The National - I Am Easy To Find (May 17, 2019) Album • Page 68

...It doesn't have any of their ~20 best songs, how could it be their best?

 

Album definitely needs one of the two long ones. Could potentially agree both is a lot.

 

title track would be like 6 on my list at worst. Last 3 on alligator, fake empire, then it’s probably next for me

 

quite lights, oblivions and light years are all top 20 songs easily.

 

I do appreciate this post though because change it to high violet and 20 to 30 and I’ve wanted to post this a hundred times in the last 10 years

 

Not in Kansas is literally one of their best songs tf you doing

 

Id leave on so far so fast then. Not in Kansas is whatever, I’m over that from Matt.

 

"Light Years" is the only one I'd even put in the conversation, and even then, I think I still like 5+ songs from each of the five previous albums more.

 

Ha, I know there's some back and forth about whether High Violet is good too, but High Violet doesn't meander in search of melody for 63 minutes like this album does.

That might be a little harsh, but man, this album has so few moments that hook me at all. [/spoler]

 

rylan is up there

 

This was the album that sold me on them

 

i am getting extremely mad online™

 

Craig hitting home-runs in the Noah Gundersen thread and then he comes in here acting a fool. The nerve.

 

I am less likely to revisit this album than their others, so I guess I agree with Craig

 

I’m sorry, who is arguing about whether High Violet is good?

 

Yeah as much as I love this album I understand people not loving it but shitting on high violet?? Do you even like this band?

 

Coincidentally, I don't know if I would tell people High Violet is my favourite, but I'd guess it is the one I revisit the most

 

IMO, High Violet is the album that sticks out immediately when you first scan their discography and the album you later realize is kinda not as good as the other post-Alligator records when you’re several months into your new life as a National obsessive.

It’s like how the first time you go to a hipster donut shop you order the insane frosted donut with bacon or M&Ms on it and then, by your 4th or 5th visit, you realize the understated, non-frosted olive oil orange cake donut is actually where it’s at.

 

It doesn’t get much hookier than you had your soul with you or where is your head imo. Up there with apartment story for the catchiest national stuff

 

High Violet is very good as all non debut National is, but it is short on career highlights for me, much like Craig is saying about IAETF. (And it’s like they tried to remake boxer to be playable in arenas but forgot to write any moments of joy into it but that’s an argument for another time.)

As far as the album in question, Rylan and the title track are all timers in my book and the first two, Where is Her Head, and Light Years are all A-level National imo. Definitely some misses among the rest and wouldn’t argue it needed a more deft editor, but the best 10 or so songs on it are a great great record.

 

"Rylan" is a song I like a lot that I think feels weirdly inert on the album. This live take is superior:

 

I don't think I'll ever see what some of y'all do with this album. it has always felt like a collection of songs that weren't good enough to make the cut on SWB to me

 

I'd pull it

 

You’re not wrong about this statement as that is what much of it is.

That being said:

Quiet Light
Oblivions
The Pull of You
Rylan
Light Years

Are all A-tier The National songs.

 

Tbh I think SWB is on par with IAETF