Best Music of 2019

I'm late but I think IATEF and SWB are the best records in the National's discography. They don't serve the same 'establishing a career' role that Alligator/Boxer (and High Violet for some) do, which I think hurts them in some folks' eyes. IAETF and SWB don't have the same number of huge, 'National defining' National songs but they're better written, better performed, better recorded, and more mature overall. Maybe I'm getting old but Nobody Else Will Be There and Oblivions hit me much harder than Mr. November or Fake Empire or anything off High Violet not named Lemonworld. I think a lot of people will revisit IAETF and SWB in 10 years and make them much cooler than they are now.
 
swamp jazz box set said:
I'm late but I think IATEF and SWB are the best records in the National's discography. They don't serve the same 'establishing a career' role that Alligator/Boxer (and High Violet for some) do, which I think hurts them in some folks' eyes. IAETF and SWB don't have the same number of huge, 'National defining' National songs but they're better written, better performed, better recorded, and more mature overall. Maybe I'm getting old but Nobody Else Will Be There and Oblivions hit me much harder than Mr. November or Fake Empire or anything off High Violet not named Lemonworld. I think a lot of people will revisit IAETF and SWB in 10 years and make them much cooler than they are now.
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Hollywood said:
Agreed. Those two tracks hit me harder on an emotional level than any other songs in their discography.
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Coming in late to this comment, but I agree. those two tracks (Mr. November and Fake Empire) did hit me when I first got into the band, but I'm also finding other songs do the same with these latest releases. Personally, Oblivions (I thought it was a nothing song after a few listens, but holy shit what a song), Rylan from IAETF and I'll Still Destroy You and Guilty Party mostly from SWB.
 
stephen said:
Yea i already caved and bought 5 after the first four songs...see you later $45. It'll be a great surprise come March when i've forgot about it.
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I just looked around a bit and it seems like Rough Trade has both for slightly cheaper, and you can bundle them to save a little on shipping. 5 and 7 together came to just under $60 shipped
 
swamp jazz box set said:
I'm late but I think IATEF and SWB are the best records in the National's discography. They don't serve the same 'establishing a career' role that Alligator/Boxer (and High Violet for some) do, which I think hurts them in some folks' eyes. IAETF and SWB don't have the same number of huge, 'National defining' National songs but they're better written, better performed, better recorded, and more mature overall. Maybe I'm getting old but Nobody Else Will Be There and Oblivions hit me much harder than Mr. November or Fake Empire or anything off High Violet not named Lemonworld. I think a lot of people will revisit IAETF and SWB in 10 years and make them much cooler than they are now.
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I am sad that IAETF isn't getting some recognition from publications, but I do think it'll maybe pick up some steam as the years go on. Like when TWFM came out, I was head over heels for it (it's still one of my favorites from them), but it seemed to be largely ignored by fans and critics. Now I think it's maybe, just maybe, getting a reevaluation. IAETF could have that second life too. The more I listen to it, the more I think about it, the more it becomes clear it's some of the band's best work. It's got so many interestingly dynamic musical moments, and lyrics that I think hit hard. I think it's maybe going to take some fans a bit to catch up on it though.

The thing about SWB is, I do enjoy it. i still listen to it pretty regularly, but it's not as tight an album as IAETF. Which is a crazy thing to say maybe cause IAETF is longer, and seems denser. But SWB still has a few moments that don't do much for me - namely, the more upbeat rockers. It's in the quieter moments, or the ones that have more experimentation that I keep coming back to. IAETF doesn't have that problem really. The more upbeat rocking songs don't sound...eh, phoned in? They're more interesting. Like Rylan, part for part and lyric by lyric is better than System, Day I Die, and Turtleneck easily. SWB is good, but it's not one of my top favorites from the band. IAETF is getting up there though. Maybe it's the new album feeling still hitting me, but I don't know, I like to think it's just a really solid album, with more surprises than you'd expect.

As a whole though, both SWB and IAETF do sound more mature, more polished, more thought over, and more rewarding over time. But for me, the bulk of TWFM still is incredibly close to my heart, and I'd say I still prefer it (and Boxer) over the two newer ones.
 
Alexander said:
James Blake 'Assume Form'
Toro y Moi 'Outer Peace'
Cinematic Orchestra 'To Believe'
Andrew Bird 'My Finest Work Yet'
The Tallest Man on Earth 'I Love You. It's a Fever Dream'
Kevin Abstract 'Arizona Baby'
Tyler, The Creator 'IGOR'
Vampire Weekend 'Father of the Bride'
Black Pumas 'Black Pumas'
Thom Yorke 'ANIMA'
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I forgot to update this thread with my final top 10!

Wasuremono 'Are You OK?'
Nick Cave 'Ghosteen'
Bon Iver 'i, i'
Kishi Bashi 'Omoiyari'
James Black 'Assume Form'
Thom Yorke 'ANIMA'
Vampire Weekend 'Father of the Bride'
Andrew Bird 'My Finest Work Yet'
Cinematic Orchestra 'To Believe'
Keaton Henson ' Six Lethargies'
 
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