High Violet

Steady movement forward

The American indie-rockers The National are well known for their stability and steady growth that can be compared to a nicely developed computer program having no errors ever detected. These guys have never been witnessed making breakthroughs, nor have they ever made disastrous records. They have not been dragged into a single scandal and yet they do not pose like moralizing self-elected preachers. Never far out of line, they have always been wise and considerate in their musical business and reached quite remarkable results in less than ten years. The fans of The National did not express no concerns or doubts greeting the release of the band’s new long player, High Violet. This effort was another stage in the group’s evolution process as it seamlessly continued the musical line that has been following through the entire discography. Starting from 2005, when the Americans delivered their first truly widespread album, Alligator, there has been noticed gradual maturing in the life of the ensemble. Two years later, they released Boxer, their most thought-through and intelligent work by then. High Violet displays a more acute sense of their own style, decent writing and performing job. Definitely, The National are capable of even farther progress as they are making it with each new CD released.

Demonstration of musical power on High Violet

High Violet was no revolution or breaking point in the band’s history. This album features The National playing the same kind of music they did on the earlier works. Yet this effort is different due to the enhanced skills of the musicians who demonstrate more efficiency in using their strong points and who do not waste their energy. The album’s opener, Terrible Love, offers you moderate guitars and simplified keys getting you ready for the striking chorus. This is the chorus that gives you an idea of perfect drumming, excellent job here. A shift of attention from the piano play towards frantic rhythm section is a repeated trick here and it reaches its peak on one of the best tracks of the record, Bloodbuzz Ohior. As banal as it sounds, the long player has no space for unworthy material here. Each nice song has its own nuance. England will angle you with the piano passages, Lemonworld, and Conversation 16 will captivate you with the emotiveness of the vocals, and Little Faith will get into you memory with its bass line. These musicians have already been recognized as great professionals; yet this time, they seem to have found accurately what you want to hear from them.

The National’s brave future

You can’t help comparing High Violet with the earlier works. It is OK because The National did not deny the tested methods that helped them already, did not change the sound. The new record is a recapitulation of the band’s most impressive accomplishments made before. The musicians used to offer and still do offer another view at the indie-rock music. This trend, just like any other, needs fresh ideas, independent approaches, courageous solutions. You can find it all in the music by The National. This is refusal of unnaturally smart lyrics that many young performers like to write so much to look so wise. This is precise following the general slant of the while record, creation of the atmosphere of light sadness that is apt for a deep thinking process. This is fair distribution of responsibilities among the members of the ensemble so that no one could feel minor, but for every one to have a chance to show what he is made of. The National has put down the solidest foundation for the further career. It is mostly likely that their path will be long, but there is no need for sharp turns. Otherwise, they may lose their own face, their style whose features are already easily recognizable and highly esteemed.