My favorite The National songs are, in no order:
Mr. November
Available
Secret Meeting
Fake Empire
Mistaken For Strangers
Squalor Victoria
ADA
Terrible Love
Afraid of Everyone
Conversation 16
England
Karen
What a fucking whiner. You have more than so so so many people. You asked for everything and got it. I like your music Tyler, but really- get some perspective dude.
Transference is probably the Spoon-iest of all Spoon records.... produced by brit daniel, really tight playing, great pop songs. The record has it all and is basically trashed in this post.
Kill The Moonlight will always be the best Spoon album. No question in my mind. My dark horse for #2 though, is Transference- a record a hell of a lot better than the internet gave them credit for. Then I would go Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, Gimme Fiction, and Girls Can Tell
I am definitely looking forward to this album. I thought his debut was a bit self indulgent (didn't care too much for the arrangements and vocal effects), but Retrograde is a really good straightforward pop song and this one is a banger straight out of a boiler room set. This guy is talented for sure.
Great music isn't necessarily pop music though. If you want to make money you need to write music that is accessible to lots of people. I can't think of a single crossover album this year
Dan's songwriting and arrangements have become so cinematic in the post-yellowhouse era. If you haven't seen the movie Blue Valentine, (and you should) it shows how well instrumental Grizzly Bear tunes can fit to cinema. He's been on a really great songwriting tear from Veckatimest to In Ear Park, his EP and now this.
Once again, Ed carries some of the album's most 'accessible' moments. His decision to record his voice fairly bare on this album is something I love. Gun-Shy, Speak in Rounds and Yet Again are some really really great tracks. Speaking of Gun-Shy, which I think might be the most interesting GB track ever, it features Chris Taylor singing actual lyrics! Go Chris!
I'm a big fan of this album and I really think it marks the end of Grizzly Bear albums featuring Ed Drose and Dan Rossen solo songs and the beginning of an actual cohesive unit. And if any of them might be reading this- congrats, and thanks again!
Well these are my favorites in no order.
Peacebone
Fireworks
Graze (without the intro)
What Would I want Sky? (without the intro)
Bluish
Guys Eyes
My Girls
Did you see the word
Grass
Sweet Road
That was tough...
Technically Grizzly Bear does- Knife could easily be a motown song in the 60s and they did a cover of The Crystals "He Hit Me." The arrival of Dan Rossen definitely sent the band into a more folky musical direction than soul, but I think the influence is still down there somewhere. Regardless, I don't think that author knows or cares enough about Grizzly Bear to consider my argument about what genres they fit into.
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