Since I can't make it to the record club meeting, here's my take on Boxer by the National.
In my opinion this band is all about atmosphere. Above anything else they strive to create mood and atmosphere that sucks you in. Whether it's a big and spacious like in the song "Mistaken for Strangers," or a more intimate slow build like "Start a War," it's all about the atmosphere.
I think my favorite parts about this band are the drums and the vocals. The drums are very calculated and mechanical at times if you listen closely, but they have a real human touch to them as well. I think the broken up rhythms that the drummer plays really separates this band from just another straight up rock band.
At first I thought the vocals were a bit boring. Who was this guy, and what was he mumbling about? "Sometimes you get up and bake a cake or something, sometimes you stay in bed. Sometimes you go la dee da dee da dee da dum, until your eyes roll back into your head." But after a few listens the smooth baritone sound really fits the mood the rest of the group is brewing up. They are usually quite melancholy sounding, with bursts of hopeful gasps. Take the songs "Gospel" and "Squalor Victoria" for example. It is somewhat dissapointing that there are no screamy rockers like on the previous album Alligator. The songs "Abel" and "Mr. Novemeber" showcase that quite well And if you see them live, Mr. November is one of the highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SofnZ1oKqk
The rest of the instrumentation ranges from somewhat simple plodding keys in "Fake empire" to the to speedy precise finger picking strumming style guitar in "Racing like Pro" and "Ada." And the occasional horns and strings add some more warmth and density to the mixes.
Favorite songs off this Boxer: mistaken for strangers, squalor victoria, slow show, racing like a pro.
Since I can't make it to the record club meeting, here's my take on Boxer by the National.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion this band is all about atmosphere. Above anything else they strive to create mood and atmosphere that sucks you in. Whether it's a big and spacious like in the song "Mistaken for
Strangers," or a more intimate slow build like "Start a War," it's all about the atmosphere.
I think my favorite parts about this band are the drums and the vocals. The drums are very calculated and mechanical at times if you listen closely, but they have a real human
touch to them as well. I think the broken up rhythms that the drummer plays really separates this band from just another straight up rock band.
At first I thought the vocals were a bit boring. Who was this guy, and what was he mumbling about? "Sometimes you get up and bake a cake or something, sometimes you stay in bed. Sometimes you go la dee da dee da dee da dum, until your eyes roll back into your head."
But after a few listens the smooth baritone sound really fits the mood the rest of the group is brewing up. They are usually quite melancholy sounding, with bursts of hopeful gasps. Take the songs "Gospel" and "Squalor Victoria" for example.
It is somewhat dissapointing that there are no screamy rockers like on the previous album Alligator. The songs "Abel" and "Mr. Novemeber" showcase that quite well And if you see them live, Mr. November is one of the highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SofnZ1oKqk
The rest of the instrumentation ranges from somewhat simple plodding keys in "Fake empire" to the to speedy precise finger picking strumming style guitar in "Racing like Pro" and "Ada."
And the occasional horns and strings add some more warmth and density to the mixes.
Favorite songs off this Boxer: mistaken for strangers, squalor victoria, slow show, racing like a pro.
Looking forward to the next meeting.