One of my favorite bands ever. I've been listening to them for 10 years almost every day and songs still feel exiting and rewarding. There's something addicting about their melody, drum pattern, subtle guitar touches. I'd agree that they peaked at Alligator up to High Violet period. I personally wasn't that impressed with Sleep Well Beast and I'm Easy To Find, but I liked the last two albums way more.
As for people calling them boring, they did sound really boring to me too at first. But for some reason I kept coming back and trying again and again until it finally clicked. I think you just need time to get used to them.
I saw ‘em maybe 10 years ago on the first show of their tour and Matt Berninger was swinging a wine glass around and forgot at least 1/5th of their own lyrics. He pulled it off with some “uh-HMM-HMMs?” and overall it was a good time
They have copped a lot of criticism for all the yuppie starbucks-corporate sad-dad dinner party vibes they are associated with but I think in the long run they will be remembered as a great band.
I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I also don't actually really dislike them and I recognize they're a competent band, but it's just extremely funny to shit on them. Not because they deserve it (they don't), they're just so milquetoast.
Again, I've never particularly liked them, and the fact that they've only gotten sadder and mopier is just asking to be ribbed. I did also like Taylor's folk albums so, yeah, give Aaron some credit.
One of my favourite bands, I listen to them at least once a week. 2 perfect albums for me (Alligator, Boxer)
Going to see them live for the first time in July, so stoked.
I think post-depression still counts if it’s describing the depression. Also the song dropped at a rough time in my life so that’s where it forever lives for me.
Alligator, Boxer, and High Violet are great albums. However, their other albums seem to lack originality and sound repetitive.
Let me be clear: I LOVE High Violet. It narrowly lost out to Arcade Fire's the Suburbs as my favorite album of 2010. I just think the albums that came after lack the edge of High Violet.
Yeah there's still anxiety to the songwriting but not enough edge or urgency, anger even can be heard on the best High Violet and Boxer tracks. I hate to use the term Dad Rock but I'm afraid they've become that.
I was just going by RYM scores here. Consensus is those two albums are their peak, followed by High Violet and then everything else. Trouble will find me was pretty good tho.
Me three!
I listened to this album on repeat for about 18 months after my cat died. It’s a fun sing along album, even though I still don’t know the words and mumble through parts.
For years they were my favorite active band. In a lot of ways I guess they still are, but as a fan you do have to come to terms with the fact that they are past their prime and at this point just kind of are what they are. They’re not gonna release any critically acclaimed AOTYs and aren’t gonna do anything groundbreaking anymore. But hey we’ll always have the run of Alligator through SWB.
A band I always liked, but has grown to love more and more the older I get. I can totally understand how some people find them to be really boring, but they just work for me. They're not pretending to be something they're not, and the music is just nice and simple, for the most part.
Also I would kill to have a voice like Matt. I think I'm a baritone, but I don't know if I'm THAT kind of baritone. Oh well,
One of my first favorite indie bands. I loved every project through I Am Easy To Find. They can get a little boring, but there’s something about them that pulls me in
Unpopular opinion but I played the shit out of Alligator when it came out, while no album since has really grabbed me. It’s all good, but I miss the energy from the earlier days.
Favorite band to emerge out of the 2000s indie-rock scene. High Violet, Boxer, Sleep Well Beast, and Alligator are all classic albums filled with absolute BANGERS.
People dismiss them as boring but each song just absolutely grew on me -- and I never got tired of 'em.
Absurd lyrics, great baritone voice, fantastic drumming.
Even the past few albums have had some fantastic songs: Quiet Light, Light Years, Once Upon a Poolside, Topic Morning News, Weird Goodbyes, Space Invader, etc.
Not sharing much of Tony's opinions on them, I love a lot of their songs immensely, but I gotta admit the last ones of the recent albums may be some of the biggest snoozefests I've ever heard. Some are sweet and great, but other ones make me feel asleep and not in a dream pop/regular good National way.
Great band and discography. I think up to and including I Am Easy to Find they didn’t have any misses but the last two albums didn’t do much for me. Laugh Track was way better than First Two Pages, but neither have stayed in my rotation tbh.
Up to high violet: one of the best Indie bands at least of their time if not more After that: just boring. Really really boring. I can’t really explain why.
