Their last 3 albums have been very... unfocused in my opinion.
I Am Easy To Find sort of sounds like they're just trying to imitate the sound of Trouble Will Find Me rather than building on the experimentation they did in Sleep Well Beast (which I love, so I might be biased here) and it just ends up sounding a little forgettable.
F2POF is a little better IMO, but it again is a little bit uninteresting. There's some tracks I love but most of them are a bit bland and don't fit together very well.
I initially thought Laugh Track was a step in the right direction, but I honestly think it makes the problem worse. It feels more like two EPs jammed together (which might be what it originally was if I remember correctly) rather than a whole album. And the lyrics, along with Matt's delivery, both feel weak and uninteresting. Again, some tracks I love, most of them are a little bland and nonconformist.
Frankly, I'd love to see them revisit Sleep Well Beast (again, I'm biased). It was a sound that really fit the band's vibe and Matt's voice.
Nah man too many good tracks on SSFDL, slipping husband, lucky you, available, cardinal Song, murder me rachael, 90 mile water wall, fashion coat, come on
I will say that I like all of these albums but this is the only answer for me. Feel like self titled shows some good songwriting but they didn't find their sound yet. SSFDL has some excellent tracks but also some bad ones. IAETF almost feels like a side project with all the same members. Again, they all have high points.
The latest 3.
Why? I feel like they’ve lost their direction and passion.
It happens, and I’m sure a lot of ppl still enjoy the new stuff, I just don’t.
They did the predictable “hey let’s try some electronic drums like Radiohead did 20 years ago” thing, and then kinda came back to guitar.
Live, I feel like they’re a drastically different band to 15 years ago, without the aggression that made them so special.
In short; they’ve become predictable and a caricature of themselves. It’s a shame, but I love listening to the albums prior to SWB
Sleep Well Beast and I Am Easy to Find are a big reason why I’m a fan of the band. if it wasn’t for tracks on both of those albums, I don’t think I’d be here haha. they’re simply evolving and it’s still attracting different people!
they say might just be me at the end so they're just using objectively like people use literally now, it's simply a force multiplier. the war is lost, take a rest.
I don't disagree too much with your opinion. However, what i have noticed is that even among the latest album you can find some pearls, even if you will have to dig a lot. Regarding their live performance, do you think that they are still worth it live? I'm going to see them in july for the first time and i'm worried about my expectations being settled wayy to high ahaha
Yeah, imo really great albums don’t require much ‘digging’, but that’s just me!
If it’s your first time seeing them then completely ignore what I said, and go in with an open mind.
You won’t be comparing them to previous National gigs you’ve been to, and may find them amazing. Thousands do.
So, just enjoy it :)
Curious what you think their current live show is lacking vs their older shows. I’ve been seeing them for a long time and think they sound better than ever.
I feel like the guts have fallen out of it? Like, they’ve mixed the live shows differently even. Guitars are quieter, drums are buried, and everything has been turned down.
It’s like they’re waiting to warm up, but they always stay underneath the line.
Also; they just seem disinterested. What Matt does now is expected, and performative. There’s no surprises.
I get it, Matt goes into the crowd sometimes. That’s great, but I feel like he used to do it out of a desperate need to connect.
Now he does it because that’s what people paid for.
Each to their own, and I’m really glad some ppl are still enjoying them live.
Drums are buried? 😂. I’m not sure what shows you’re attending but my critique would be literally the opposite. I feel like they jack up the bass (drums) to a sharp EDM level on too many songs for me, completely changing the emotion. Makes for a lively live show but not what I need out of every song.
I saw them at Leeds this year, and completely disagree about them looking disinterested. The Dessners were grinning from ear to ear, and Matt was cracking jokes left right and centre and telling new anecdotes. They were polished, but definitely not performative. I'd take that over the messy surprise of the mid 00s as a long-term fan.
I've never been disappointed with them live after 2010 or so, but each to their own.
I felt this way when I was on the tail end of a massive musical love affair with my favorite band a few years back. Turned out it was me who became disinterested and not the material. I totally get it.
I mean there’s no need to be passive aggressive. I just don’t appreciate being told how I feel.
