Listen to a song like Male Call and realize Tom songs sounds like you're 3 shots of Jameson in at the local dive and you're arm in arm with the homies singing along to Rancid. Listen to a song like Where Your Heartache Exists and realize Greg songs sounds like you've parked your car after a long day and you're about to hit the bowl.
I’ll either go to Lauries planet of sound in Lincoln Square (it’s a little north of me but they let my dog in so we will walk there), Dave’s or any of the Reckless. Reckless is by far the best about getting all the indie variants.
It took me roughly 8 years of listening to this song to realize that Greg sings the "Tom, I can't ascribe a purpose to this atrocity" part. Blew my mind when I noticed it.
I Can't Stop Drinking is a very Tom sounding song but it seems like Greg wrote it from the text about the album on their website. Re: the debate, for me Greg songs are usually better, he's definitely a better singer, most of the big Menzos songs are Greg songs, but Tom is necessary to add a bit of grit to it and live he's a great presence. And of course he has some bangers as has been mentioned too. Football reference that might go over people's heads - my friend joked that Tom is like Gattuso. A rugged player and not one pulling out the silky skills but vital to the mix
Chicago here too! Don’t skip on Shuga’s - they have been a lifesaver for me where I feel that Reckless has gotten progressively more overpriced and they tend to grade up their records.
Listen to the album version with headphones. Tom sings "Then her father said to me" and then Greg jumps in to finish the line. I swear it's true!
I listened to After The Party and the 4 singles today and all 17 songs are fucking great. I feel dumb saying this now, but I kinda have a hard time telling Greg and Tom apart and usually have to look up who is singing what if I want to know.
My tooth just broke mid eating a chocolate bar while I was listening to Rented World. I was on Rodent ... which means the song before with the lyric “dreaming that my teeth are falling out” will forever remind me of this very annoying moment.
Just heard the new single....I feel like the vocals are a lot different and I can’t say I’m a fan of that change...song is good tho.
Say this with love, but the decline in quality on The National's albums since Alligator is a goddamn mirror of the album-to-album decline in Jimmy Eat World's output since Clarity.
tbh after the party is probably my favorite of their records. at the very least, i definitely reach for it most often