Yeah this isn’t much of a counterpoint. It seems largely irrelevant to take somebody who’s never been interested at all in the band or their previous material, including this release on initial listen, and then go back to them a few months later and ask, “So, what do you think of the Suburbs now?”
The only reason to listen to The National and High Violet specifically is Matt Berninger’s voice and the shiny wide-range production value. Berninger’s voice is, of course, the stand out attraction on any National record. The National almost comes off like a solo act with some studio musicians there to fill in some of the spaces. When I listen to High Violet I can clearly imagine Matt Berninger walking into the studio with the songs he’s written and saying, “He’s how I’m going to sing. Figure out some music to fill in behind me.” This isn’t a band that builds memorable music. It’s a band with an incredible front man who plays atmospherics behind him. A lot of people like to say Win Butler is a mixture of Springsteen meets Neil Young. Well, Berninger’s a mixture of Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Morrison (there, I said it) with a hint of Morrissey in there to croon. Don’t get me wrong. That’s an interesting mixture of vocal qualities but let’s not kid ourselves… he’s the only reason to listen to these guys. The music, quite frankly, is the indie rock equivalent of the kind of background atmospherics you’d find behind a solo artist like Peter Gabriel or something. It’s just there to prop the man’s vocals up and not much else.
And let’s not get carried away about the poetry differences. “Want calmer, moodier, more specifically intelligent and moving thoughts on adulthood from adults, go for the National’s High Violet” Really? You’re really chastising Win Butler for high school level poetry (likely because it’s overt) while simultaneously praising Matt Berninger’s consistently vague nonsense that can literally mean anything? “It’s terrible love and I’m walking with spiders…” “Sorrow that put me on the pills…” “Sorrow’s a girl inside my cave…” You and your sister live in a lemonworld… I want to sit in and die?” “I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees… I never married but Ohio don’t remember me…” This constitutes intelligent and moving thoughts on adulthood from adults? Now, normally I wouldn’t attack Berninger’s words so aggressively but if you’re going to criticize Butler for wearing his heart on his sleeve and keeping things obvious than I think you should at least point out the fact that Beringger’s lyrics could just as easily be interpreted as deliberately cryptic to the point of cowardliness. What I’m about to tell you isn’t a Beringer lyric but it just as easily could be. ” You……..are…. a…telescope … I…am… a…. stop sign… Together… we’re… hopeless… Apart from you I’m fine.” Come on now. You make him sound like he’s James Joyce or something. It’s far easier to hide behind ambiguity than it is to actually try and paint a picture that most can see and appreciate without completely dumbing it down.
If you took Win Bulter or Regine Chasigne’s vocals away from any Arcade Fire record you’d still have something worth listening to that builds, changes and gets into your head. I don’t think you can say the same for ANY National record. The Suburbs, musically, isn’t at the same level of Funeral and is actually a little closer to what I just criticized The National for but it’s still far more musically interesting and rewarding on repeat listens then High Violet. It might not sound like it from this post but I actually like The National but after seeing them AND Arcade Fire in concert again the differences became clear. Arcade Fire are a band. Matt Berninger should join a new band that actually challenges him musically.
Yeah this isn’t much of a counterpoint. It seems largely irrelevant to take somebody who’s never been interested at all in the band or their previous material, including this release on initial listen, and then go back to them a few months later and ask, “So, what do you think of the Suburbs now?”
The only reason to listen to The National and High Violet specifically is Matt Berninger’s voice and the shiny wide-range production value. Berninger’s voice is, of course, the stand out attraction on any National record. The National almost comes off like a solo act with some studio musicians there to fill in some of the spaces. When I listen to High Violet I can clearly imagine Matt Berninger walking into the studio with the songs he’s written and saying, “He’s how I’m going to sing. Figure out some music to fill in behind me.” This isn’t a band that builds memorable music. It’s a band with an incredible front man who plays atmospherics behind him. A lot of people like to say Win Butler is a mixture of Springsteen meets Neil Young. Well, Berninger’s a mixture of Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Morrison (there, I said it) with a hint of Morrissey in there to croon. Don’t get me wrong. That’s an interesting mixture of vocal qualities but let’s not kid ourselves… he’s the only reason to listen to these guys. The music, quite frankly, is the indie rock equivalent of the kind of background atmospherics you’d find behind a solo artist like Peter Gabriel or something. It’s just there to prop the man’s vocals up and not much else.
And let’s not get carried away about the poetry differences. “Want calmer, moodier, more specifically intelligent and moving thoughts on adulthood from adults, go for the National’s High Violet” Really? You’re really chastising Win Butler for high school level poetry (likely because it’s overt) while simultaneously praising Matt Berninger’s consistently vague nonsense that can literally mean anything? “It’s terrible love and I’m walking with spiders…” “Sorrow that put me on the pills…” “Sorrow’s a girl inside my cave…” You and your sister live in a lemonworld… I want to sit in and die?” “I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees… I never married but Ohio don’t remember me…” This constitutes intelligent and moving thoughts on adulthood from adults? Now, normally I wouldn’t attack Berninger’s words so aggressively but if you’re going to criticize Butler for wearing his heart on his sleeve and keeping things obvious than I think you should at least point out the fact that Beringger’s lyrics could just as easily be interpreted as deliberately cryptic to the point of cowardliness. What I’m about to tell you isn’t a Beringer lyric but it just as easily could be. ” You……..are…. a…telescope … I…am… a…. stop sign… Together… we’re… hopeless… Apart from you I’m fine.” Come on now. You make him sound like he’s James Joyce or something. It’s far easier to hide behind ambiguity than it is to actually try and paint a picture that most can see and appreciate without completely dumbing it down.
If you took Win Bulter or Regine Chasigne’s vocals away from any Arcade Fire record you’d still have something worth listening to that builds, changes and gets into your head. I don’t think you can say the same for ANY National record. The Suburbs, musically, isn’t at the same level of Funeral and is actually a little closer to what I just criticized The National for but it’s still far more musically interesting and rewarding on repeat listens then High Violet. It might not sound like it from this post but I actually like The National but after seeing them AND Arcade Fire in concert again the differences became clear. Arcade Fire are a band. Matt Berninger should join a new band that actually challenges him musically.