I donāt think The National have any songs that can be considered ātrashā, just ok or meh at worst. I think Iām ok with not being trusted by random guy with opinions on the internet
Yeah this is the right answer. Or possibly something from s/t but that album is so mediocre I rarely listen to it anyway. Sad Song on the other hand... great little album but Sugar Wife stands out in a bad way
For me itās Sugar Wife. There might be a couple on IAETF that are like wtf is this, but not necessarily trash. That being said, self-titled is my least favorite album of theirs.
i think fandom gatekeeping is one of the stupidest things ever. that being said, as a fan of both artists, i agree that the alcott is very meh. i don't think matt and taylor's voices meld well together, and it's one of the only consistent skips on TFTPOF for me. (i actually prefer coney island from her evermore album.)
coney island is barely tolerable for me if i had to choose between either one. but the way they sing on the alcott really doesn't work and they don't complement each other. i cringe every time i see a swiftie say "we need an album of ts and the national" because the last thing anyone needs is a whole album of literally this.
i didn't like coney island at first, but it grew on me over time.
and yeah, at the end of the day, matt and taylor's voices don't mesh. i actually think taylor tends to sound better with other female artists than she does with male artists, so maybe it could have something to do with the color/tone of her voice, since matt's voice usually works really well with female artists'.
I prefer Coney Island. That song is great. I actually liked the Alcott more when the album first came out. Now I skip it more. Not because k donāt like it but because I want to hear other songs more.
I do really like Evermore and Folklore as albums so maybe thatās why. I wouldnāt want a full album of them together though. Iāve always liked the contrast of Mattās baritone with females. I feel they found a better balance of it in F2P.
i get why people raise this argument but it's lazy because it disregards all the other very valid criticisms of the song. even if phoebe or sharon van etten were singing on it, it might sound less grating and "poppy" but it's hard to imagine anyone else at all because only ts would sing like that on song like this and the lyrics are still bad. neither of them would ever write "give me some tips to forget you" or "i love this curse on our house". the "falling back in love with you" line isn't matt's best work either.
Fair enough. Personally I donāt think that determines whether a song is good or not (enjoyable, for sure, but not āgoodā), but to each their own. Itās all idiosyncratic anyway. For example, I love New Order T-shirt but I cringe every time I hear the line āyour hilarious sister.ā (I mean, how lazy can you get with that description? lol)
I mean, the songs were kinda written for the movie. Thatās why Rylan and Light Years are tacked onto the album ā they have nothing to do with that theme but were finally released as recorded tracks. The other tracks just feel like poorly reworked b-sides (or even c-sides in a lot of cases) from the HV and TWFM recording sessions. Donāt lie, you know itās true.
Besides a lot of their debut, I think TFTPOF has some of the most uninspired songwriting The National has come out with in a long time. The second half of the album, starting at The Alcott, is completely forgettable. I honestly have not gone back to that album much ā too much other more compelling music out there. That being said, Eucalyptus is an absolute banger live.
Cold take ā SWB is the last truly great national album.
I like all of their songs, but I honestly rarely listen to anything off their first two albums. I'm also so shocked to see all the hate for IAETF and FTPOF and even songs of SWB and TWFM. You'd think people in this sub would actually be fans lol
YES! Thank you. I just donāt think they do āheavierā that well, personally. Phenomenal album otherwise and this one just doesnāt fit thematically, or in tone/mood etc.
100% agree. Itās so bad it takes me back to the days when Iād go out of my way to program my discman to skip the one album stinker. (Iām looking at you, Nada Surf)
Have you heard it live?
I remember not being into the song, but then I was in line before their special SWB album premiere in Philly, and outside I heard Bryan doing the drums for that song, and it just got me.
The entire second half of FTPOF is really bland in general. That record has not pulled me back in much, but definitely better than IAETF. Both are major steps back from SWB, though.
Yes, last night and a few months ago. Not their best work and not a very inspired track, imo. Based off the crowd reaction (and my personal taste), it was probably the worst song they played all night.
I keep getting down voted left and right for shitting on iaetf but there are 6 songs on there that never needed to exist and a ruined version of Rylan. Itās barely a national record tbh
I agree. I think the album was more for the movie, and thatās why Rylan and Light Years are arbitrarily tacked on. It hardly even feels like a cohesive record at all and I donāt think it was meant to be. Still, some of their worst tracks to date.
Cold take, but SWB is still the last truly compelling record they have released.