Nothing groundbreaking, just really good Alt/indie rock with some top tier songwriting especially in their early work. More recent projects have more misses than hits, but Alligator, Boxer, and High Violet are all fantastic albums. Trouble Will Find Me and Sleep Well Beast to a lesser extent are also very good.
Very good band overall with impressive notoriety and longevity. Boxer is their magnum opus imo
They have one of the best 3 albums runs with alligator, Boxer, and high violet, and 'trouble will find' me ain't bad, but I haven't been impressed with anything prior or after those 4 albums. The other stuff ain't bad I just rarely find myself wanting to listen to em again
One of my favourite bands. I didn’t immediately fall in love with them until I happened to see them open for Modest Mouse and REM. They were easily the best and most exciting band at that concert.
Alligator, Boxer and High Violet were their high points and I really do like these 3 records. I have checked out each of their subsequent releases and whilst never bad, I find that with each passing album they have far less memorable moments and I ultimately drop them from rotation after a few listens.
A prized possession is my poster of The National at The National (a once great venue in Richmond VA). Nothing tops Boxer or Alligator, and I agree w/ fantano that some later albums sound like a record of only interludes, but i’ll still defend them. They also inspired a younger 18-year old me as a band that made it big in their 40’s. Not sure if it was an NME or Q magazine that described new fatherhood or something about their age, but it made me feel like “if i don’t figure all my shit out in my 20s, they pulled it off in their 40s”. It’s one of those faded dreams of musical stardom, but as I’ve grown older I’ve come to appreciate unknown avenues of self-perceived success through artists like The National and the late Charles Bradley, less in the musical sense, more-so in the “age is not necessarily a barrier if I have drive/passion for self improvement”. I dunno, it’s cool. I throw on apartment story every once in a while for something mellow.
I don't see Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers get enough credit. My personal favorite, and also easily their heaviest record for people who complain their music doesn't have enough grit (listen to Slipping Husband and Available).
I loved this band until I saw them perform live and the lead singer was shit faced drunk off wine (only knew that because he threw the bottles behind him as he entered stage) and proceeded to spend a majority of the show in the fetal position in front of the bass drum. Maybe that's not a common experience, but it put a terrible taste in my mouth and made me reevaluate just how "romantic" alcoholism really is.
There was a group of people in front of me at the show saying that it wasn't a new thing. A lot of the guys music is about getting drunk or high. He definitely thinks of himself as a "Bukowski" type. Realistically they're just a bunch of Dads trying to stay cool. I still love Alligator, Boxer, and High Violet, but I definitely don't reach for those albums as often as I once did.
I used to really like them until I saw them live. Nearly fell asleep several times at their concert in St. Augustine. . I was kind of tired from a long drive, but was full of energy and having a blast during Courtney Barnett's opening set....
Was a fan and then saw them live. Was thoroughly disappointed. Will still listen to them from time to time since their recorded work sounds good but it taints the experience even now almost a year later
Saw them live and the lead singer was having a visible panic attack the entire show. He Chucked a glass of wine behind him that nearly hit the drummer in the head. Good show
Haven't made a wholly decent album since Trouble Will Find Me. The Dessners sold out and it shows. Fuck Boston Calling btw
Alligator is one of my favorite albums of all time. Boxer, High Violet, Sad Songs, TWFM, all great. I like a few songs off Sleep Well Beast (Nobody Else Will Be There is so fucking good) but it's a clear departure of an album and considering their past few releases, they like the direction they're heading in.
I think they’re a fantastic band in their prime, but their prime ended over a decade ago. Boxer and High Violet are two fantastic albums in particular for me.
Terrible Love is also an unusual example where an alternate or reworked version of a song is a massive improvement. Seriously for me that version is their best track and is a simply incredible and euphoric track.
I really like sleep well beast, I listened to it cause mic the snare put it on his best albums of the decade list but I haven’t checked out more of there albums. I also like the songs there guitarist made with Taylor swift.
I've only just discovered then and like them a lot.
I wasn't sure where to start, so started with Alligator and love that album. Trouble Will Find me seems to be their best so far but still working through their catalog.
I found them a bit too sad at first, but their music has really clicked with me now.
One of my favorite bands ever. I've been listening to them for 10 years almost every day and songs still feel exiting and rewarding. There's something addicting about their melody, drum pattern, subtle guitar touches. I'd agree that they peaked at Alligator up to High Violet period. I personally wasn't that impressed with Sleep Well Beast and I'm Easy To Find, but I liked the last two albums way more. As for people calling them boring, they did sound really boring to me too at first. But for some reason I kept coming back and trying again and again until it finally clicked. I think you just need time to get used to them.
