The National - I Am Easy To Find (May 17, 2019) Album • Page 34

Alligator is good but nowhere near their best

 

This is kind of weird but some of the synth tones on here really remind me of Boards of Canada

 

This is already the most excited I’ve been about a National album in years. The vocal melodies are sublime.

 

The National Break Down Every Song on Their New Album, I Am Easy to Find | Pitchfork

Aaron has lead vocals on Where Is Her Head apparently? dope

 

The pitchfork review is frustrating because Where Is Her Head sounds way more like Broken Social Scene than AF.

In a great way.

 

the p4k review reads much higher than the score suggests, which is a common theme over there. honestly they’re no more important than outlets like av club, noisey, stereogum, consequence of sound, etc. these days and honestly I prefer to read most of those pubs over pitchfork. factors other than the music and the opinion of the writer go into the score which is confusing and misleading to readers

 

This is going to be my go to night album for a very long time, just love the overall vibe and space the record exists in.

 

I'm with you on this. There are certain songs I love but I don't remember the last time I've listened to it start to finish. I usually listen to a couple full albums from them on a weekly basis.

 

Haven't had a chance to listen to the whole album yet, but Rylan is an absolute masterpiece. I don't even think this is my favorite version of the song and it's still a 15/10. The last minute just destroys me, could be the best moment in their whole catalogue.

 

Yeah I would not put Alligator 1 overall but they have never topped this run of songs and likely never will

 

I think every album they've released since is significantly stronger.

 

Even that little simple guitar riff brings me so much enjoyment

 

i rank alligator lower than boxer and trouble (and the new one) largely bc the production is an obstacle, it just sounds significantly less good than everything that came after (i see i'm not alone in having this issue lol). however bc i contain multitudes i also think "all the wine" (my first favorite national song) and "abel" sound perfect; at some points in the record i wish the production were cleaner and at others it's exactly as mean and cloudy as the songs deserve, like the songs are fighting through a room full of smoke

 

lit up! lit up! lit up all right!

 

I know, same. I miss a little bit how the original version and KEXP version from a couple years ago built the whole second half of the song around the lead guit but it's mostly water under the bridge with how triumphant everything is once it flips to upbeat right around the 3 minute mark.

Yeah while I wouldn't say the production ruins it at all I've definitely wondered how much more amazing that album would be if the whole thing sounded as good as Mr. November, which as far as I know was the last song they recorded for it. It's funny, I know Peter Katis has said he was really bummed about the raw drum tracks they showed up with, but where the album really feels unpolished compared to the others are the vocal sounds in a lot of places.

 

my least favorite of the run since alligator is high violet but it's for a really arbitrary production-related reason too (hate the sound of the "terrible love" demo)

 

I don't know how I'm just now realizing how similar Rylan is to Apartment Story.. Both 10/10 songs.

 

I’ve been wondering where you were. I’m excited to see what you end up thinking of this record - I like Sleep Well Beast, but it was my least favorite of theirs since Sad Songs, and I think this is their best since...possibly ever?

 

FROM YOUR BAD BLOOD

 

How great is Quiet Light?

 

In iTunes, I replaced the album version of "Terrible Love" with the "alternate" (read: actually finished) version from the deluxe edition. It's so much better. Definitely my biggest gripe with that album too.

 

Happy I Am Easy To Find Day!

 

yeah i mean sleep well beast is an obviously very good record i just never returned to it or got completely absorbed in it the way i have every single other record besides the self titled, honestly i listen to sad songs way more than sleep well beast and probably like it more. maybe one of these days itll click tho



im about to sit down with this and really dive in, i had it on earlier but wasnt paying much attention but what i did hear was much more up my alley than sleep well beast

 

Just started this and quiet light god damn.

 

I love seeing people around the web saying that their favorites on this are my least favorites. That's when you know you have a great album on your hands.