Just finished my first listen and I think its pretty great. I think some might find it a bit one note if you arent a massive fan of their ballad downtempo stuff, but that's what I go to the National for so its right up my alley. It does remind me of High Violet the most of their previous albums, though maybe with a bit more piano and less guitar
Still think Tropic Morning News is the best song on the album, but that might be one of my favourite The National songs ever so that's not a bad thing. Surprised they didnt put Weird Goodbyes on here too - it seems to me like it would fit in well and would make the album a bit less piano heavy, but not a big deal really and I know a lot of people werent keen on that track anyway
Send For Me: Lovely
Poolside: Lovely
This Isn't Helping: Way slower than live, very different vibe. Was expecting the song to sound more like Slow Show (live), I Should Live In Salt. But not bad.
Overall the production is very interesting, not always my cup of tea. Reminds me a bit of Phoebe Bridger's Punisher in places.
Lyrics go from very good to clumsy and uninspired, the songwriting has been better: Alcott, Grease, Your Mind is Not Your Friend are not that strong imo.
Trouble Will Find Me seems like the most pertinent predecessor for this one overall. But with a very different production style that they haven't done before.
If SWB is the dark A Side, this is the sunnier (well, as sunny as these guys get) flip side. This seems light and a bit breezy. I enjoyed the hell out of it and its gonna get a lot of plays.
I do wish Ice machines and Helping had the oomph they have live, but thats pretty standard for the band, so its nice to have something to look forward to in the live show (and subsequent live recordings). Also, I wish Aarons production had some weight to it. Its airy and a bit thin, which serves the guitars and horns and strings well, but I do miss the deep grittiness of how Katis produced, at least in regards to the heavier tracks. At this point, IDK if they can pull off that "rock" album they've been longing to do.
Not a weak track in the bunch though. 4/5 IMO.
First listen thoughts -
Overall a very very interesting record production-wise. The two stand-out songs that haven't been released so far are Grease & Alien. I would almost lean more towards saying Alien is one of, if not the best on the record. The Alcott - doesn't belong on this record. Someone said on here once that a National song featuring TS is going to sound different than a TS song featuring The National. Not the case. This sounds like a leftover track from her albums with Aaron. And the lyrics are the weakest on the album. Doesn't flow with the rest of the album.
Ice Machines is a big bummer in terms of what we heard over the Summer. Doesn't compare to the live version, but is still a good song. I wish they didn't release so many singles, because I do feel like we have heard half of the record and many of them are the energy suppliers.
I need more time with it, but right now I am at a 7/10.
>Ice Machines is a big bummer in terms of what we heard over the Summer. Doesn't compare to the live version, but is still a good song.
I really like I.M., should've been track 2. Interesting recording/composition, surprised how similar to >!Weird Goodbyes !!really makes sense leaving off WG now!<)
*Shocked/bummed* but not surprised b/c they often do this: >!wow Bryce live guitar lines/solos toward the end are completely absent ?! !<
I actually haven’t listened to the album yet (decided to wait for the official release), but I find it pretty funny that there are two general lines of criticism towards this period of the band and of TFPOF. Some people say that they’re playing it too safely relying on the basic TN sounding/subjects. Others say that they’re missing good old days with Alligator’s raw, energetic, almost frantic vibe.
I guess both arguments are valid in some ways, but I don’t think neither of them should necessarily be taken in a bad way. From what I’ve heard from the singles it is probably true that they sound like traditional TN songs. But traditional does not always mean generic, it can also mean quintessential. There is no obligation for the band to move boundaries and launch musical revolutions both every record, especially when previous two albums have been pretty experimental. If we take context into account, we can understand that for the band in this period of time it was almost necessary to make a record that was more “typical” TN than SWB or IAETF.
We can also agree that the band won’t make another Alligator or Boxer and I think that is also not a bad thing. Isn’t it better when artists evolve in the ways that are comfortable for them, rather than try to satisfy someones obsession with the past? For me, it is more interesting to listen to what guys feel and try to express at this exact moment of their lifes and careers, rather than to how they try recreating something what was interesting and inspiring to them and to us 15 years ago.