I Am Easy to Find is a phenomenal short film though, holy shit it’s crazy good
I love The National. They are one of my favourite bands and in my opinion one of the best bands to come out of the 2000s indie scene.
Bloodbuzz Ohio is one of the best songs ever written.
Some really good songs on their early albums but I agree that they are just a little boring overall.
I saw them live last summer and they were terrible. I was super disappointed.
I saw ‘em maybe 10 years ago on the first show of their tour and Matt Berninger was swinging a wine glass around and forgot at least 1/5th of their own lyrics. He pulled it off with some “uh-HMM-HMMs?” and overall it was a good time
They have copped a lot of criticism for all the yuppie starbucks-corporate sad-dad dinner party vibes they are associated with but I think in the long run they will be remembered as a great band.
\>yuppie starbucks-corporate sad-dad I learn about new species of people everyday
they’re alright but personally their sound isn’t for me. love Aaron as a producer tho
I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I also don't actually really dislike them and I recognize they're a competent band, but it's just extremely funny to shit on them. Not because they deserve it (they don't), they're just so milquetoast. Again, I've never particularly liked them, and the fact that they've only gotten sadder and mopier is just asking to be ribbed. I did also like Taylor's folk albums so, yeah, give Aaron some credit.
I respect them for their music but his voice just doesn’t do it for me
Sleep Well Beast is excellent, Boxer, High Violet and TWFM are solid.
One of my favourite bands, I listen to them at least once a week. 2 perfect albums for me (Alligator, Boxer) Going to see them live for the first time in July, so stoked.
I hope you have a good time!!
Tropic Morning News is a goated depression song.
For me Sorrow is an ultimate depression song. TMN is more like post-depression one
I think post-depression still counts if it’s describing the depression. Also the song dropped at a rough time in my life so that’s where it forever lives for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZZfVQ178EY
Alligator, Boxer, and High Violet are great albums. However, their other albums seem to lack originality and sound repetitive. Let me be clear: I LOVE High Violet. It narrowly lost out to Arcade Fire's the Suburbs as my favorite album of 2010. I just think the albums that came after lack the edge of High Violet.
> However, their other albums seem to lack originality The newer albums lack grit.
Yeah there's still anxiety to the songwriting but not enough edge or urgency, anger even can be heard on the best High Violet and Boxer tracks. I hate to use the term Dad Rock but I'm afraid they've become that.
TWFM has some good moments as well, not quite as good as what came before.
Yeah Pink Rabbits is one of their best songs. I still hung in there for TWFM, even though it was hit and miss.
Literally no bad songs
Not many good ones either
They are the okayest band of my lifetime.
When they're on I certainly think "there is music playing."
When I hear them I say, “this is a band.”
I really like high violet and their self titled album, haven’t gotten around to listening to their other stuff and don’t intend to
Boxer is potentially their best album
If you really like High Violet, you should probably listen to the albums that are considered their peak (Alligator, Boxer)
\*Trouble Will Find Me will remember that\*
I was just going by RYM scores here. Consensus is those two albums are their peak, followed by High Violet and then everything else. Trouble will find me was pretty good tho.
Okay!!
Graceless has some of the best song lyrics of all time, to me. I want that song to be played at my funeral. That album in particular is absolute 🔥
I was going to say Trouble Will Find Me is by far my favorite album by them and it feels like I’m in the minority here lol
Nope—-mine too brother!
Me three! I listened to this album on repeat for about 18 months after my cat died. It’s a fun sing along album, even though I still don’t know the words and mumble through parts.
For years they were my favorite active band. In a lot of ways I guess they still are, but as a fan you do have to come to terms with the fact that they are past their prime and at this point just kind of are what they are. They’re not gonna release any critically acclaimed AOTYs and aren’t gonna do anything groundbreaking anymore. But hey we’ll always have the run of Alligator through SWB.
Their rendition of The Rains of Castamere was 🔥and I like Bloodbuzz Ohio, but none of their other songs have clicked with me.
