The National - Boxer 5/22
 

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So this releases tomorrow, though I downloaded the album a while ago.
Before I go on, their previous album "Alligator" is one of my favorite albums of all time, so making another album as good as that I didn't really expect. That said...Boxer is no Alligator..but this isn't because it's not good, it's just not comparable. Boxer is a pretty quiet album, there is no yelling, no huge climaxes..the drums and vocals are really in front of the mix and there are a lot of string arrangements mixed with piano. I was dissapointed at first that it wasn't a loud album, but once you start to really dig and listen you really start to appreciate the songs for what they are and the album as a whole. I think Boxer is a great release for the National, and I love the production on it. My favorite song is probably "Brainy". The first single "Mistaken for Strangers" is probably the loudest song on the album..here's the vid for it.

Video

MTV Live
Mistaken for Stangers
Apartment Story

Acoustic Set
Start a War
Ada


Pitchfork gave it an 8.6
Here is Rolling Stone's Review..got 4 stars..the reviewer has a thing for the dummer i think...

"Let's talk about the drummer a minute. Bryan Devendorf's the name. He plays in the National, who do brooding Leonard Cohen-Nick Cave-style melancholy, except he's not brushing the drums elegantly, he's pounding, yet he amps up the piano, strings and guitar. He's a huge part of the reason the National built up a global reputation with their excellent 2005 album, Alligator, and on Boxer he's even louder, hence better. The songs are subtler, statelier, with Matt Berninger's baritone exuding lonesome warmth. "Slow Show" and "Mistaken for Strangers" are standouts, while "Racing Like a Pro" imitates the last thing about Leonard Cohen any normal band would try -- his guitar playing -- with typically powerful results. In "Apartment Story," when Berninger murmurs, "We'll stay inside till somebody finds us," it's both romantic and terrifying, and the drums kick it all the way home."

Awesome album. Even better than Alligator.

really?!? :thumbsup:

Yeah. I've had it for about two weeks now. I think it's even tighter and more accomplished than anything The National has done before. It's truly fantastic and one of the best albums I've heard this year.

Hey Hiro..glad you like it to..surprised you like it more than Alligator though. I guess I prefer the energy in Alligator more and the riffs are a bit more memorable....but Boxer is definately more complex in it's delivery which is to be admired.

I would assume there are songs on the new album that are as memorable as the first albums: 'Looking For Astronauts'

well album wise..before Alligator there are 2 albums and an EP..but as far as songs as memorable as "Looking for Astronauts"...I wouldn't say there is such a standout track like that...there aren't these guitar lines that are as obvious..like secret meeting or something along those lines..this album works more as a whole, though there are some tracks I like more than others. what is great though with this album and all their material i find, is that I never get tired of listening to it.

i just added some live videos of the new songs in my original post btw

I'll second the "better than Alligator" statement. This is phenominal stuff; I've had it in constant rotation for almost two months (I'll listen to it at least two or three times a week) and haven't had even the slightest inclination to take it off my MP3 player.

TripWire is right that there aren't necessarily standout tracks, but more that they're all fantastic. It's easier to say which melodies won't be stuck in your head rather than narrow down the ones that will... "Apartment Story" would be my absolute favorite out of the bunch, but the others could change at any hour of the day. This album is not to be passed up.

just finished listening.

the first song sounded very promising, but from there nothing stood out. it was quite boring. 3/5

I received my copy from lala.com today! Great album, probably in my top 5 so far this year. Can't touch World's End Girlfriend's Hurtbreak Wonderland or Eluvium's Copia though.

Thanks for the recommendation on the band. I like what I'm hearing so far off of their first album, a lot!

Oh look, another band that tries to sound like Joy Division...
pass.

:hscratch: They don't sound anything like Joy Division.

Hence my use of the word "tries".

really? tries...how on earth do they even remotely try to sound like joy division..cause the singer has a baritone voice? and production wise, this record sounds nothing like a joy division album. sure you aren't listening to interpol?

Its interpol lite. but thats ok, it sounds great!

Interpol lite? They don't sound anything like Interpol.

too bad they sound like a rip off of the chemical brothers...

Doobie Brothers wanna-bes.

Top 5 songs on the album:

1. Slow Show
2. Racing Like A Pro
3. Ada
4. Fake Empire
5. Brainy

Bah, another Scissor Sisters wannabe.

amazing album. Love it

I'm prolly in the minority, but I can't get into BOXER. I still like Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers the best of all the records.

Bah. Sounds too much like Judy Garland in her heyday.

(I haven't had the time to get this yet, but I'm <i>really</i> looking forward to it!)
-ringding-

I want some of whatever it is that you guys are smoking that keeps you from hearing the heavy Joy Division influence in this band.

Not sure if this is better than Alligator but it is a fantastic album nonetheless.

The lead single sounds a bit like Joy Division, I would agree, but pretty much all the rest don't as much...
-ringding-

haven't yet listened to the entire album, but from what the Washington Post said of their recent 9:30 Club show, the new songs didn't translate that well in 'live' form - they said their performance was sleep inducing.

that is what I feared is that unless you really appreciate the album, then live the songs aren't going to be that "lively"..and I'm sure the critic isn't a huge fan of the album.

After almost 2 months of listening to this:

Brainy > Fake Empire > Apartment Story > Slow Show > Racing Like A Pro > Mistaken for Strangers > Gospel > Ada > Green Gloves > Guest Room > Start a War > Squalor Victoria

This is still my favorite album of the year. It seems like I can keep listening to it over and over again without becoming tired of the songs. I feel like I'm in sort of "National" trance.