The National - First Two Pages... & Laugh Track Album • Page 62

Audio rip for those who are interested. https://old.reddit.com/r/TheNational/comments/1377tjf/the_national_bootleg_series_no_012_20230304

 

Is anyone able to download the video rip right now? Just tried and it’s saying the file violates terms of service

 

Listened to this on a plane at takeoff on the way home yesterday. Enjoyed it a bunch, will obviously need to have a better listen but I loved the Taylor song.

 

got you (not my link but someone reupped on Reddit)

 

Thanks friend

 

This is hitting hard today. All of it. I really love the Phoebe songs and I do think she elevates them.

 

This album is playing over the speaker at my gym right now. Good album, but the worst gym music ever lmao

 

It's better on the dark side of the gym.

 

Upgrading this from A++ to A+++

 

This really is their tightest, most elegant, warmest record. Sort of a masterclass on their own sound with the benefit of their experience and growth as musicians since they originally explored these tones and textures. I liked it on release and it is becoming more and more enjoyable to listen to as I play it to death.

 

I think this is easily their weakest. Feels like they’re just going through the motions, they even sound bored. And the flat production makes a bland record sound even more lifeless

 

As far as albums go, unfortunately I think I agree. I do think these songs are incredible live though. The Bearsville live versions of the songs from this album were amazing.

 

Hard agree that the songs on this record are great.

 

This album is beautiful, more understated, but great in its own right.

 

I would be interested in at least one more “rocking” record that captures their real life full band sound. It can be mostly chill like FTPoF and forego the more ostentatious National affects like the big horn crescendos but let the natural instruments take center stage with the studio effects being less pronounced. I wouldn’t want them to try and literally rock out. I feel like Turtleneck was a harbinger of how that might play out and a whole album of that would be IMO an actual creative stumble.

 

Bryan does his little silly drums on Alien. I feel like a lot of detractors are neglecting to appreciate and acknowledge said silly drums.

 

a full album of turtleneck would be a stumble but that’s bc it’s a bad song. a full album of sea of love, graceless, mistaken for strangers, etc. type songs would not be a stumble.

 

Agreed. But I don’t think they’re that band anymore. It’s been 10+ years and there’s a reason they keep putting it into the universe that they will release a more rocking album and then backing off the idea. Their slower, more crafted songs are better than whatever young-guy rock-out songs they’ve recorded so far…

…or they’re saving all the amazing rockers up until they get 10 good ones and it’s gonna rip and we’re gonna be forced to forgive them for being friends with Taylor Swift for a few years.

 

turtleneck is good

there are good “rockers” on this very album

 

I think sometimes “rockers” or “songs with more energy” is short hand for guitars upfront and constant and Bryan doing his drums upfront. When they add electronic elements or mix up the drums, from what I gather reading people’s reactions, it does not read as energetic. I agree that this album has songs that rock.

 

I think it’s always been an aesthetic choice for this band to have the live versions of songs outpace the studio ones in terms of volume and energy. Otherwise, the alternate version of Terrible Love would have been the one on the record, because it’s their best song.

 

For the Chicago folks - have a spare ticket for 5/21 (Sunday) Chicago show. Orch LC, Row T. Paid $90 after fees, looking to get that back.

Paper ticket, unfortunately, so we'll have to figure out handoff.

 

Down to purchase - sent you a message!

 

Another one for the Chicago people…

have a ticket available for Thursday 5/18.

Sec FBLCRC, Row C, Seat 309. $75 face. Looking to get it back.

 

This album is fantastic, I also think this is where I mostly benefited from being a mostly casual fan, went in with little expectations and not much in memory to really compare it to, it needed a lot of time to grow tbh but it went from really good to anazing over the last few weeks, what an enjoyable project