I can’t really separate the snob part of myself in any sad songs vs twfm comparison that says sad songs is more impressive relative to where they were as a band at the respective time of recording each. In a vacuum Twfm has more excellent songs, sure. Similar highs though!
I disappoint my wife on a daily basis. However, in no way is this album better than anything but self-titled.
Exact same. These songs justify its existence. Most everything else feels like songs they could write in their sleep at this point, the have the formula down, they can’t really write a bad song, just some mid ones.
I’ve given HV and TWFM a lot of shit for being sleepwalk national at their weakest respective points, so I’m not gonna call it a bullshit criticism. But I do look at IAETF and think if you’ve got 6 excellent songs and then enough good to very good ones to fill out the rest of a full length, you’ve likely got a pretty great album. Certainly not advocating it for top 3, but can’t support the “obvious worst since s/t” view at all.
Not In Kansas is close to being a song i love but honestly a bunch of those lyrics are too corny imo.
I think the fact that people on the internet routinely cite the same songs on IAETF as the worst and the best National songs shows that the record does some interesting, new things for the band. There will be a more universal head scratch of disappointment when they finally release an album that actually barely outranks their self-titled.
this record is great. phenomenal comeback after sleep well beast, which is not good. time to mute this thread
I... agree. not a problem with the songs on Beast per se as much as the pacing/tracklisting, which is a mess
if i really wanted to burn this thread down i’d tell you which album SWB is better than but i’m a nice boy and covid is wrecking me enough