The National - High Violet

Those who have read my previous posts will notice that The National's "Boxer" was my favorite album of 2007. That is always a difficult feat to follow-up, let alone to repeat. And though I can't say that "High Violet" (out May 10, 2010) will be my favorite album of this year (I think that for the moment Beach House's "Teen Dream" is still slightly ahead) it will definitely be at the top of the list. Contributions from other indie icons, including Bon Iver and Sufjan Stevens don't hurt either!

This time they've changed up the formula a touch. Now, existing The National fans need not worry, all of those awe-inspiring moments are still here, along with Matt Berninger's beautifully crafted lyricism, Bryan Devendorf's creative drumming and of course, endless melancholy. It's the aesthetic choices, more than anything, that have changed. On "Boxer", every song seemed to crisply revolve around Berninger's unmistakable baritone. This time around, the instrumentation is more lively and is more so made up of dense walls of sound. Where as the hooks were once subtle and needed time to hit home, these hooks bare much more immediacy. It's not to say that, like all other tunes in their songbook, these songs don't grow on you the more you listen. That would be misleading in that there is plenty to discover under the surface. But they definitely grab hold of you faster than the songs from any of their previous albums. Though the aesthetics get changed up, the thematics certainly do not; this is yet another painful evening with our guide, Matt Berninger, as he takes us through failed relationships, uneasiness, and heartbreak, possibly even with a less hopeful spirit than on previous outings. It is ironic to me then, that it may also be the album that finally launches these guys beyond the realm of indie-rock and into the mainstream. Let's hope they don't pull a Modest Mouse if that happens. Here's a quick run-through of the tracks:

1. Terrible Love (if that title doesn't sum up The National, I don't know what does)
They debuted this song on Fallon, if I'm not mistaken, and it immediately shoves the aesthetic difference of this album in your face. It's rough around the edges, not too polished, and the lyrics are slightly muddled within the instrumentation, rather than being front and center. But as soon as the first line is sung ("It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders") you're hooked.

2. Sorrow
"Don't leave my hyper heart alone, on the water / Cover me in rag and bone / Sympathy / Cause I don't want to get over you."
Seriously, need I say more? This is the moment I said to myself "I love this album."

3. Anyone's Ghost
Two on the kick drum and two on the snare...this one comes out with an almost head-bobbable beat. It's a song about distrust, hurt feelings and the damage caused by the combination of the two. ("I had a hole in the middle where the lightning went through").

4. Little Faith
This track jumped out at me right away, mostly due to the 70s prog-style bass line. It creates tension that reminds me of "Start a War" from their previous album, as Berninger admits "I set a fire just to see what it kills".

5. Afraid of Everyone
Many seem to be naming this their favorite song on the album. Though I personally don't agree, and would never choose a favorite song on an album by The National until I've listened to the whole thing 40 or 50 times, I could easily imagine this song on the radio. It's a slow build to an intense climax. Berninger seems to know exactly when to take the melody up a step to match the growing intensity of the song.  

6. Bloodbuzz Ohio
Most fans have had this on their iPods for quite a while now, as it was the first single released some time ago. It's a sad story of a man returning home to a relationship he took for granted, and likely lost. ("I never thought about love when I thought about home.")

7. Lemonworld
The centerpiece of the album, I read somewhere that they recorded over 70 takes of the track, changing up the effects, the mixing, etc. and in the end they settled on...the very first take! They wanted to leave this one rough and unpolished.

8. Runaway
This one could have come right off "Boxer". It has that same crisp and quietly potent quality. It's a hushed little break-up anthem in which the speaker declares "We don't bleed when we don't fight / Go ahead, go ahead, throw your arms in the air tonight". The way it lyrically captures (and therefore creates) the visual scene that is taking place is remarkable. You can literally imagine the movement and body language...who needs a video when it can be done with words alone?

9. Conversation 16
Another track that caught my attention when I first listened to this album was this hauntingly sad number about a couple pretending to be happy despite their increasingly fractured relationship, or maybe it's long-dead. The artifice of it all is showcased when Berninger proclaims "It's a Hollywood summer" and "We belong in a movie".

10. England
I knew Sufjan Stevens had contributed to a song on this album and when this one started with it's oddly-familiar piano line, I was sure this was the one. I was wrong. But listen to his song "Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, IL" from his Illinois album and tell me I was crazy to think so. In either case, this is another track that gradually builds to a raucous climax, including horns, even! (Ahem, another Stevens staple.)

11.  Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks
This is the lullaby at the end of the album. And though it was entirely about heartbreak, broken relationships and the pain and depression that potentially come with love or its loss, this final track seemingly absolves hopeless romantics of their sins, offering that "All the very best of us / String ourselves up for love".

I can't wait to keep getting deeper into this one. Being an avid fan of The National, I know that as with all of their albums, it will only get better after dozens and dozens of repeat listens!

Good night, fractured lovers.