Brooklyn miserablists The National returned in 2010 with their fifth studio album. Cougar associate Ruby was quick to add it to her list saying:
It almost feels like cheating for featuring this like everyone else, particularly when it has been such a good year for breaking new acts. It’s comparable to the feeling you get when Federer wins a Grand Slam; great, but can someone else get look in?
Anyways, regardless of this notion ‘High Violet’ is an incredible album and should be rightly commended. ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’ is a genuine “reeler” pulling you in for 4 minutes and 36 seconds and within that time you haven’t moved, you haven’t drifted, you’ve done very little else but listen…. and that is rare.
Elsewhere the band continue to show their flair for warped and low-fi melodies and of course those earthy deep rich vocals that sound like they have the knowledge of wisdom of 1,000 years engraved in them is practically poetry.
There is so much emotion and agony expressed that the rare uplifting moments seen in tracks such as ‘Anyone’s Ghost’ are vital in providing us with a welcome break from the rest of the album’s intensity.
‘The National’ have thoroughly earned their title and, like Federer, this album should be seeded at the top.
Ruby
