I was very surprised to learn that a lot of people don't like Not In Kansas. It always struck me as very characteristically 'them' in a way that much of the rest of the album purposely / purposefully isn't. I don't think it is a top-tier The National song or anything, but I definitely enjoy the hell out of it whenever it comes on when I'm listening to this album. Then again, I don't really care for Light Years much at all, and a lot of fans seem to really love that one.
I just hate that “when the moon hits your eyes” part by the guest singer. Drags on and on and on and on.
sort of odd because i think not in kansas has more in common with less typical national songs (sleep well beast) than the archetypal ones
This is my biggest problem with it too. Really brings the energy down, and it wasn’t exactly a high energy song anyway.
Listened to that this morning and bought my kid a shirt with the bear from the monster cover on it haha
REM would have a strong case for best American band ever if not for the last like decade of their career. Not in Kansas would be good but too many corny ass lyrics that take me out of it.
Yeah, I really have no idea why the song kinda strikes me like that - all I can come up with is that it has several uninterrupted minutes of just Matt singing until the guests come in on the Moon Hits Your Eyes parts, which I don't really care for and would lose if I could. I've really tried many, many times and I just find the song to be somewhat boring and uninteresting and very, very low energy. I'm sure it doesn't help that it comes at the end of a *very* long album that is in general much slower and lower energy than I typically enjoy from these guys. I don't think it's terrible or anything.
1. I'll Still Destroy You 2. Bloodbuzz Ohio 3. England 4. Gospel 5. Apartment Story 6. Slipped 7. Lemonworld 8. Not in Kansas 9. City Middle 10. Fake Empire 5-8 can change order. 9 and 10 can switch out for like 20 other songs.
I'm not ranking my favorite National songs rn (too hard) but I can tell you that "This Is the Last Time" is my number one
1. I’ll Still Destroy You 2. Fake Empire 3. Light Years 4. Mr. November 5. Bloodbuzz Ohio 6. So Far So Fast 7. About Today 8. Slow Show 9. Day I Die 10. Quiet Light Honorable mention to I Am Easy to Find, Geese of Beverley Road, Apartment Story, Lemonworld, Mistaken for Strangers, Terrible Love, Empire Line, Graceless, Demons, Lit Up, Lucky You, etc etc etc…..
Was wondering when someone would notice the honest answer is that I was incredibly into it for the year after it came out, that year was an absolutely awful one for me lol, and I’ve just never connected with it the same way since