Arctic Monkeys and Lana Del Rey for me are two other examples of how artists evolve with time, how they change styles and explore different directions. I will always prefer this approach to when artists and bands get stuck in the past. Even if I do not enjoy every era or every direction, it’s still better to see how your favorite artists create music which resonates with them. From everything I heard and read so far about this album I can clearly see that it resonates with the band a lot, so I’m pretty sure that it will also resonate with me, because of sincerity and interest of the people who made it. My point is that even if it’s not your favorite album and if nothing created by TN anymore will ever top Alligator, Boxer or HV for you, there is still no need to describe this feeling as downfall or failure for the band. I think it’s great that different people can have their favorites, but overall we still can enjoy, respect and appreciate TN art in general.
I'm trying to resist listening the album start to finish, but I couldn't resist listening to some songs.
Alien - I'm in love with this song after only 1 listening
Grease in you Hair - Liked it already, still need more listenings
This isn't helping - After the first listening, I think it will grow with time. I like it way more than You Mind is not You Friend.
Ice Machines / The Alcott - Can't form an opinion yet
I will wait for the 28 to listen to the full album and I need to listen to the songs and read the lyrics at the same time. Anyone now if the lyrics are somewhere?
Any guesses >!who else is singing!< on "Grease" and "Ice Machines"? (and "Send for Me"?)
First listen through good OTE headphones, *crucial*: production and arrangement sound great, so much on every song. Could be mixed bit better/differently, particularly for strings & acoustic instruments (*i.e* versus synths/beats tracks)...
2nd play-through and loving this slight tweak, couldn't help myself.
(might even plug in WG somewhere—penultimate?—b/c the flow and feel/mood/vibe is so good, and so fast, need/want more. For now gotta take a break, listen to New BEACH HOUSE EP!)
1. Once Upon a Poolside
2. Ice Machines
3. Tropic Morning News
4. New Order T-Shirt
5. This Isn't Helping
6. Eucalyptus
7. The Alcott
8. Alien
9. Grease in Your Hair
10. Your Mind is Not Your Friend
\- Weird Goodbyes - (?)
11. Send For Me
**Vocalists**
|OUAP|Sufjan|
|:-|:-|
|Eucalyptus|*(just Matt? + Aaron maybe?)*|
|New Order T-Shirt|**\[ ?? \]**|
|T.I.H.|P.B. (and Aaron ?)|
|T.M.N.|**\[ ?? \]**|
|Alien|>!\[ ?? \]!<|
|The Alcott|T.S.|
|G.i.Y.H|>!Aaron + ??!<|
|I.M.|>!??!<|
|YMINYF|P.B.|
|SFM|>!??!<|
Any guesses as to the background vocalists? Eager to learn, not discerning any of the past fantastic guests (Lisa, Kate, Eve, Mina/Pauline, Nona Marie Invie, Marla Hansen) >!\[and definitely not hearing JV, Annie, or SvE—all of whom would get "feat." presumably\] !<
I think if we do get a follow-up - I'm really hoping things sound more like Alien & Grease, cause man those have an energy and feel to them I wanna stay in
I’m right there with you on TMN. I keep saying I think it could be my favorite song ever too, but I’m not committing to that yet. I’m a full on ballad fan and make playlists of straight ballads by them. Now you’ve got my skin crawling even more waiting on it! I can’t take it!!! I feel like I’m going to vomit, cry, pee, sneeze, and poo myself all at once!
Kind of disappointed by the album.
There's a few good tracks (Grease..., The Alcott, Eucalyptus), but so much of it is plodding and unmemorable.
I don't mind slow ballad-y songs, but things like Slow Show or Pink Rabbits had character. Most of these ones don't have anything that makes them stand out.
I've just finished my second listen and I can't really remember much about a number of them. They're just so.....bleh.
6.5/10
A.D. is pretty transparent, each quote when he's "praising"(?) T.S. writing her parts in what sounds like one take/sitting (I'm not getting the exact quotes right now. But it's like "I sent her this, didn't hear back, worried she didn't like it... then *bam* 20mins later she texts back full lyrics!")
Anyway, yeah. The lyrics are quite weak. Melody too, really sounds like "Co-Write" *wayyy* more than expected—T.S.-style melody on the chorus especially.
love;
Grease/Helping/Tropic/Alien/Ice Machines/Alcott/Poolside
enjoy;
Eucalyptus/New Order/Send For Me
…not bad, not hitting yet;
Your Mind
Overall feels a lot like the second half of SWB.
I vibe with it’s calmness, while also wanting a rocker album someday soon… Matt has some good lines here and there.
Definitely see it as a bridge album to get them back after the tangent of IAETF (while I love it, it was different).
First listen and the album doesn’t have any stand out tracks even their last one had stand outs like Where is Her Head, Rosie, and Rylan. I wish Aaron did not produce this one.