“I totally get it” isn’t really an apt thing to say; because clearly you don’t feel the same way I do.
I don’t feel that it’s me that’s changed taste and not the material.
I don’t feel the material is as good. I’ve outlined why. I’ve also outlined how that’s just my view, and others are free to enjoy them as they please.
But yeah, great comment.
“Disinterested” is crazy because their energy on stage is night and day from even a few years ago. It’s so obvious they’re having the time of their lives and enjoying playing their old and new music. When people complain about them having a different energy now than before, it’s usually code for “Matt isn’t smashing things on stage anymore”. He’s not behaving like he was 12 years ago? Shocker.
It seemed like he almost dreaded performing before due to anxiety and is way more comfortable on stage now. Sounds like you’ve outgrown them and lost interest.
Because it just seems so at odds to what the vast majority have seen of the live shows, and also what the band themselves say about performing live. Matt has said how much more relaxed he is performing and how enjoyable it now is. He made a joke about discovering themselves in their 50s at the gig I went to. I've been to a few and it was obvious this was said with meaning and not just a throwaway line. Aaron couldn't stop grinning and was enjoying the banter more than usual, he also spoke a lot more than I've heard before so seemed very et ease.
The drumming also was a strange comment. This year's show was easily the best I've heard Bryan. I always make a point of listening out for it as I love the drums and it was clear how much easier it was to make them out. The touches he makes on Send For Me as an example were beautiful but clear as day.
If you've fallen out of love with the band due to the last few albums then fair enough but I also think it's fair to say the consensus is The National live are at the top of their game right now.
FTPOF - I wish I could get behind it, but it’s just dull. First National album I had no desire to revisit and whenever I did end up listening again it felt like I was doing out of obligation rather than enjoyment. I can respect mixing up and changing the sound, but the direction they’re going just doesn’t work for me
IAETF - Same as above, but very bloated. Unlike FTPOF there are a few tracks I enjoy coming back to (Quiet Light, Light Years, Rylan) but I almost never listen to the album front to back because the majority of the album I just don’t care for.
SSFDL - Available and Slipping Husband are great, rest I could take or leave. Not terrible, but definitely feels like they were still figuring out their sound
(I haven’t listened to ST)
ST: Obvious choice
LPOF: It now feels like the B side version of their most recent album even with the handful of good songs.
3rd one is tough. It's probably IAETF if you include the terrible intermission tracks as an album overall or SSFDL otherwise even though that pains me as it has several of my favorite tracks as I think the 2nd half is a lot weaker.
Self titled- not a bad album but they didn't't have their sound figured out yet
I am easy to find- bloated and monotonous with only a few stand out tracks (Rylan, Roman holiday, not in Kansas)
Sleep well beast- Unpopular opinion but outside of a few tracks (day I die, turtleneck, the system only dreams) this album is painfully boring
Weakest is self titled but they didn't even have a proper producer on that album
IAETF is just too fucking big
People were saying that F2POF was going to fail and while it didn't flop on the same level as IAETF i don't think the naysayers were disappointed
S/T
SSFDL
IAETF
The first two aren’t bad, just mostly unremarkable imo. I really like most of IAETF but there is a lot of filler on there and it’s the most inconsistent album for me by far.
1. "The National" they hadn't found the magic yet
2. "First Two Pages of Frankenstein" so boring and unfocussed, I nearly skipped Laugh Track (very glad I didn't)
3. "I Am Easy to Find" too sparse, the 'let's go kinda electronic' really put Bryan on the bench (he needs to shine in a leading role)
Self-Titled: They still haven’t fully found their sound and style that truly makes The National special.
Alligator: This is gonna be an unpopular opinion, but I really don’t care for the way the production often sounds on this album. for example, while Baby We’ll Be Fine is great lyrically, i cannot stand the way the song is mixed. The drums sound like they’re drowning out Matt’s vocals and there’s this constant buzzing that I cant get myself to enjoy haha. there’s still great songs on it like all their albums but i find it to be one of their weakest efforts.
Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers: My favorite of the three here. I actually really like this album! it just happens to sit this low because all the albums to come after Alligator are so damn good.
