The National - I Am Easy To Find (May 17, 2019) Album • Page 48

Please stop bringing up U2 when discussing this incredible band

 

welp there it is, surprised it took so long honestly

 

I like both a lot, but I think Songs of Experience is one of their five best albums ever. It’s so gripping and personal, and so much deeper than just about anyone gave it credit for. I love it.

Honestly, I don’t think they’ve ever made a bad record. But that one really surprised me by how great I thought it was.

EDIT: I like No Line too, but the mid-section is not great.

 

Can’t believe U2 ripped off The National

 

I love U2 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

yeah, Boots -> Comedy -> Fez is a really rough stretch of songs, haha, but I adore the rest. cannot believe a band that deep into their career, and out of their artistic peak pulled off something like "Moment of Surrender". incredible song

I love "Best Thing About Me" and "Little Things Give You Away" off Experience a lot. there's actually a lot of underrated stuff on there too, like "Red Flag Day" and "American Soul", but it feels a little uninspiring to me. I love them taking risks

 

You know, I kinda want to be the one eating chocolate chip pancakes next to a charity swimming pool

 

I'm not super fond of "I'll Go Crazy..." either. I actually like "Boots" more, of those two singles. But yeah, the first three tracks and the last three tracks on that album are next-level. "Moment of Surrender" is staggering.

Musically, Experience is definitely squarely in their wheelhouse. But I think it's the most dialed-in lyrically they've been in ages. Bono's "near-death experience" or whatever made for some interesting grappling with mortality. Plus, I think the political writing on that record, with "Summer of Love" and "Red Flag Day," is surprisingly effective.

I'd like a riskier record next time, now that they seem a little less hellbent on chasing another "Vertigo" moment. The biggest issue with Innocence is that they produced it like they still expected to land a top 40 hit. They should have stripped it back and let it be raw, like War or Boy. I think the reception to it would have been completely different if they'd done that.

 

I definitely have issues with the production on both the latest. Innocence sounds very washed out, but has some really cool sounding moments (the bass intro to Volcano! Raised by Wolves!). Experience is maybe better overall but still has some moments that don't land as powerfully ad they should (I'm thinking of Little Things especially which could have been one of their best). I don't hate either album by any means but they could be improved easily, to my ears

anyway I've straight up hijacked this and turned it into a U2 thread lol apologies all

 

I drove around for 5 hours around sunset and into darkness yesterday listening to this on repeat. I’m all about it now. It clicks. Life is good again.

 

after some difficulties, I finally got a playable copy of this on vinyl (the previous one had some super loud surface noise/pops on "Not in Kansas")

I've spun it so many times I haven't touched my other records

 

Man there are so many great moments on this, but I keep forgetting how perfect So Far So Fast is.

 

Need to spend time with this, obviously, but this didn't do a whole lot for me on first listen

 

Oh hai.

 

That is glorious! Mine hasn't arrived yet.

 

y'know, if anyone wants the short film soundtrack, shoot me a message

 

The vinyl is so beautiful.

 

There really is very else in this band's catalog like the version of "So Far So Fast" that ended up on the record. And I mean that in the best possible way.

 

This is quite easily my AOTY so far. Followed by TTMOE and Julia Jacklin’s record. Still can hardly listen to anything else lol

 

1) The National
2) Big Thief
3) Nilufar Yanya
4) Ceres
5) Tallest Man On Earth


But I’m on my second listen of the new Cate Le Bon record and I think it’s gonna climb up to this list FAST.

 

1) Big Thief
2) The National
3) Vampire Weekend
4) Strand of Oaks
5) No clue, too many options...Sharon Van Etten/Josh Ritter/Better Oblivion Community Center/Craig Finn...

 

Super easily my AOTY, yea.

 

IAETF
Nilufer Yanya
Better Oblivion
John Vanderslice
Big Thief

 

Big Thief
The National
Cate Le Bon
Nilufer Yanya
Jamila Woods

 

I really love this out of context.