... I don't know how long since I heard a song that made me want to focus on and figure out its lyrics so badly.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, May 14, 2019 2:30 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
when "Rylan starts, I sing, "Got my mind SET. ON. YOU."
― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, May 14, 2019 2:37 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
i like the "flowers of guatamala" reference ("the flowers cover over everything") a couple of verses after "i'm listening to r.e.m. again"
― rip van wanko, Tuesday, May 14, 2019 2:45 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
The contemporary classical bent of whichever one of the brothers is into that stuff really pays off on this album's arrangements.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, May 14, 2019 2:50 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
this is so long and so unified in its approach that I'm having a hard time parsing individual songs as opposed to a constantly alternating set of peaks and valleys. which I guess for some will be sort of an apotheosis of Their Thing but I'm not really finding any points of entry beyond a few standout ideas here and there. "You Had Your Soul With You" had me hoping this wouldn't be the case. (as always I reserve the right to change my mind later lol)
― Simon H., Tuesday, May 14, 2019 7:09 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
like, there are a ton of sonic ideas here but all of them are incorporated into every single track, y'know? relax!!
― Simon H., Tuesday, May 14, 2019 7:10 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Brad, you are getting me very excited about this new album. it's not on Spotify until Friday however.
― Bee OK, Tuesday, May 14, 2019 7:57 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
They're the most intricately boring band I've ever heard.
― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, May 14, 2019 8:05 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
"you had your soul with you" is absolutely their best track ever
― ufo, Tuesday, May 14, 2019 8:09 PM (three days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
simon i have a feeling you’ll like this the more you spend time with it. it wasn’t billed as a double album but it works like one: the songs talk to each other, and it works itself into weird subspaces. oddly i think watching the movie is a way in too, it enriches specific lyrics
― american bradass (BradNelson), Wednesday, May 15, 2019 4:07 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
i will say the album is more ballad-forward than i expected or hoped but i’ve already adjusted
― american bradass (BradNelson), Wednesday, May 15, 2019 4:08 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
yeah same
the only real dud for me is Rylan which i know is apparently a fan favourite because it's been floating around for 8 years or something but it's still them at their most middle-of-the-road even though the arrangement is a lot better than it would have been a decade ago
― ufo, Wednesday, May 15, 2019 4:49 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I think the album is a bundle of good contradictions. It's not really a double album but feels like one, it's ballad heavy but not necessarily chill, it's got some of Matt's best lyrics and singing but he often takes a back seat to other singers and singing, it's got some pretty jarring experimental elements but it's totally MOR. And so on.
Oh, and needless to say, the drumming is incredible.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, May 15, 2019 4:52 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
i love every lyric and sound in "quiet light"
― american bradass (BradNelson), Wednesday, May 15, 2019 5:14 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
learning how not to cry every time there's another sad unbearable morning
but sometimes there's nothing i can do
i can't help it
― american bradass (BradNelson), Wednesday, May 15, 2019 5:17 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
the drumming on "quiet light" is brilliant, bryan devendorf seems to get better with every album somehow
― ufo, Wednesday, May 15, 2019 5:23 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
wow i REALLY love this album
― american bradass (BradNelson), Wednesday, May 15, 2019 4:09 PM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
https://www.nme.com/news/national-rockier-songs-leftover-may-get-freezer-2488317
apparently they've got a bunch of rockier material left over from the Sleep Well Beast sessions that didn't make this album either since it didn't fit the mood of the film etc. so i hope that'll be more "the system only dreams"/"you had your soul with you" than "turtleneck" whenever it sees the light of day
― ufo, Wednesday, May 15, 2019 10:41 PM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
The contemporary classical bent of whichever one of the brothers is into that stuff really pays off on this album's arrangements.
That is Bryce! His own chamber music is def worth checking out
― flamboyant goon tie included, Thursday, May 16, 2019 5:07 AM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
it's the way that you're going to stop needing to tell me you want me as much as i want you to
― american bradass (BradNelson), Thursday, May 16, 2019 8:56 AM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Their best album.
― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, May 16, 2019 9:21 AM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
yep
― american bradass (BradNelson), Thursday, May 16, 2019 9:22 AM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I've never top tenned one of their albums before.
― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, May 16, 2019 9:24 AM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
me neither, and it usually takes me a while to figure out how i feel about them, cf. the album this thread is named after
― american bradass (BradNelson), Thursday, May 16, 2019 9:25 AM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink