Album Review: The National - High Violet

I am getting the sense from a lot of people I talk to, that High Violet is many people's first introduction to the National. It's probably going to be the album where their career really takes off over here. But it should be pointed out early and often that this album is not a patch on the two records that came immediately before it (although it is better than their first few). In fact, it's not even more commercial than their last, Boxer. So it's kind of strange that this is their biggest yet.

Don't get me wrong, High Violet is one of the better albums of 2010, it's just not the National's best. It's a great album full of wonderful, captivating tunes, not least album opener, the gritty 'Terrible Love'.

The National have long been a music first band, and thus the songs features big melodies and intense crescendos, which are then layered with Matt Beringer's enchanting lyrics. How can you argue with "We'll play nuns versus priests until somebody cries"?

There's plenty of highpoints to savour, particularly singles 'Anyone's Ghost' and 'Bloodbuzz Ohio', but for me, nothing tops the utterly compelling 'Little Faith'. The album is strong throughout, and closing tracks 'London' and 'Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks' are both standouts. However, overall it's not as good as Boxer or Alligator. Maybe it lacks the immediacy of those two albums, but it's just not as good.

Fantastic, but not as good. That said, 'A Little Faith' ranks among the best songs they've recorded. Immense.

Live: Electric Picnic 2010 Lineup

The initial lineup for this year's Electric Picnic has been announced. It's a very pleasant alternative to Oxegen, with many legendary faces due to appear at Stradbally, Co. Laois from the 3rd to the 5th of September.

The main trio are Roxy Music, Leftfield, and Massive Attack. Very dancy headliners compared to Oxegen's hip-hop flavour for 2010. It'll be great to see Bryan Ferry and co on the main stage, as well as the return of Leftfield after a decade away from the limelight. Massive Attack are also a fantastic live band, and will be promoting their latest album Heligoland.

There's tonnes of other fantastic acts playing, including some local favourites: the Frames, Imelda May, Paul Brady, the Villagers, Messiah J and the Expert, as well as Choice Music Prize winner Adrian Crowley.

Full Lineup so far:
ROXY MUSIC; LEFTFIELD; MASSIVE ATTACK; LCD SOUNDSYSTEM; THE FRAMES; PUBLIC IMAGE LTD; THE NATIONAL; MUMFORD &SONS; SEASICK STEVE; MODEST MOUSE; HOT CHIP; GIL SCOTT HERON; FEVER RAY; JONSI (SIGUR ROS); FAT FREDDYS DROP; BAD LIEUTENANT; CRYSTAL CASTLES; AFRO CELT SOUNDSYSTEM; BOOKASHADE; BLOODY BEETROOTS DEATH CREW77; STEVE EARLE; BEACH HOUSE; THE BIG PINK; LOW ANTHEM; REDNECK MANIFESTO; THE HORRORS; MONOTONIX; LIQUID LIQUID; HERE WE GO MAGIC; FIELD MUSIC; CYMANDE; MESSIAH J & THE EXPERT; DUBLIN GOSPEL CHOIR; CARIBOU; ADRIAN CROWLEY; VILLAGERS; NEW PORNOGRAPHERS; BEAKESTRA & CHALIE 2 NA; MR SCRUFF; MEMORY TAPES; AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED...

Album News: The National - High Violet Tracklist

The tracklist for the new National album High Violet has been announced, and it seems that the four videos I've posted on here so far have all been accurate. All these songs we've heard will appear on the record, due May 11th, as well as the excellent 'Vanderlylle Crybaby' which has been renamed 'Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks' for the album. Have a listen to it below.

Tracklist:
01 Terrible Love
02 Sorrow
03 Anyone's Ghost
04 Little Faith
05 Afraid of Everyone
06 Bloodbuzz Ohio
07 Lemonworld
08 Runaway
09 Conversation 16
10 England
11 Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

Watch The National - 'Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks' live:

Watch: The National - High Violet songs

Three new songs were debuted from the National at Bell House on Saturday night. Although there's no tracklist for High Violet yet, expect these new tunes to appear on the album when it's released on May 11th. the three songs played were 'Little Faith (Chrome Horse)', 'Sorrow', and 'Anyone's Ghost'. From these, 'Sorrow' is the best for me, but all sound great and provide yet another little teaser for what is sure to be a wonderful album.