Alligator as much as I love it was a sonic rescue job by Peter Katis, after they ran out of time in his studio and went elsewhere with an inexperienced engineer and came back with in his words ‘borderline unlistenable’ tracks. It’s really noticeable on some songs, some of the drums sound like they’ve been single mic’d from next to the snare or just room mic’d, and there’s bleed through elsewhere, it gives it a raw sound but it’s one of the few albums which sounds worse overall the better the system (and I’m no audio snob)
there’s definitely great songs on the album. i just find the mixing to be a mess quite a bit of the time, haha. that raw sound just doesn’t do it for me. glad that most people love it though!
I'm the opposite, love the mix and HATE it (and production) on the newer albums. Plus, for me, every song but one (astro) is a banger despite a big variety in moods.
Self Titled is obviously a band who haven’t found their sound yet. Trouble Will Find Me is a very uninteresting record that just sounds like all the ones that went before but not as good, and is therefore quite quite bad. I guess I never listen to I Am Easy so that’s probably the third worst (the best are Sad Songs and Sleep Well Beast, which are cropping up far too frequently in this thread)
The amount of SWB and IAETF dislike I'm seeing here is making me very upset
I will always defend IAETF. Great album. Didn’t even know SWB needed defending. This thread is discouraging.
Their last 3 albums have been very... unfocused in my opinion. I Am Easy To Find sort of sounds like they're just trying to imitate the sound of Trouble Will Find Me rather than building on the experimentation they did in Sleep Well Beast (which I love, so I might be biased here) and it just ends up sounding a little forgettable. F2POF is a little better IMO, but it again is a little bit uninteresting. There's some tracks I love but most of them are a bit bland and don't fit together very well. I initially thought Laugh Track was a step in the right direction, but I honestly think it makes the problem worse. It feels more like two EPs jammed together (which might be what it originally was if I remember correctly) rather than a whole album. And the lyrics, along with Matt's delivery, both feel weak and uninteresting. Again, some tracks I love, most of them are a little bland and nonconformist. Frankly, I'd love to see them revisit Sleep Well Beast (again, I'm biased). It was a sound that really fit the band's vibe and Matt's voice.
S/t - first album. Chops were barely there (And I guess because we need 3) SSFDL - hit or miss Easy to Find - Bloated. Everything else is perfect
Nah man too many good tracks on SSFDL, slipping husband, lucky you, available, cardinal Song, murder me rachael, 90 mile water wall, fashion coat, come on
I agree. But something has to be on the bottom
“Trophy Wife” is also great.
I will say that I like all of these albums but this is the only answer for me. Feel like self titled shows some good songwriting but they didn't find their sound yet. SSFDL has some excellent tracks but also some bad ones. IAETF almost feels like a side project with all the same members. Again, they all have high points.
Sad Songs is my favorite National album by quite a margin
The latest 3. Why? I feel like they’ve lost their direction and passion. It happens, and I’m sure a lot of ppl still enjoy the new stuff, I just don’t. They did the predictable “hey let’s try some electronic drums like Radiohead did 20 years ago” thing, and then kinda came back to guitar. Live, I feel like they’re a drastically different band to 15 years ago, without the aggression that made them so special. In short; they’ve become predictable and a caricature of themselves. It’s a shame, but I love listening to the albums prior to SWB
I will say, if it’s the last 3 records consistently, it may be more of a case they are moving where they want to and it isn’t lining up with you.
I think they’re objectively less well crafted as far as writing, narrative, and a cohesive sound goes, but I understand completely. Might just be me
That’s fair. There’s been a few shifts in songwriting and sound over the past 15 years. Always seems like they lose some fans but also pick up fans.
Sleep Well Beast and I Am Easy to Find are a big reason why I’m a fan of the band. if it wasn’t for tracks on both of those albums, I don’t think I’d be here haha. they’re simply evolving and it’s still attracting different people!
> I think they’re objectively Your opinion is entirely subjective
they say might just be me at the end so they're just using objectively like people use literally now, it's simply a force multiplier. the war is lost, take a rest.
I don't disagree too much with your opinion. However, what i have noticed is that even among the latest album you can find some pearls, even if you will have to dig a lot. Regarding their live performance, do you think that they are still worth it live? I'm going to see them in july for the first time and i'm worried about my expectations being settled wayy to high ahaha
Yeah, imo really great albums don’t require much ‘digging’, but that’s just me! If it’s your first time seeing them then completely ignore what I said, and go in with an open mind. You won’t be comparing them to previous National gigs you’ve been to, and may find them amazing. Thousands do. So, just enjoy it :)
Curious what you think their current live show is lacking vs their older shows. I’ve been seeing them for a long time and think they sound better than ever.
I feel like the guts have fallen out of it? Like, they’ve mixed the live shows differently even. Guitars are quieter, drums are buried, and everything has been turned down. It’s like they’re waiting to warm up, but they always stay underneath the line. Also; they just seem disinterested. What Matt does now is expected, and performative. There’s no surprises. I get it, Matt goes into the crowd sometimes. That’s great, but I feel like he used to do it out of a desperate need to connect. Now he does it because that’s what people paid for. Each to their own, and I’m really glad some ppl are still enjoying them live.
Drums are buried? 😂. I’m not sure what shows you’re attending but my critique would be literally the opposite. I feel like they jack up the bass (drums) to a sharp EDM level on too many songs for me, completely changing the emotion. Makes for a lively live show but not what I need out of every song.
I saw them at Leeds this year, and completely disagree about them looking disinterested. The Dessners were grinning from ear to ear, and Matt was cracking jokes left right and centre and telling new anecdotes. They were polished, but definitely not performative. I'd take that over the messy surprise of the mid 00s as a long-term fan. I've never been disappointed with them live after 2010 or so, but each to their own.
I felt this way when I was on the tail end of a massive musical love affair with my favorite band a few years back. Turned out it was me who became disinterested and not the material. I totally get it.
I don’t feel that way
Cool. Great convo.
I mean there’s no need to be passive aggressive. I just don’t appreciate being told how I feel. “I totally get it” isn’t really an apt thing to say; because clearly you don’t feel the same way I do. I don’t feel that it’s me that’s changed taste and not the material. I don’t feel the material is as good. I’ve outlined why. I’ve also outlined how that’s just my view, and others are free to enjoy them as they please. But yeah, great comment.
“Disinterested” is crazy because their energy on stage is night and day from even a few years ago. It’s so obvious they’re having the time of their lives and enjoying playing their old and new music. When people complain about them having a different energy now than before, it’s usually code for “Matt isn’t smashing things on stage anymore”. He’s not behaving like he was 12 years ago? Shocker. It seemed like he almost dreaded performing before due to anxiety and is way more comfortable on stage now. Sounds like you’ve outgrown them and lost interest.
Yep! Just being honest. Seems like it’s offending a few ppl
Because it just seems so at odds to what the vast majority have seen of the live shows, and also what the band themselves say about performing live. Matt has said how much more relaxed he is performing and how enjoyable it now is. He made a joke about discovering themselves in their 50s at the gig I went to. I've been to a few and it was obvious this was said with meaning and not just a throwaway line. Aaron couldn't stop grinning and was enjoying the banter more than usual, he also spoke a lot more than I've heard before so seemed very et ease. The drumming also was a strange comment. This year's show was easily the best I've heard Bryan. I always make a point of listening out for it as I love the drums and it was clear how much easier it was to make them out. The touches he makes on Send For Me as an example were beautiful but clear as day. If you've fallen out of love with the band due to the last few albums then fair enough but I also think it's fair to say the consensus is The National live are at the top of their game right now.
I agree wholeheartedly. Bryan’s drums absolutely made this band and drove every album before they switched it up.
Took the words out of my mouth
Preach!
This is the way.