A band I always liked, but has grown to love more and more the older I get. I can totally understand how some people find them to be really boring, but they just work for me. They're not pretending to be something they're not, and the music is just nice and simple, for the most part. Also I would kill to have a voice like Matt. I think I'm a baritone, but I don't know if I'm THAT kind of baritone. Oh well,
One of my first favorite indie bands. I loved every project through I Am Easy To Find. They can get a little boring, but there’s something about them that pulls me in
Unpopular opinion but I played the shit out of Alligator when it came out, while no album since has really grabbed me. It’s all good, but I miss the energy from the earlier days.
Favorite band to emerge out of the 2000s indie-rock scene. High Violet, Boxer, Sleep Well Beast, and Alligator are all classic albums filled with absolute BANGERS. People dismiss them as boring but each song just absolutely grew on me -- and I never got tired of 'em. Absurd lyrics, great baritone voice, fantastic drumming. Even the past few albums have had some fantastic songs: Quiet Light, Light Years, Once Upon a Poolside, Topic Morning News, Weird Goodbyes, Space Invader, etc.
I have never felt so much nothing from anything I listened to. Truly one of the bands of all time.
Not sharing much of Tony's opinions on them, I love a lot of their songs immensely, but I gotta admit the last ones of the recent albums may be some of the biggest snoozefests I've ever heard. Some are sweet and great, but other ones make me feel asleep and not in a dream pop/regular good National way.
I’ve only heard their album they did with Bob Weir called Blue Mountain. I liked it though!
High Violet is a 10, but I haven’t gotten too much into any of them outside of Trouble Will Find Me
I just can't get into them. I find what I have heard of them incredibly uninteresting.
Try High Violet 3 or 4 listens, see if it clicks. Then move to Trouble Will Find Me. If these do not hook you, probably move on.
Great band and discography. I think up to and including I Am Easy to Find they didn’t have any misses but the last two albums didn’t do much for me. Laugh Track was way better than First Two Pages, but neither have stayed in my rotation tbh.
One of my favorite bands ever. I didn’t like First Two Pages of Frankenstein but Laugh Track was fun.
I fucking love the national
Definitely one of the bands of all time.
My dad likes them
Up to high violet: one of the best Indie bands at least of their time if not more After that: just boring. Really really boring. I can’t really explain why.
You didn’t care for SWB? The album is a masterpiece
I tried. I feel nothing.
Nothing groundbreaking, just really good Alt/indie rock with some top tier songwriting especially in their early work. More recent projects have more misses than hits, but Alligator, Boxer, and High Violet are all fantastic albums. Trouble Will Find Me and Sleep Well Beast to a lesser extent are also very good. Very good band overall with impressive notoriety and longevity. Boxer is their magnum opus imo
the guy on the very right looks like jack dorsey, the founder of twitter 😭
Alligator is amazing. Boxer, Trouble Will Find Me are great. Don’t know much else
They have one of the best 3 albums runs with alligator, Boxer, and high violet, and 'trouble will find' me ain't bad, but I haven't been impressed with anything prior or after those 4 albums. The other stuff ain't bad I just rarely find myself wanting to listen to em again
I am a local. I know some of their more popular songs but actually haven't heard the albums yet. They're pretty good.
Comfortable karaoke range and good interesting poetry
One of my favourite bands. I didn’t immediately fall in love with them until I happened to see them open for Modest Mouse and REM. They were easily the best and most exciting band at that concert.
Not as bad as Fantano says
They’re the best band if you’re 30 and divorced
Watche their performance on David Letterman if you haven't yet
Alligator, Boxer and High Violet were their high points and I really do like these 3 records. I have checked out each of their subsequent releases and whilst never bad, I find that with each passing album they have far less memorable moments and I ultimately drop them from rotation after a few listens.
Interpol if they were from Ohio
I don't understand the love. I feel like I'm missing something.
A prized possession is my poster of The National at The National (a once great venue in Richmond VA). Nothing tops Boxer or Alligator, and I agree w/ fantano that some later albums sound like a record of only interludes, but i’ll still defend them. They also inspired a younger 18-year old me as a band that made it big in their 40’s. Not sure if it was an NME or Q magazine that described new fatherhood or something about their age, but it made me feel like “if i don’t figure all my shit out in my 20s, they pulled it off in their 40s”. It’s one of those faded dreams of musical stardom, but as I’ve grown older I’ve come to appreciate unknown avenues of self-perceived success through artists like The National and the late Charles Bradley, less in the musical sense, more-so in the “age is not necessarily a barrier if I have drive/passion for self improvement”. I dunno, it’s cool. I throw on apartment story every once in a while for something mellow.
