An album worthy of following up Boxer with. While Alligator was a good record, it just lacked the ability that Boxer had to force through to the end on every listen. High Violet has that same quality and grows on you the more you play it.
I’ll give you an example; the first few bars of Terrible Love make the song sound like it will be unsustainable. Instead, it surprises you by building to a point just past the second chorus where you’re listening to a massive presence coming out of your speakers. As an album, the rest of High Violet follows along with that theme.
The subject matter is a little more grown up this time. The sad bastard themes are still sprinkled liberally across each song. I didn’t think it was possible for the National to get any darker, but this album sure has that tone to it.
You can tell the band members have matured over the last couple of years. There are a lot more references to family this time along with songs about relationships falling apart. And there is plenty of that. Where Boxer gave the impression that the songs were about a yearning for a lover, High Violet seems to have more pain buried in it. Any song that has a lyric “sorrow found me when I was young/sorrow waited, sorrow won” isn’t exactly the brightest ray of sunshine.
Matt Berninger’s extremely deep baritone is still perfect on this album. While listening to Boxer this summer, my mom* pointed out that he sings like a modern Leonard Cohen. That characterization comes out even more on High Violet.
While this is a moody album, it somehow escapes from becoming a depressing one. Like all National albums, they push your emotions to the edge before relieving you with an up tempo song. What you’re left with is a record that reacts with certain atmospheric tones much like a wine highlights different foods. I recommend this “bottle” for the late afternoon; just before the sun begins to shift toward evening.
Top Tracks: Anyone’s Ghost, Afraid of Everyone
*I told you I came from a family of music appreciators. Patsy is clearly with it!
I think the track conversation 16 is noteworthy as well. One of the more interesting tracks. Bourgeoisie music.
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