Quick Thoughts On The National
Interesting, this new album. Here’s the thing: I have never been able to really get into The National. I’ve listened, and liked/respected what I heard. I’m told they’re really excellent live, but every time I put their music on, it just never quite sunk in with me. I do think it had some to do with his voice. It distracted me a bit, and I didn’t listen close enough, which may be lazy, but is also the truth. I go back and forth between how I feel about music that you have to work at to appreciate. I sorta chalked this band up to ‘it’s not you, it’s me.’ As High Violet was coming out, there was quite a bit of buzz. Feeling that The National was not quite my cup of green tea, I was curious, but not dying to listen. I knew I’d get to it eventually.
As soon as it came out, beyond the press, a few people I know keep telling me that I had to listen to it, so I finally picked High Violet up. I grabbed me from the first track and I have basically listened to it non-stop all weekend. I think it’s very very good.
Part of me is excited about it, because I feel—at least in my case—sometimes there is a right time for music to click, for whatever reason. It can be as simple as listening in the right setting to get over some small hurdle. From what I hear, and what I’m told, this album isn’t a huge departure from Boxer, so I’m looking forward to relistening to some of that work with fresh ears.
