Imagine, if you will, Nick Cave fronting an indie band because that's how The National sound here. Their guitars rattle and soar in a slightly menacing (though still radio friendly) fashion, but singer Matt Berninger delivers his vocals with an air of detached gravitas that suggests he would sound somewhat out of place on Top Of The Pops.
This track, a remixed version from the one that appears on their critically acclaimed 'Alligator' LP, builds up the tempo with some considered, cryptic verses replete with interesting lyrical imagery ("she wears her skirt like a flag") before rushing into an epic chorus of almost U2 proportions.
The only problem is that in attempting to weld together these two seemingly incongruous styles, The National fall between two stools; while they're never going to bother the top ten à la Arctic Monkeys, they'll also find it difficult to convince cynics that they 'mean it.' The Bravery for manic depressives, anyone?
i'm sorry, but this review is a little bit rubbish.
...and doesn't really come close to explaining the band i know and love. and why do so many people deem it neccesary to define a band by how likely they are to get onto totp?? that's irrelevant. isn't it? as is mention of the arctic monkeys and the bravery. here's a band that weave a rich, melodramatic alt-country musicality beneath peerlessly imposing poetry. can you not deal with that on its own?
alligator - second best album of the year. no contest.
why don't you...
... write your own then?
LOL
burnt.
because i wanted to discuss this one...
...this is a discussion board, no?
that's a terrible review, sorry
mentioning U2 is unforgivable. this band have more ideas in their nasal hairs than u2 have in their entire collective body.
AND, "The Bravery for manic depressives, anyone?"
what are you on about?
there's a big difference...
... between discussion and non-constructive criticism.
obviously you like this band a lot so the review caused offence. for me, this single was a let down.
and, in my opinion, mentioning other bands helps put things in context and provides an easy point of reference for people who aren't familiar with the act in question.
i beg to differ...
... i explained, to a point, why i disliked the review, didn't i? i fail to see how the arctic flippin' monkeys or the bravery provide any shred of reference relevant to this band. which was one reason for taking exception to it. sheeesh!
Also...
surely if it got 7/10 it wasn't that much of a let down? If 5/10 is average that surely means the review's saying it's good?
Rob, that's the same bit that I have trouble with too
I reviewed the album for a magazine in May and I knew i was swimming against the tide of flattery even then, because whether they "mean it" or not was the crux for me too. I enjoyed "Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers," but there's something about this album that makes me think that wordy scenaria are being concocted for maximum effect.
that's exactly the point i was trying to get across...
... with my Bravery comment. Thanks for understanding!
i adore the national too
(especially after seeing them live) but am still baffled as to why they've released these inferior reworked mixes for their last 2 singles. but it took me about 30 listens to their record to realise how much i love it, and so i can totally understand why people might overlook them.
but i kind of see troy's point; mentioning the arctic monkeys and the bravery's not really giving people much of an idea of what they sound like. think more along the lines of the tindersticks lead singer's voice and then try and dig out some of these tracks for more info:
www.americanmary.com has some downloads off the first 2 records (and very good ones)
and this link has mp3's of a recent live set:
http://www.muzzleofbees.com/2005/12/14/the-national-black-sessions/
The National
Are a good band but can do better. See "About Today" off Cherry tree mini album for their real potential.
the reviewer
didn't compare their sound to AM OR The Bravery really - it was a point about their authenticity that probably fleshed up Bravery allusions.
Sure TOTP has little to do with longevity and mainstream success to fans but outside of that little realm of people who go to see them wearing their devotion on their sleeves I took that the reviewer was saying they don't have mass appeal because they lack something.
This is where I agree with the review. Having listened to Alligator I just didn't take much from what I heard it seemed to be affecting emotion rather than resonating any real feeling especially from the singer.
Rather than the flag imagery being amazing, astounding or peerless it actually appears forced.
I think I could count 3 songs I liked on Alligator. one was Daughters...the rest was just un engaging to me.
That black lights guy....
Is right. It's a rubbish review. I'm not going to write my own, or pointlessly pontificate on what constitutes a good or bad review. I'm busy doing stuff. But it's rubbish, so there. You should know better. Hey, and I'm not even a fan of The National really, but I can recognize a badly written piece.
the chorus...
is a humble, cracked, bruised and gorgeous thing.
Just because you can sing along to it doesn't mean it sounds like U2.
Manic depressive
Is a very good point- the album consists of songs of blind positivity and then the subsequent lows. I think the album is their attempt to "write a big album" when they are better quieter and with less bluster.
I don't care much...
...for their previous album, though I've not heard the first. The Cherry Tree EP's marvellous, though.
Maybe not TOTP, but…
...It's still good enough to get on Uncut Magazine's "UNCUT presents the year's essential music" CD. And hey, that's good enough for me. Besides, even if the lyrics are constructed for the purpose, does that detract from the power of the words themselves? If so, how? Is it that they don't mean it? The lead singer sounds like he means it - enough for me to believe in it while I sing along. I don’t know about you, but that’s all I need. If it looks like chocolate, smells like chocolate and tastes like chocolate, my guess is that it’s chocolate.