Watch The National - 'Little Faith (Chrome Horse)':


Watch The National - 'Sorrow':


Watch The National - 'Anyone's Ghost':

Album Cover: The National - High Violet

The National release the follow-up to the wonderful Boxer on the 11th of May. It's called High Violet, and hopefully continues the run of great albums from the Brooklyn band.

They performed on Jimmy Kimmel last night, playing lead single 'Terrible Love' and 'Blood Buzz Ohio' (which unfortunately wasn't shown). However, have a look at 'Terrible Love' below. There isn't a tracklist for the album yet, but expect both of those songs to appear when it's announced.

Watch The National 'Terrible Love' live:

List: Best Albums of the Decade 70-61

Part Five of my countdown of the top 110 albums of the decade, and we're not even half-way there. You can find 110-101 here, 100-91 here, 90-81 here, and 80-71 here. But for now, here's 70-61...

70. Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006)

Bruce Springsteen's most outlandish album of his career is also one of his best. A departure from everything else he's ever done, his tribute to legendary folk radical Pete Seeger showed that he could turn his hand to anything and be succesful. A compilation of ancient traditional songs, this was one of the best folk albums of the decade, and made us wonder how great Springsteen could have been had he been a folkie all along.

69. The White Stripes - Icky Thump (2007)

After the darker Get Behind Me Satan, The White Stripes returned to a more punky fuller sound on Icky Thump. It included songs that sounded like White Stripes classics such as 'You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)' and newer, edgier stuff like the excellent mariachi cover 'Conquest'. These were just some of many highlights, alongside a brilliant title track and the wonderful 'Rag and Bone'. It's the most recent White Stripes album, and bodes well for the next decade.

68. Sufjan Stevens - Michigan (2003)

The first of his now eternally delayed Fifty States project, Michigan was one of two fantatsic albums released by Sufjan Stevens in 2003/04. The other Seven Swans was a slower, more melodic album. This one paved the way for his masterpiece Illinois, it was a series of magnificent tales about his home state, and has more references than wikipedia.

67. Warren Zevon - The Wind (2003)

The legendary Zevon's last album, released just two short weeks before his death, was also his best in a long time. Featuring a splendid duet with Bruce Springsteen as well as a tremendous cover of Bob Dylan's 'Knocking on Heaven's Door', this album featured one of the best ensemble casts of musicians ever. The fact that Zevon was able to get such respected artists as Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Ry Cooder, Don Henley, Dwight Yoakam, and Tom Petty just proves how respected he was, and how much he's missed by the musical community worldwide.

66. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (2007)

Forget about the backstory with the break-ups and log cabins, the music on here would be damn good regardless of anything surrounding it. The story gets you into it, but it's the music itself that keeps you listening. Again and again. Only nine songs long, but every one of them is hauntingly beautiful and immediately enchanting. The only problem with this is that Justin Vernon will probably never make a record like this again.

65. TV on the Radio - Dear Science (2008)

Sadly dropped the comma from the official release, Dear Science, is TV on the Radio's masterpiece. It's an album that should be played in clubs. It's increidbly danceable, but sadly never hit the mainstream heights it deserved. It also showed that band member Dave Sitek was one of the finest producers around. Not a blip or beep is wasted.

64. Arcade Fire - Funeral (2005)

This was Arcade Fire's first introduction to most of the world. Their self-titled EP had got a lot of good press, but with the release of Funeral, those wacky Canadians went from relative unknowns to worldwide superstars. It has sold millions of copies worldwide, and probably is the only alternative album to ever do so. You'll probably see it high on many decade-end lists, higher than on here, but it sadly never reaches the peaks of its many singles. A great album, but they may have better in them. Wait and see.

63. Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf (2002)

The album that confirmed Josh Homme as a superstar, Songs for the Deaf is probably one of the finest concept albums of the decade. It's easy to forget that aside from the splendid hard-rock singles such as 'Go With the Flow' and 'No One Knows', the album underneath was a commentary on listening to various radio stations while driving across the Mojave Desert to Los Angeles. It was clever, and brilliant, but mostly it rocked. Hard.

62. The National - Boxer (2007)

The National's fourth album is their best work so far. Singer Matt Beringer never sounded as good as he did on the dark melodies of 'Fake Empire', 'Mistake for Strangers' and the other ten fantastic songs here. It's bleakly beautiful, but most importantly: damned addictive.

61. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations (2006)

.Muse's 2009 album was a major disappointment. It's the worst thing they've done to date. Luckily, the rest of their career is far better. This, their fourth album was a change in direction, much more spacey and out-there than their previous work. This however was no mad-scientist/UFO-sighting nonsense, but instead was a fine collection of songs (apart from the awful always-skipped 'Soldier's Poem'). Each of the singles is incredible, with the lead 'Suppermassive Black Hole' the best of them. It was totally different than anything they had done before, but also one of the most sonically pleasing, danceable tracks of the noughties.

The Countdown continues tomorrow... If I can pull myself away from X Factor, of course!

List: Best Albums of the Decade 100-91

Part Two of my countdown of the top 110 albums of the decade. You can find 110-101 here. But for now, here's 100-91...

100. Pete Yorn - musicforthemorningafter (2001)

Sometimes you make something so good with your first attempt that you can never hit those high standards ever again. Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly knows what this is all about. As does Pete Yorn. These days he's duetting with Scarlett Johansson and making so-so records. His debut, on the other hand, was a fantastic radio rock album, which leant many of its singles to soundtracks. It's not just a soundtrack album though, like Moby's Play, it has so much more to offer.

99. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (2007)

Wilco are never going to make another Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. But the offspring of Uncle Tupelo came damn close with Sky Blue Sky. A much more rounded and polished album, it was their highest ever charting record. It's a much simpler album, much more direct, but is not worse off in any way; 'Impossible Germany' may well be Jeff Tweedy's finest hour.

98. Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (2008)

Sigur Rós are another of these acts that'll never match their early work (Ágætis byrjun is a masterpiece, but technically a 1999 release), however they will not cease in trying to be better. Thus their fifth album was yet another change in direction, this one even had a song in English. It charted in the top 5 in both Ireland and the UK, and was much more pop than any of their past efforts. In fact, this was the first fun album Sigur Rós recorded. Yes. It's fun.

97. Okkervil River - The Stage Names (2007)

Will Sheff was always clever. WIth Shearwater he lets his aggression out, but Okkervil River is his best project. The lyrics are intelligent and also funny, but the melodies are what makes the album really shine. No album this decade ends on a higher note, 'John Allyn Smith Sails' is a reworking of the traditional 'Sloop John B' made famous by the Beach Boys, and is every bit as good as Brian Wilson's own.

96. Bruce Springsteen - Magic (2007)

Bruce Springsteen really regained form in the 00s. His 80s output was fantastic, but his 90s work left a lot to be desired. But out of his five albums released this decade, four of them are among his best (the newest,Working on a Dream, is awful). Magic was one of the two upbeat pop ones, less dark than The Rising, and perfect for radio.

95. Ryan Adams - 29 (2005)

The third of Ryan Adams' 2005 trilogy, and his grittiest ever work. It had nine long songs which seeped into your consciousness. A real grower of an album, it's beautiful. There was an article in the Guardian last week saying that a director's minor work - the film that's most different than the rest of their output - is their real best. Many people think this may be the case with Adams. They may well be right.

94. The National - Alligator (2005)

Alligator was the National's third album, but was the one on which they really shone. Filled with bleakly beautiful songs, it was an album which showed its beauty on first listen, but got even better on repeated spins. Interestingly, PopMatters gave it two reviews on its release - the total of which added up to give it 9 (2/10 and 7/10). Bet they're kicking themselves now.

93. Glen Phillips - Abulum (2001)

Toad the Wet Sprocket were much bigger on the other side of the Atlantic than over here. But anyone who doesn't know of them should take notice of their frontman, Glen Phillips's debut solo album. Abulum is like that old warm family friend, filled with curious observations, and a great deal of wit. It's also damn addictive.

92. U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000)

U2 came out of the blocks this decade with the splendid single 'Beautiful Day', which has soundtracked many a highlight reel since. Every song was a possible single, but it was the slower numbers like 'Walk On' and Bono's tribute to his late friend Michael Hutchence, 'Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of'. 'Peace on Earth' was the only weak point on what is otherwise a marvellous Irish album.

91. Richard Hawley - Coles Corner (2005)

Coles Corner was Hawley's fourth solo album and is named after one of Sheffield's hotspots. It was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2006 which gained Hawley a much wider fanbase. It contained many gorgeous songs, for example 'The Ocean', 'Hotel Room', and the tremendous title track.

The Countdown continues tomorrow...