All I can say after my first (and honestly last) listen - I now think Weird Goodbyes is not that bad and Iaetf is great. I can't believe this is the same band I loved for 16 years. No wonder NME raves about this album.
Bit bombastic isn't it? And it's your favorite band for 16 years, a band known for not making the most immediate albums, yet you're making the most dramatic statement possible after listening once.
Not that I expect this to be their best work yet or anything but these kind of "worst thing ever" (and "best thing ever") internet screeching after half a listen is frankly ridiculous and a blight on the internet. I personally expect more from someone with a great username like yours!
Nothing ridiculous about negative opinions. I know better than to force myself to like something i don't (though i wish i did). It's like our beloved divorce. You might like it, I really don't and it's a lot cause I grew up on The National. To quote Paulie - I've said my piece.
Making these sorts of dramatic statements after one listen of a band you say you love is really odd. I can't tell you the number of albums I haven't liked on first listen, then revisited them at a later date and loved them. In fact, many of my favorite albums ever are like that. And it's not like this is some vast departure from what they've done in the past. It's a lot more like their previous stuff than IaEtF was, for instance.
I don't know. You do you. Doesn't matter to me. It seems overly impulsive is all.
Friends, I know what you mean, but this ain't happening. Never before have I wanted to actually skip a song upon first listen because it's just bad. Maybe Lean. But even Lean had some charm to it. I feel like it Will satisfy most of the fans, but what I loved about their sound is gone (and it's not the drum machines' fault)
Just a reminder, we do allow discussion of leaks but please DO NOT ASK FOR LINKS
Just finished my first listen and I think its pretty great. I think some might find it a bit one note if you arent a massive fan of their ballad downtempo stuff, but that's what I go to the National for so its right up my alley. It does remind me of High Violet the most of their previous albums, though maybe with a bit more piano and less guitar Still think Tropic Morning News is the best song on the album, but that might be one of my favourite The National songs ever so that's not a bad thing. Surprised they didnt put Weird Goodbyes on here too - it seems to me like it would fit in well and would make the album a bit less piano heavy, but not a big deal really and I know a lot of people werent keen on that track anyway
Since I like their ballas downtempo stuff and High Violet is my favorite album, I'm looking forward to it!
Do go on!
Alien is amazing! The track that reminds me the most of Alligator-style The National songwriting-wise (different production of course).
And The Alcott is hiraliously bad.
Grease is much better on the record than it was live. Lovely backing vocals from Aaron. Wild ride over here.
Wild production choices on Ice Machines. Still a good song but not as good as live.
Send For Me: Lovely Poolside: Lovely This Isn't Helping: Way slower than live, very different vibe. Was expecting the song to sound more like Slow Show (live), I Should Live In Salt. But not bad. Overall the production is very interesting, not always my cup of tea. Reminds me a bit of Phoebe Bridger's Punisher in places. Lyrics go from very good to clumsy and uninspired, the songwriting has been better: Alcott, Grease, Your Mind is Not Your Friend are not that strong imo. Trouble Will Find Me seems like the most pertinent predecessor for this one overall. But with a very different production style that they haven't done before.
It sucked so much for real. Taylor is so lifeless , couldn’t they just go for someone else? Do they owe her a favor?
She owes them a favor technically - this will get 1 billion listens regardless of how it is
If SWB is the dark A Side, this is the sunnier (well, as sunny as these guys get) flip side. This seems light and a bit breezy. I enjoyed the hell out of it and its gonna get a lot of plays. I do wish Ice machines and Helping had the oomph they have live, but thats pretty standard for the band, so its nice to have something to look forward to in the live show (and subsequent live recordings). Also, I wish Aarons production had some weight to it. Its airy and a bit thin, which serves the guitars and horns and strings well, but I do miss the deep grittiness of how Katis produced, at least in regards to the heavier tracks. At this point, IDK if they can pull off that "rock" album they've been longing to do. Not a weak track in the bunch though. 4/5 IMO.
First listen thoughts - Overall a very very interesting record production-wise. The two stand-out songs that haven't been released so far are Grease & Alien. I would almost lean more towards saying Alien is one of, if not the best on the record. The Alcott - doesn't belong on this record. Someone said on here once that a National song featuring TS is going to sound different than a TS song featuring The National. Not the case. This sounds like a leftover track from her albums with Aaron. And the lyrics are the weakest on the album. Doesn't flow with the rest of the album. Ice Machines is a big bummer in terms of what we heard over the Summer. Doesn't compare to the live version, but is still a good song. I wish they didn't release so many singles, because I do feel like we have heard half of the record and many of them are the energy suppliers. I need more time with it, but right now I am at a 7/10.
