The National : 'High Violet'
Released: Out Now!!!
Label: 4AD
Let’s get this out of the way early: The National are currently my favourite band. Why? Because their last album ‘Boxer’ is one of the best modern-day records I’ve heard, because their lyrics have more intelligence in one sentence than most Greatest Hits records and because they’re a triumph for substance over style. But that doesn’t mean their new record ‘High Violet’ is entitled to a ten and if I let it be then I’d be wasting my time even writing a review. To substantiate that claim I can tell you I thought ‘Alligator’ was a very good record but not nearly as good as ‘Boxer’ and that ‘Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers’ wipes the floor with their at times average self-titled debut LP. Hopefully that justification enables me to wax-lyrical about the best album I’ve heard since Passion Pit burst on the scene a year or so ago, because ‘High Violet’ is beautiful, powerful, amazing etc.
We begin with Terrible Love, a song I should hate due to my fear of spiders (It’s a terrible love that I’m walking with spiders/It’s a terrible love that I’m walking), and it’s a great way to start the record despite the fact it’s hardly the best song The National have ever produced. What it is, though, is a theatrical tool; it seems to be used to build anticipation for what follows with its progressive, wall-of-sound appearance. The chorus is powerful and introduces what have now become the customary percussion sounds from this New York outfit. It’s a song about succumbing to temptations, a topic familiar with their fans, but here Matt Berninger for once exudes defiance. Whatever or whoever it is he’s actually singing about the passion for subject matter shines through to make a powerful start to a powerful album. Sorrow follows; a song about sorrow of course and this is as obvious as The National ever consent to get. That doesn’t detract though, because if you’re truly going to sing a song about sorrow it should be obvious, it should be heart-on-sleeve and there shouldn’t be room for indulgence or metaphor. This song is strikingly open and it’ll probably make you cry, be it for yourself or the man behind it. The National are experts in this field (see Fake Empire or Green Gloves from Boxer) but in all honesty I think this is the best piece of emotional drama they’ve ever made – as shown later on they can do up-tempo and they can do melody, but Sorrow relies on sheer emotion with stunning consequences.
Anyone’s Ghost is one such example of The National quickening the tempo and it’s another good song; I’ve seen them play this live and it’s clearly therefore a favourite of theirs although not necessarily one of mine but the lyrics rescue what might otherwise be a slightly weak effort. Little Faith gets the ball truly rolling again though with a strong bass and vocal link. In truth this is what The National do best; when they slow down and allow time for the components to express themselves everything falls together and sometimes the results are spectacular. I wouldn’t go as far as that with Little Faith but it’s a touching song that documents their ability as a band to write material somehow utterly different to what they’ve done before yet calling on all the same strengths. Afraid Of Everyone is a paranoid and cynical anthem (Venom radio and venom television/I’m afraid of everyone) with an uncustomary repetition to end before the album’s first single, Bloodbuzz Ohio, represents one of the band’s finest semi-pop songs with its touchable melody, big drums and three-note guitar hook. This could be The Strokes if they were older, wiser, had facial hair and an axe to grind.
'Lemonworld' is as complex anti-American literary rant but it’s probably my least favourite song on the album before the almost six-minutes of Runaway erases any wrong-doing with a beautifully arpegiatted guitar providing the backdrop to Matt’s emotional vocal. Again, this sees The National at their most subtle and their most comfortable and the song doesn’t feel a second too long. The more I listen to this album the more I like how it ends as Conversation 16 has dark intentions but a soft and melodic vocal delivery before Berninger confesses to being evil. He’s a man who appears ill at ease with what he is but The National as one appear perfectly at ease; this is a record that demonstrates musical confidence, a style and originality gleaned over years of work and that isn’t detracted from throughout England or Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks, an effortlessly powerful close to an awesome album.
I genuinely believe that on ‘High Violet’ The National have grabbed the anthemic strength of Alligator, paired it with the beauty of Boxer and the result is their best album yet. I’m not even going to rate it.
Words: Benjamin Coley
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