List: Top 20 EPs of the 00s

My end of decade lists continue. But each day, we get nearer and nearer my list of the best 100 albums or so of the 00s! As I'm busy typing that list, I've split this into two halves. The second half, i.e. the top ten, features some fine blurbs, in case you decide you might have to buy some of these half-albums. Also, I left off Ryan Adams' Love is Hell EPs, as they would've held the top two positions, and will be high up my album list, as one sole album.

20. Bright Eyes - Four Winds (2007)
19. The Tallest Man on Earth - The Tallest Man on Earth (2006)
18. Bon Iver - Blood Bank (2009)
17. Gemma Hayes - Work to a Calm (2001)
16. Gorillaz - Tomorrow Comes Today (2000)
15. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - IsIs (2007)
14. Ben Nichols - The Last Pale Light In the West (2009)
13. Mumford and Sons - Mumford and Sons (2008)
12. Jill Andrews - EP (2008)
11. Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant (2008)

10. Joanna Newsom - Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band (2007)

Not only is this Joanna Newsom's beautiful follow-up to Ys, but it's also the best named release of the decade. A genius titled EP which contains three gorgeous, encapsulating songs. She's a marvellously consistent artist, and I can't wait to see what the next decade has in store for her.

9. Iron and Wine - Woman King (2005)

Sam Beam is also one of the most consistent artists around, and Woman King may well be his finest ever release under the Iron and Wine moniker. He's also fantastic live, so if and when he does return, I advise you to go to see him.

8. The National - Cherry Tree (2004)

The Virginia EP narrowly missed the top twenty here, but this is their better short-length record. Cherry Tree signalled the brilliance that was yet to come from the National on their excellent Alligator and Boxer full lengths.

7. TV on the Radio - Young Liars (2003)

Another teaser EP, this one showed glimpses of what TV on the Radio would come to be. Even still, it's a fantastic release, and one any artist would be delighted to have in their canon. Check out the excellent 'Staring at the Sun' and the phenomenal 'Blind', a seven minute tune which feels like it ends too soon..

6. Richard Hawley - Richard Hawley (2001)

This decade has been Hawley's decade. He has stood out on his own. Previously a session musician, his self-titled EP, with songs like 'Naked in Pitsmoor' and 'Coming Home' showed that Hawley could be the Roy Orbison of the 00s.

5. The Gaslight Anthem - Senor and the Queen (2008)

A lot of these EPs are teasers that the best is yet to come from an artist, but Senor and the Queen contains a lot of the Gaslight Anthem's best work. Overall it's their best ever release, mainly because of the song 'Blue Jeans and White T-Shirts'.

4. Kings of Leon - Holy Roller Novocaine (2003)

They weren't always pop darlings, you know? Long ago, before X Factor wannabes sang their songs, Kings of Leon were a fantastic rock band, up there with the White Stripes and the Strokes. They weren't polished in any way. They were raw, and they rocked. Hard.

3. Bloc Party - Bloc Party (2004)

I first downloaded this in 2004, on a recommendation from NME before their debut album was released. It was incorrectly titled Banquet EP, but that is mainly the reason it was so good. That one song. 'Banquet'. Perhaps the best rock song to come out of England this decade. And that includes everything Pete Doherty was involved in too.

2. Fight Like Apes - How Am I Supposed to Kill You if You Have All the Guns?

The best EP to come out of Ireland this decade? Certainly. Might well be the best EP to come out of Ireland ever. It also had a more normal souning name than any of their other EPs. It quickly sold out everywhere, and a wave of hype followed the band everywhere. It was truly deserved, as no-one can argue with songs like 'Battlestations' and future single 'Jake Summers' He's the man...

1. Arcade Fire - Arcade Fire (2003)

This is what good EPs are all about. Also known as the Us Kids Know EP. It introduced the world to the fascinating Win Butler and Rene Chassagne, and contained no songs that would appear on their debut album Funeral. (Although 'No Cars Go' was later re-recorded for Neon Bible). It's the perfect EP, as its unique tracklist makes it worth owning, as much as a full-length album.

Download: The National, Austin City Limits 2007

SixEyes has put up the National's performance at Austin City Limits for individual track mp3 download, as well as comping them all in one big zip file. It's no Oxegen download, but hopefully we can get a few of them soon!

Tracklist:
mistaken for strangers
slow show
squalor victoria
racing like a pro
apartment story
about today


You can find them here:
http://sixeyes.blogspot.com/2008/07/national-acl-2007.html