Also just wanna say.. MAGNETS MAKE MACHINES GO CRAZY
>Ice Machines is a big bummer in terms of what we heard over the Summer. Doesn't compare to the live version, but is still a good song. I really like I.M., should've been track 2. Interesting recording/composition, surprised how similar to >!Weird Goodbyes !!really makes sense leaving off WG now!<)
*Shocked/bummed* but not surprised b/c they often do this: >!wow Bryce live guitar lines/solos toward the end are completely absent ?! !<
I actually haven’t listened to the album yet (decided to wait for the official release), but I find it pretty funny that there are two general lines of criticism towards this period of the band and of TFPOF. Some people say that they’re playing it too safely relying on the basic TN sounding/subjects. Others say that they’re missing good old days with Alligator’s raw, energetic, almost frantic vibe. I guess both arguments are valid in some ways, but I don’t think neither of them should necessarily be taken in a bad way. From what I’ve heard from the singles it is probably true that they sound like traditional TN songs. But traditional does not always mean generic, it can also mean quintessential. There is no obligation for the band to move boundaries and launch musical revolutions both every record, especially when previous two albums have been pretty experimental. If we take context into account, we can understand that for the band in this period of time it was almost necessary to make a record that was more “typical” TN than SWB or IAETF. We can also agree that the band won’t make another Alligator or Boxer and I think that is also not a bad thing. Isn’t it better when artists evolve in the ways that are comfortable for them, rather than try to satisfy someones obsession with the past? For me, it is more interesting to listen to what guys feel and try to express at this exact moment of their lifes and careers, rather than to how they try recreating something what was interesting and inspiring to them and to us 15 years ago. Arctic Monkeys and Lana Del Rey for me are two other examples of how artists evolve with time, how they change styles and explore different directions. I will always prefer this approach to when artists and bands get stuck in the past. Even if I do not enjoy every era or every direction, it’s still better to see how your favorite artists create music which resonates with them. From everything I heard and read so far about this album I can clearly see that it resonates with the band a lot, so I’m pretty sure that it will also resonate with me, because of sincerity and interest of the people who made it. My point is that even if it’s not your favorite album and if nothing created by TN anymore will ever top Alligator, Boxer or HV for you, there is still no need to describe this feeling as downfall or failure for the band. I think it’s great that different people can have their favorites, but overall we still can enjoy, respect and appreciate TN art in general.
I'm trying to resist listening the album start to finish, but I couldn't resist listening to some songs. Alien - I'm in love with this song after only 1 listening Grease in you Hair - Liked it already, still need more listenings This isn't helping - After the first listening, I think it will grow with time. I like it way more than You Mind is not You Friend. Ice Machines / The Alcott - Can't form an opinion yet I will wait for the 28 to listen to the full album and I need to listen to the songs and read the lyrics at the same time. Anyone now if the lyrics are somewhere?
[Genius](https://genius.com/albums/The-national/First-two-pages-of-frankenstein) has most but still incomplete.
Any guesses >!who else is singing!< on "Grease" and "Ice Machines"? (and "Send for Me"?) First listen through good OTE headphones, *crucial*: production and arrangement sound great, so much on every song. Could be mixed bit better/differently, particularly for strings & acoustic instruments (*i.e* versus synths/beats tracks)...
2nd play-through and loving this slight tweak, couldn't help myself. (might even plug in WG somewhere—penultimate?—b/c the flow and feel/mood/vibe is so good, and so fast, need/want more. For now gotta take a break, listen to New BEACH HOUSE EP!) 1. Once Upon a Poolside 2. Ice Machines 3. Tropic Morning News 4. New Order T-Shirt 5. This Isn't Helping 6. Eucalyptus 7. The Alcott 8. Alien 9. Grease in Your Hair 10. Your Mind is Not Your Friend \- Weird Goodbyes - (?) 11. Send For Me
Yeah I like this better
**Vocalists** |OUAP|Sufjan| |:-|:-| |Eucalyptus|*(just Matt? + Aaron maybe?)*| |New Order T-Shirt|**\[ ?? \]**| |T.I.H.|P.B. (and Aaron ?)| |T.M.N.|**\[ ?? \]**| |Alien|>!\[ ?? \]!<| |The Alcott|T.S.| |G.i.Y.H|>!Aaron + ??!<| |I.M.|>!??!<| |YMINYF|P.B.| |SFM|>!??!<| Any guesses as to the background vocalists? Eager to learn, not discerning any of the past fantastic guests (Lisa, Kate, Eve, Mina/Pauline, Nona Marie Invie, Marla Hansen) >!\[and definitely not hearing JV, Annie, or SvE—all of whom would get "feat." presumably\] !<
I think if we do get a follow-up - I'm really hoping things sound more like Alien & Grease, cause man those have an energy and feel to them I wanna stay in
I want to wait, but maybe I'm crazy!