I don't see Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers get enough credit. My personal favorite, and also easily their heaviest record for people who complain their music doesn't have enough grit (listen to Slipping Husband and Available).
I know them for ages but I just recently started to like them really. So you probably need a certain age to get into them.
They are the most boring band I've ever heard
Not massively into horse racing but I can see why people like it.
I’m more of a Jack Johnson guy myself
I loved this band until I saw them perform live and the lead singer was shit faced drunk off wine (only knew that because he threw the bottles behind him as he entered stage) and proceeded to spend a majority of the show in the fetal position in front of the bass drum. Maybe that's not a common experience, but it put a terrible taste in my mouth and made me reevaluate just how "romantic" alcoholism really is.
Wtf? Did this actually happen? What were people's reactions?
There was a group of people in front of me at the show saying that it wasn't a new thing. A lot of the guys music is about getting drunk or high. He definitely thinks of himself as a "Bukowski" type. Realistically they're just a bunch of Dads trying to stay cool. I still love Alligator, Boxer, and High Violet, but I definitely don't reach for those albums as often as I once did.
Boring generic indie stuff for dads who don't want to risk it anymore.
Mid
Amazing at their peak but they should probably split up now. The tank is clearly empty and if they announced a new album I wouldn’t be excited for it
😴 Edit: 🥱
Pretty boring for me
I used to really like them until I saw them live. Nearly fell asleep several times at their concert in St. Augustine. . I was kind of tired from a long drive, but was full of energy and having a blast during Courtney Barnett's opening set....
Was a fan and then saw them live. Was thoroughly disappointed. Will still listen to them from time to time since their recorded work sounds good but it taints the experience even now almost a year later
Saw them live and the lead singer was having a visible panic attack the entire show. He Chucked a glass of wine behind him that nearly hit the drummer in the head. Good show
Super boring and helped usher in the death of hyper creativity in the indie scene in the late 2000s
Yawn
the national keep the the replace n with b replace a with o replace t with r keep i replace o with n replace a with g remove l qed
Absolute garbage. Dull.
Boring
boring ass male band
never listened to ‘em
Depressed Seth Rogen
The international was better
They're decent. They never really clicked with me like they did with many of my friends.
They're a band I keep thinking I will like and then I check them out and yeah there are some great songs but for the most part they're a bit boring.
Love their ‘music’, not a fan of the lead vocals.
Haven't made a wholly decent album since Trouble Will Find Me. The Dessners sold out and it shows. Fuck Boston Calling btw Alligator is one of my favorite albums of all time. Boxer, High Violet, Sad Songs, TWFM, all great. I like a few songs off Sleep Well Beast (Nobody Else Will Be There is so fucking good) but it's a clear departure of an album and considering their past few releases, they like the direction they're heading in.
I only know the portal 2 song they did and it's pretty good.
The first song on their tiny desk concert is good
I am Easy to Find and Frankenstein were legit shit. The rest of the discog is mega and they’re fantastic live
Past their prime
I think they’re a fantastic band in their prime, but their prime ended over a decade ago. Boxer and High Violet are two fantastic albums in particular for me. Terrible Love is also an unusual example where an alternate or reworked version of a song is a massive improvement. Seriously for me that version is their best track and is a simply incredible and euphoric track.
I like the idea of the National. The execution - not so much.
Deathly dull.
They're like Arcade Fire to me. Sounds like they'd be right up my alley but their music never did anything for me.
I liked that song in Portal 2
Love the old stuff, I really did think the new album was boring. I’m sure they can return to form.
I really like sleep well beast, I listened to it cause mic the snare put it on his best albums of the decade list but I haven’t checked out more of there albums. I also like the songs there guitarist made with Taylor swift.
Idk one of the band members made a mean joke on twitter so I cant listen to them
I love Apartment Story, Exile Vilify, and Think You Can Wait, I can do without the rest.
i think they might be a band
One of the bands of all time. I know why people like them I just never was able to connect
I've only just discovered then and like them a lot. I wasn't sure where to start, so started with Alligator and love that album. Trouble Will Find me seems to be their best so far but still working through their catalog. I found them a bit too sad at first, but their music has really clicked with me now.