4AD

The National – High Violet [Album Review]

by Starkey on May 12, 2010

the national

Can anyone truly capture tension and anxiety like The National?‚  Matt Berninger and crew follow a consistent recipe on their new release, High Violet, released yesterday.‚ ‚  If darkness is indeed palpable, High Violet will make you feel it.

The album kicks off with my favorite track, “Afraid of Everyone,” building to a modest crescendo of nervy, scratchy lead guitar and pulsating percussion that drive a current of tense electricity.‚  Following is the most Boxer-like track on the album, “Bloodbuzz Ohio” and shortly thereafter is the wonderfully depressing “Sorrow.”‚  Even in the brightest of your days, you can’t help but be affected by lyrics such as the opening lines of this track, “sorrow found me when I was young/sorrow waited, sorrow won”.

The sun rarely emerges around the clouds on this album, but like Elliott Smith at his peak, dark music can be wonderfully enjoyable.‚  It isn’t the gloom that resonates on High Violet so much as it is tension.‚  Unlike the bands that followed the trail of Wilco and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in an effort to capture post 9/11 America, or the anxiety of living in the technological world as conveyed by the music of OK Computer, The National seems intent on describing the intensity of our everyday existence; our common maladies.

Unlike Boxer, this album largely lacks the big anthem and the simple moments stand out, the occasional light acoustic strums, soft piano, mixed with appropriate does of string arrangements. This is a great album from a band at its peak.‚  At times the lyrics can be a little wearisome, but all-in-all the music and musicianship is wonderful and reflects the full talent of this band.

The National – Bloodbuzz Ohio

Live Video: The National – Anyone’s Ghost

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Dark Was The Night – Awesome Is The Music

by That Guy on March 13, 2009

dark-was-the-night

You know how people that have terrible taste in music buy those “NOW, That’s What I Call Music!” compilations and think they’re incredible? Well, those people are really dumb. There are tons of reasons why, but my favorite is that it would be a lot cheaper to just turn on the radio and hear those terrible songs for free.

Well, now the Brothers Dessner from The National have finally co-produced a compilation that indie music fans can get excited about. It was released a few weeks ago on 4AD records and I’ve been letting it simmer in my iPod ever since (as you probably have, as well). It’s a hefty 31 tracks and the artist lineup couldn’t be better: Andrew Bird, My Morning Jacket, Stuart Murdoch, Spoon, Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver, The National, Yo La Tengo, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, David Byrne, and tons more. The only artist it’s missing is Jan Terri.

And best of all, proceeds will benefit the Red Hot Organization – a charity that raises money to fight HIV and AIDS.

I’ve had a chance to give it a few spins and here are the standout tracks for me:

El Caporal – My Morning Jacket
These guys can do no wrong in my mind – another great track. I love the background vocals.

So Far Around the Bend – The National
This song will give your ears a large boner.

I Was Young When I Left Home – Antony & Bryce Dessner
A beautiful Bob Dylan cover. Antony’s voice gives it his patented over-the-top melancholy feel.

Here are a couple free songs and a widget to sample more.

The National – So Far Around the Bend

David Byrne & Dirty Projectors – Knotty Pine

Here’s a little video compilation, courtesy of Pitchfork:

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Get a Free 12-Track Compilation Album from 4AD Records

by oz on December 9, 2008

4AD is in the holiday spirit and offering a free compilation album featuring all the artists you see below. You can also preview the tracks in that fancy widget.

To download the digital album, head over to their site. Your email address will be required for download.

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