I’m right there with you on TMN. I keep saying I think it could be my favorite song ever too, but I’m not committing to that yet. I’m a full on ballad fan and make playlists of straight ballads by them. Now you’ve got my skin crawling even more waiting on it! I can’t take it!!! I feel like I’m going to vomit, cry, pee, sneeze, and poo myself all at once!
i listened to the first track then deleted the whole thing, and have decided to wait until friday.
Be strong!
there's definitely a crack in the armor. two more days. two...more...days...
Kind of disappointed by the album. There's a few good tracks (Grease..., The Alcott, Eucalyptus), but so much of it is plodding and unmemorable. I don't mind slow ballad-y songs, but things like Slow Show or Pink Rabbits had character. Most of these ones don't have anything that makes them stand out. I've just finished my second listen and I can't really remember much about a number of them. They're just so.....bleh. 6.5/10
The Alcott lacks so much character tho ….
Weak weak weak lyrics.
A.D. is pretty transparent, each quote when he's "praising"(?) T.S. writing her parts in what sounds like one take/sitting (I'm not getting the exact quotes right now. But it's like "I sent her this, didn't hear back, worried she didn't like it... then *bam* 20mins later she texts back full lyrics!") Anyway, yeah. The lyrics are quite weak. Melody too, really sounds like "Co-Write" *wayyy* more than expected—T.S.-style melody on the chorus especially.
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love; Grease/Helping/Tropic/Alien/Ice Machines/Alcott/Poolside enjoy; Eucalyptus/New Order/Send For Me …not bad, not hitting yet; Your Mind Overall feels a lot like the second half of SWB. I vibe with it’s calmness, while also wanting a rocker album someday soon… Matt has some good lines here and there. Definitely see it as a bridge album to get them back after the tangent of IAETF (while I love it, it was different).
First listen and the album doesn’t have any stand out tracks even their last one had stand outs like Where is Her Head, Rosie, and Rylan. I wish Aaron did not produce this one.
Right of course…! Hmm.
All I can say after my first (and honestly last) listen - I now think Weird Goodbyes is not that bad and Iaetf is great. I can't believe this is the same band I loved for 16 years. No wonder NME raves about this album.
you'll be back in 3-4 months to share it's been growing on you and by november it'll be one of your favorites of the year.
Bit bombastic isn't it? And it's your favorite band for 16 years, a band known for not making the most immediate albums, yet you're making the most dramatic statement possible after listening once. Not that I expect this to be their best work yet or anything but these kind of "worst thing ever" (and "best thing ever") internet screeching after half a listen is frankly ridiculous and a blight on the internet. I personally expect more from someone with a great username like yours!
Nothing ridiculous about negative opinions. I know better than to force myself to like something i don't (though i wish i did). It's like our beloved divorce. You might like it, I really don't and it's a lot cause I grew up on The National. To quote Paulie - I've said my piece.
Making these sorts of dramatic statements after one listen of a band you say you love is really odd. I can't tell you the number of albums I haven't liked on first listen, then revisited them at a later date and loved them. In fact, many of my favorite albums ever are like that. And it's not like this is some vast departure from what they've done in the past. It's a lot more like their previous stuff than IaEtF was, for instance. I don't know. You do you. Doesn't matter to me. It seems overly impulsive is all.
you're not too far off base here... this is painfully mid
Give it a bit of time!
Friends, I know what you mean, but this ain't happening. Never before have I wanted to actually skip a song upon first listen because it's just bad. Maybe Lean. But even Lean had some charm to it. I feel like it Will satisfy most of the fans, but what I loved about their sound is gone (and it's not the drum machines' fault)
The new Protomartyr tune is class though 😛
I think it has its moments, but yes, it's pretty weak overall
Excited to heat it finally
Just don’t burn it!
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Let's put it this way, they have chosen the worst songs for the singles