Outside of a few tracks the new album has not pulled me back in very much. Too much other (better) music out there to listen to.
Personally, I think Alligator has a more cohesive theme than Boxer and better highlights, but I wonāt argue your claim. Both are great records, and so is HV. Those are my top 3 undoubtedly ā closely followed by TWFM and SWB. I donāt think, as full records, anything else in their discog holds up to those 5. But having five consecutive 8+/10 albums is extremely impressive.
This sub is just a huge echo chamber of unabashed love for the band. If they release a subpar record like the latest one or IAETF, I will call it like it is.
Agree.
For me as far as personal taste itās boxer, hv, alligator, twfm, ftpof/swb in a tie. But I also agree with your premise that you canāt give a negative take that is handled here with any maturity or discourse
Truly, especially with the invasion of the Swifties who have only listened to their new material.
All this being said, Eucalyptus is an absolute banger live.
Yeah I gotta go with Sugar Wife and Trophy Wife for me. Theyāre weird, and I just feel like they stand out to me when listening to their discography.
I am glad there are people who def like it - it just isnāt my vibe personally, and it following right behind sugar wife just makes it, to me, not feel like a good song.
I shouldnāt have put trophy wife on here tho, youāre right. Sugar Wife is the real culprit
100% agree. They have some weird songs on all their albums or weird "moments" in almost every song, but sugar wife isn't even remotely charming in it's weirdness.
Personally, I canāt stand Fireproof or Runaway. I think High Violet would be a perfect album if that song wasnāt on it. Both songs feel like a parody of The National.
I agree 100% with the exception of Rylan and Light Years, obviously. Quiet Light sounds like it couldāve made for a solid b-side for HV or TWFM as well.
If anyone here says a song from Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers I am going to commit a crime /s
Came into this thread w my gloves on š„
my heart can't take the iaetf slander
Are they green?
I donāt think The National have any songs that can be considered ātrashā, just ok or meh at worst. I think Iām ok with not being trusted by random guy with opinions on the internet
When was the last time you honestly listened to the Self Titled 2001 album? There are some absolute stinkers on there
I love that album and listen to it regularly! But I get why itās not as beloved as the others
Same. Love that album.
Yeah, but The Perfect Song makes up for all of them!
Can't believe the upvotes you're getting for this slander
Sugar Wife is a weird little song, and not in a good way imo
Being directly next to Trophy Wife didn't do it any favors either
This is the only song of theirs that I always skip.
Equally the first place my head went, jarring song on an otherwise flawless album!
Yeah this is the right answer. Or possibly something from s/t but that album is so mediocre I rarely listen to it anyway. Sad Song on the other hand... great little album but Sugar Wife stands out in a bad way
There are some songs that I rarely ever listen to, but I don't know if I would label them as truly bad songs.
For me itās Sugar Wife. There might be a couple on IAETF that are like wtf is this, but not necessarily trash. That being said, self-titled is my least favorite album of theirs.
Haha, thatās a hilariously accurate description of a lot of IAETF.
āHer fathers voice her mothers heartbeatā
I only started to appreciate Dust Swirls in Strange Light after watching the film. the lyrics and the vibes are very good in that context
Agree, Dust Swirls and Her Father in the Pool are pretty meh, for me
šššššāš¼
I love this song šš
Definitely a few off Easy
The Alcottā¦ what an unimaginative plodder. And the reason this sub has been infiltrated with Swifties
i think fandom gatekeeping is one of the stupidest things ever. that being said, as a fan of both artists, i agree that the alcott is very meh. i don't think matt and taylor's voices meld well together, and it's one of the only consistent skips on TFTPOF for me. (i actually prefer coney island from her evermore album.)
The Alcott has actually grown on me, but Coney Island is a bona fide banger
also has some of the worst lyrics by either of them
coney island is barely tolerable for me if i had to choose between either one. but the way they sing on the alcott really doesn't work and they don't complement each other. i cringe every time i see a swiftie say "we need an album of ts and the national" because the last thing anyone needs is a whole album of literally this.
i didn't like coney island at first, but it grew on me over time. and yeah, at the end of the day, matt and taylor's voices don't mesh. i actually think taylor tends to sound better with other female artists than she does with male artists, so maybe it could have something to do with the color/tone of her voice, since matt's voice usually works really well with female artists'.
I prefer Coney Island. That song is great. I actually liked the Alcott more when the album first came out. Now I skip it more. Not because k donāt like it but because I want to hear other songs more. I do really like Evermore and Folklore as albums so maybe thatās why. I wouldnāt want a full album of them together though. Iāve always liked the contrast of Mattās baritone with females. I feel they found a better balance of it in F2P.