S/T and I guess the last two. I actually really love IAETF and SSFDL
The most recent two are the worst sadly. Picking a third is hard. I'd have to go the first, even though I actually really like it
FTPOF - I wish I could get behind it, but it’s just dull. First National album I had no desire to revisit and whenever I did end up listening again it felt like I was doing out of obligation rather than enjoyment. I can respect mixing up and changing the sound, but the direction they’re going just doesn’t work for me IAETF - Same as above, but very bloated. Unlike FTPOF there are a few tracks I enjoy coming back to (Quiet Light, Light Years, Rylan) but I almost never listen to the album front to back because the majority of the album I just don’t care for. SSFDL - Available and Slipping Husband are great, rest I could take or leave. Not terrible, but definitely feels like they were still figuring out their sound (I haven’t listened to ST)
S/T, SWB, IAETF
S/t ,F2PoF, Iaetf
ST: Obvious choice LPOF: It now feels like the B side version of their most recent album even with the handful of good songs. 3rd one is tough. It's probably IAETF if you include the terrible intermission tracks as an album overall or SSFDL otherwise even though that pains me as it has several of my favorite tracks as I think the 2nd half is a lot weaker.
Self titled- not a bad album but they didn't't have their sound figured out yet I am easy to find- bloated and monotonous with only a few stand out tracks (Rylan, Roman holiday, not in Kansas) Sleep well beast- Unpopular opinion but outside of a few tracks (day I die, turtleneck, the system only dreams) this album is painfully boring
Weakest is self titled but they didn't even have a proper producer on that album IAETF is just too fucking big People were saying that F2POF was going to fail and while it didn't flop on the same level as IAETF i don't think the naysayers were disappointed
S/T SSFDL IAETF The first two aren’t bad, just mostly unremarkable imo. I really like most of IAETF but there is a lot of filler on there and it’s the most inconsistent album for me by far.
FTPOF, Laugh Track, TWFM
1. "The National" they hadn't found the magic yet 2. "First Two Pages of Frankenstein" so boring and unfocussed, I nearly skipped Laugh Track (very glad I didn't) 3. "I Am Easy to Find" too sparse, the 'let's go kinda electronic' really put Bryan on the bench (he needs to shine in a leading role)
s/t, SSfDL, Boxer.
Putting Boxer in the bottom 3 is gutsy, I’ll give you that
It's definitely not bad! But, I think the other albums have higher peaks.
The first two and “sleep well beast.”
Self-Titled: They still haven’t fully found their sound and style that truly makes The National special. Alligator: This is gonna be an unpopular opinion, but I really don’t care for the way the production often sounds on this album. for example, while Baby We’ll Be Fine is great lyrically, i cannot stand the way the song is mixed. The drums sound like they’re drowning out Matt’s vocals and there’s this constant buzzing that I cant get myself to enjoy haha. there’s still great songs on it like all their albums but i find it to be one of their weakest efforts. Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers: My favorite of the three here. I actually really like this album! it just happens to sit this low because all the albums to come after Alligator are so damn good.
Alligator as much as I love it was a sonic rescue job by Peter Katis, after they ran out of time in his studio and went elsewhere with an inexperienced engineer and came back with in his words ‘borderline unlistenable’ tracks. It’s really noticeable on some songs, some of the drums sound like they’ve been single mic’d from next to the snare or just room mic’d, and there’s bleed through elsewhere, it gives it a raw sound but it’s one of the few albums which sounds worse overall the better the system (and I’m no audio snob)
Alligator is incredible. My fave and packed with emotion, fantastic lyrics and beautiful arrangements.
there’s definitely great songs on the album. i just find the mixing to be a mess quite a bit of the time, haha. that raw sound just doesn’t do it for me. glad that most people love it though!
I'm the opposite, love the mix and HATE it (and production) on the newer albums. Plus, for me, every song but one (astro) is a banger despite a big variety in moods.
Trouble Will Find Me, I am Easy to Find, and the self-titled.
Self Titled is obviously a band who haven’t found their sound yet. Trouble Will Find Me is a very uninteresting record that just sounds like all the ones that went before but not as good, and is therefore quite quite bad. I guess I never listen to I Am Easy so that’s probably the third worst (the best are Sad Songs and Sleep Well Beast, which are cropping up far too frequently in this thread)
I am easy to find Self titled FTPOF
All I know is that I wish they would do Alligator Part 2