Premature Evaluation: The National - Boxer
A couple years ago Alligator put the National on the map for many listeners, largely through a combination of vocalist Matt Berninger's Jack 'n' Coke baritone, novelistic lyrics, and tendency to lose his voice on shadowy, boiled-over rock songs like "Lit Up," "Abel," and regular showstopper, "Mr. November." On the band's fourth full-length Boxer, Berninger, the only guy without a brother in the band, never raises his voice, and has never sounded so refined or, well, at home (except when he's nervous by a punchbowl, the wall slipping away from his side, wanting nothing more than to hurry home, escape, start over…).
It's a quieter, but richer sounding affair -- like they've moved from the kitchen (a nice one at that) to a dimly lit crushed velvet-lined dining room complete with one of those faux Tiffany lamps. Throughout, Boxer has a sleepy, collaged feel: Twelve tracks blend into one, continue when you expect them to end, move like a connected shadow. A few guests, including Thomas Bartlett (a.k.a. Doveman), Padma Newsome of Clogs (guitarist Bryce Dessner's also a member of that band), and Sufjan something or other, propel the night with piano and organ and woodwinds and brass, adding cushion to the brocade.
With all this talk of shut-eye, it makes sense "Fake Empire" opens the record finding our deep-voiced protagonist half-awake, opting to "stay out super late tonight" as he and a compatriot "tiptoe through our shiny city with our diamond slippers on." (In "Apartment Story" folks campout, sleeping in their clothes, and following the directions of their television.) Fitting the dreamy outlines of the set, lyrics from earlier albums flit through certain songs like half-awake memories: "29 Years" from the 2001 self-titled debut reappears; moments from "Racing Like A Pro" were first in a compilation track, "Minor Star Of Rome"; "feathers are falling on my feet" from Alligator's "Karen" pops up on "Gospel," etc.
But it's an ecstatic, compelling night: Showing as much restraint with his pen as he does his voice, Berninger's writing's getting even sharper; he pares words to essentials and ellipses. Images might not be as resonant as "the sky with a big slice of lemon" but they're quietly gorgeous. (Funny that we joked about the Boss digging Bright Eyes, because Springsteen's also a big fan of the National … Berninger's more Nebraska, Oberst more Born In The USA.)
Okay, we've obviously gotten in a bunch of listening this past weekend. Could it be one of our favorites of the year? Yes, definitely … As we post this, we're playing "Mistaken For Strangers" on infinite repeat.
Boxer is out 5/22 on Beggars Banquet. And they just added a fifth (Friday) show to their nearly sold-out run at Bowery. Buy tix tomorrow at 12PM EST here.
Posted at 5:43 PM in Premature Evaluation
Tags: The National
someone, anyone, please send a link to this. i can only scrape together a few tracks and i don't want to listen to them out of context!
thanks.
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This album is so damn good...at first I didn't like it as much as Alligator, but I'm starting to think it's just as good.
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i like it a lot more than alligator actually.
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As expected, it's simply excellent. The boys continue to make us Cincinnati folks proud...
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"Abel," not "Able" from Alligator. And good Lord, I can't wait to hear this album...
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Definitely my favorite thing this year so far.
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Someone told me a while ago that there would be no howling on this album. I was a bit dismayed for a second, then realized that was a sily qualm to have. The album is suprememely fantastic. I really love the fact that the drumming takes part of the center stage on quite a few of the tracks. The way "Fake Empire" builds up to that horn section really grabbed me too. And yes..."Mistaken for Strangers" is one hell of an anthemn, deservent of the infinite repeat.
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ah yes, and big ups to the fellow cincinnatian above.
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I saw them at the Troubadour opening for Clap Your Hands and thought meh, but this album....WHOA. Five kinds of awesome.
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wow, talk about clutch. Alligator brought them so much love and attention that I thought it would be pretty tough to come up with something better or as good- not that I thought Matt would write shitty lyrics or something but I just thought there would be a little pressure to write a really great record. I think Boxer is just as good, if not better than anything they've ever done. I thought I'd miss the aggression and screaming that comes out sometimes but this is just amazing. What a great band.
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i've kind of decided to not throw my opinion on "boxer" as of yet, being as though it took me a couple months to realize the greatness of "alligator."
"racing like a pro" ["minor star of rome" could also fall into the category] and "fake empire," however, are instant classics.
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fantastic album. highlights over the past few days for me are 'squalor victoria,' and 'mistaken for strangers.' i stupidly looked for the next rock-wonder that was abel, but found something much better. what an exciting album.
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Kinda funny, I didn't like it at first (same with Alligator), but now I'm up to speed and it's great. Better on the whole than Alligator for me.
By the way, I saw them play with CYHSY at the Troub and got the opposite impression the guy above me did. They're amazing live, blew the hipsters off the stage (Not that it's a competition, they're buddies, yada yada yada).
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Very, very good album. Especially for a record as difficult to follow up as Alligator. Can't wait to see them when they come to town. Not to mention that the album cover is going to look fantastic on the vinyl edition... merch stand here I come.
And has anyone else noticed how once stereogum puts up their 'premature evaluation,' the album spreads across the torrent sites like wildfire? Is this like a hidden signal that, 'yes, it's really out there now'? Or an unintended coincidence?
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it leaked on Friday so no, I don't think there's any coincidence at all.
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What torrent site are you looking at? I can't find it anywhere.
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this just makes me think of something i read in 2005, about how it was a shame that the national was opening for CYHSY, because they were ultimately the better band. based on their recent releases, i'd have to say it's true.
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where are the rockers?! 3 1/2 stars.
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http://www.sendspace.com/file/a9ahjc
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link is down. Someone posted it in the comments here too
someone posted the album in the comments here too
http://aaaathatsfiveas.blogspot.com/2007/04/when-your-back-is-turned-here-comes.html
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this album is getting into my cortez like a delicious parasite. :lol:
no, really. can´t stop listening to it. it´s haunting and melancholic, but doesn´t really make you sad. very evocative. like the sweet memory of a loved one long gone. album of the year for me, unless devendra releases a masterpiece, or radiohead stop fooling around and give us their goddamned lp7.
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