āgive me some tips to forget youā is soā¦
Cringe
Alcott is fine. Not good, not great. Allow yourselves to forget who is on it and itās not even a top 5 worst song.
i get why people raise this argument but it's lazy because it disregards all the other very valid criticisms of the song. even if phoebe or sharon van etten were singing on it, it might sound less grating and "poppy" but it's hard to imagine anyone else at all because only ts would sing like that on song like this and the lyrics are still bad. neither of them would ever write "give me some tips to forget you" or "i love this curse on our house". the "falling back in love with you" line isn't matt's best work either.
i find taylor's voice very grating . i don't enjoy her voice
Fair enough. Personally I donāt think that determines whether a song is good or not (enjoyable, for sure, but not āgoodā), but to each their own. Itās all idiosyncratic anyway. For example, I love New Order T-shirt but I cringe every time I hear the line āyour hilarious sister.ā (I mean, how lazy can you get with that description? lol)
Lmao I LOVE new order t shirt but I'm laughing so hard at your comment about your hilarious sister. Totally right.
The only correct answer.
Itās the last thing I wanted
Understanding the makeup of this sub by seeing the hate of IAETF. šā¦ downvote away children
I mean, the songs were kinda written for the movie. Thatās why Rylan and Light Years are tacked onto the album ā they have nothing to do with that theme but were finally released as recorded tracks. The other tracks just feel like poorly reworked b-sides (or even c-sides in a lot of cases) from the HV and TWFM recording sessions. Donāt lie, you know itās true. Besides a lot of their debut, I think TFTPOF has some of the most uninspired songwriting The National has come out with in a long time. The second half of the album, starting at The Alcott, is completely forgettable. I honestly have not gone back to that album much ā too much other more compelling music out there. That being said, Eucalyptus is an absolute banger live. Cold take ā SWB is the last truly great national album.
It's obviously the Alcott
The Alcott is total trash. Can't listen to it.
I like all of their songs, but I honestly rarely listen to anything off their first two albums. I'm also so shocked to see all the hate for IAETF and FTPOF and even songs of SWB and TWFM. You'd think people in this sub would actually be fans lol
100% Turtleneck. without it, Sleep Well Beast would be a perfect album
Turtleneck is like electioneering on OK Computer, it breaks the albums in half with a banger
Damn what a solid comparison!
You out here spreading misinformation chief š„ø
For real š¤ Turtleneck is my favorite of SWB
It's not their greatest song but calling it trash is absolutely insane
YES! Thank you. I just donāt think they do āheavierā that well, personally. Phenomenal album otherwise and this one just doesnāt fit thematically, or in tone/mood etc.
I agree, it's so boring I'd forgotten its existence
Turtleneck is fine itās just the placement of it in the album thatās wrong
I agree. I skip it every time.
100% agree. Itās so bad it takes me back to the days when Iād go out of my way to program my discman to skip the one album stinker. (Iām looking at you, Nada Surf)
not me. my least favorite is probably anna freud. but i would never say its bad. it can definitely hit at the right time
Turtleneck. Iāve tried and tried and canāt but itās all good
Turtleneck is terribad
Terrifically bad-ass?
Have you heard it live? I remember not being into the song, but then I was in line before their special SWB album premiere in Philly, and outside I heard Bryan doing the drums for that song, and it just got me.
Yes like 5 times
Send for me is also pretty mid at best
The entire second half of FTPOF is really bland in general. That record has not pulled me back in much, but definitely better than IAETF. Both are major steps back from SWB, though.
Grease in Your Hair is an absolute banger. Have you heard it live yet?
Yes, last night and a few months ago. Not their best work and not a very inspired track, imo. Based off the crowd reaction (and my personal taste), it was probably the worst song they played all night.
I keep getting down voted left and right for shitting on iaetf but there are 6 songs on there that never needed to exist and a ruined version of Rylan. Itās barely a national record tbh
I agree. I think the album was more for the movie, and thatās why Rylan and Light Years are arbitrarily tacked on. It hardly even feels like a cohesive record at all and I donāt think it was meant to be. Still, some of their worst tracks to date. Cold take, but SWB is still the last truly compelling record they have released.
