when someone mentioned yesterday not disliking any of their songs, it really got me thinking, and I don't think these guys have any bad songs that I genuinely can't stand and very strongly dislike - it's more that for me personally they usually have one or two songs on every album that are significantly weaker than the other songs, and then they always have a few b-sides / bonus tracks that are absolutely incredible, all-time classics, like "Open Bar Reception". I know a lot of people hate the idea of messing with albums / tracklists, but for me that's a no-brainer. I went back and listened to "555" just now, and I don't hate it, but it strikes me as kinda weird and jokey and it sticks out like a sore thumb on that album. it's not awful or anything, but these guys are so consistently great, and I'd be lying if I said that song doesn't strike me as a significant dip. at first I wanted to say that maybe The National was a band where I at least like all of their songs, but then I realized that I've never listened to their first two albums, and also that there are a of couple tracks on I Am Easy To Find that I don't like very much at all
Bleed American, Futures, and Chase This Light genuinely are no skips for me. Every album after has at least one song I dont really care for, with Damage being the one most guilty.
This is the big problem for me. I’d love it if they tried more stuff in that vein, honestly, but that particular song just feels like a first draft, like a demo they didn’t take very seriously
I never felt like "555" was that out there. Kind of feel like think the silly video informed how people view that song.
it seems to me like "555" splits JEW fans pretty evenly down the middle, whereas the consensus is pretty much agreed on Damage being a misfire from them, which makes me want to do the Norman Rockwell painting guy every single time it's mentioned
555 is good but it always felt to me like it was trying to fill the Gotta Be Somebody’s Blues quota of being a left-field, slower track near the middle of the album. Get It Faster does the same, albeit later on Bleed. I always enjoy those songs when they come on but they feel like they should be on another album when they do. Pass The Baby fits the bill tracklisting wise but at least fits sonically within Integrity Blues.
555 is odd because I like the idea of them doing a full on pop song and I like the idea of them busting out a really dark existential lyric like that but I just don't know if they should be in the same song. just winds up feeling awkward
it's interesting you named all these tracks because all of those are songs I typically don't gravitate to (not calling them bad)
Not to invoke the band’s subreddit again, but there was a post about their “worst” song a few months back and the consensus was Byebyelove. I hadn’t listened to Damage in full then, and when I finally did I was expecting that song to be worse, lol. The lyrics are whatever, but I actually like the instrumentation. (Also when I finally listened to Chase This Light, Gotta Be Somebody’s Blues ended up being one of my favorite tracks.)
Damage has an unfair reputation; I always make this argument whenever I can, but I genuinely think it would be championed if was another band’s debut. The sequencing is sound, the story telling and lyricism is great, and the songs are fantastic. It’s only fault is existing after everything before. I love Invented. Someone compared it to like “day time Futures” like a decade ago on the old forums and it has clicked with me ever since. I’d probably change some tracks around like swapping Evidence and My Best Theory but it’s a really sound record. Evidence and Invented are definitely among my favorite tracks from the band
Chris Ryan saying Coffee & Cigarettes was a later period standout track was very funny to me. I like that song fine and really enjoy Courtney’s and Jim’s voices together, but I don’t think it’s the most memorable song on that record. I probably need to spend more time with Invented. But the title track (especially the bridge) is the standout there for me.