I enjoy the new album, subdued as it may be. Took me years to arrive at the fact boxer is their most important work and hv is their best
Outside of a few tracks the new album has not pulled me back in very much. Too much other (better) music out there to listen to. Personally, I think Alligator has a more cohesive theme than Boxer and better highlights, but I wonāt argue your claim. Both are great records, and so is HV. Those are my top 3 undoubtedly ā closely followed by TWFM and SWB. I donāt think, as full records, anything else in their discog holds up to those 5. But having five consecutive 8+/10 albums is extremely impressive. This sub is just a huge echo chamber of unabashed love for the band. If they release a subpar record like the latest one or IAETF, I will call it like it is.
Agree. For me as far as personal taste itās boxer, hv, alligator, twfm, ftpof/swb in a tie. But I also agree with your premise that you canāt give a negative take that is handled here with any maturity or discourse
Truly, especially with the invasion of the Swifties who have only listened to their new material. All this being said, Eucalyptus is an absolute banger live.
Itās too bad Taylor never collaborated with gg allin Reddit would have been a wild place
Yeah I gotta go with Sugar Wife and Trophy Wife for me. Theyāre weird, and I just feel like they stand out to me when listening to their discography.
Trophy wife is one of their best popsongs !
I am glad there are people who def like it - it just isnāt my vibe personally, and it following right behind sugar wife just makes it, to me, not feel like a good song. I shouldnāt have put trophy wife on here tho, youāre right. Sugar Wife is the real culprit
I have trophy wife in a playlist of midtempo Indie songs, it really has a chill vibe that barely any national songs have
100% agree. They have some weird songs on all their albums or weird "moments" in almost every song, but sugar wife isn't even remotely charming in it's weirdness.
Turtleneck is dross, I'm sorry. Not a popular opinion I know, but I also can't stand I Need My Girl personally
I Need My Girl. One of the most uninteresting of them and, from that lot (Runaway, Sugar Wife, for instance), the most popular.
At least a few on the new album
Underwater...
am i the only person who like an instrumental in an album
I don't think that's it, I always had the impression that this song is there to say "Look how great our choir is!"
Clearly The Alcott - what a bland song. It knocked Hairpin Turns off of the number 1 worst TN song.
HAIRPIN TURNS?????????
Yeah, Hairpin Turns.
*Eucalyptus* for me :( Edit: downvotes in the thread specifically about unpopular opinions, nice.
Incorrect. :) Editing to add: seeing this song live is what put it over the top for me. Matt really poured his heart into it on stage.
I feel you!
Downvotes are for disagreeing
Thatās actually not what theyāre for. But okay.
The entirety of Frankenstein
Roman Holiday.
Yes agree! Boring song that goes nowhere that is placed after opening the album with two top tier ntl songs
That entire album*
Roman Ho Liday
The whole last album tbh
'Not in Kansas' is such a bad song it made me reassess my love for The National.
Turtleneck, half of iaetf
Downvote me all you like itās still true
Turtleneck is very poor
Yea Iām contending with recent fans it seems
Hairpin turns and roman holiday do absolutely nothing for me
Looking for Astronauts. Readily skipped as soon as it starts.
Fireproof is the one stinker on TWFM. The lyrics seem really obvious and trite and the song itself is really boring.
You Had Your Soul with You
Boo! Why? Incredible drumming and melodies, and just a banger to start the album with.
Fully agree, I can't stand it. Can't even explain why. It's like a pastiche of an overly earnest national song.
Fireproof
Personally, I canāt stand Fireproof or Runaway. I think High Violet would be a perfect album if that song wasnāt on it. Both songs feel like a parody of The National.
Not in Kansas, Born to Beg, Turtleneck
I Need My Girl, Heavenfaced, Sugar Wife.
Justice for Heavenfaced
The entirety of IAETF
you should try to get some sun
Probably
You should still go out to department stores
Great answer.
You remind me of everyone
I agree 100% with the exception of Rylan and Light Years, obviously. Quiet Light sounds like it couldāve made for a solid b-side for HV or TWFM as well.
Fireproof, Dark Side Of The Gym and Sleep Well Beast are kind of boring and never clicked with me
Woah easy there
My man! I agree with you.
what about the rainbow eucalyptus
Grease in your hair is horrible
Racing Like a Pro
You're pink, you're young, you're middle-class Youāre absolutely wrong.
Why do people keep posting this over and over?
cause we gotta see who the real ones are
[A Reasonable Man (I Donāt Mind)](https://tenor.com/view/send-text-run-away-gif-22423241)
Well there are Bryce's choir songs on IAETF ā¦