The National

One listen of each…

Alphabet City reminds me of the darker tone in the High Violet b-sides. It’s a little more dry and sprawling than the usual National album cut. I’m curious how the overall album (if there is one and this is on it) will feel.

Space Invaders sounds good. The transitions between verses and choruses has always felt abrupt to me when I’ve listened to the live version and saw it in concert but I dig it enough. The sound and production feels more classic National to me than Frankenstein.
 
I just came here to say the new singles are legit. Just used a VPN for NZ to access them on Youtube. So if that's true, I'm assuming the album leak info is true too. Maybe we'll know tomorrow.

So, Alphabet City is nice. It's a mellow, darker sounding single, but it sounds better than the mellower songs on FTPOF to me. There are more dynamics in the instrumentation here. It does kinda just end. But I'm sure it'll grow on me. It almost reminds me of something like Think You Can Wait, but with a SWB style mixed in.

Space Invader is incredible. I just love it that a nearly 7 minute song from The National exists. Sleep Well Beast the song is also a long one, but it's a slower sprawl. This one just builds and builds and sounds so good. Already these two singles hit me pretty hard, more so than my initial impressions of the early singles for FTPOF (an album I really like). This one like really lets everyone shine, but I love the drums so much.
 
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I’ve been checking out Atlanta’s set list tonight and am already feeling jealous. Demons, Abel, Hard To Find…
 
I just came here to say the new singles are legit. Just used a VPN for NZ to access them on Youtube. So if that's true, I'm assuming the album leak info is true too. Maybe we'll know tomorrow.

So, Alphabet City is nice. It's a mellow, darker sounding single, but it sounds better than the mellower songs on FTPOF to me. There are more dynamics in the instrumentation here. It does kinda just end. But I'm sure it'll grow on me. It almost reminds me of something like Think You Can Wait, but with a SWB style mixed in.

Space Invader is incredible. I just love it that a nearly 7 minute song from The National exists. Sleep Well Beast the song is also a long one, but it's a slower sprawl. This one just builds and builds and sounds so good. Already these two singles hit me pretty hard, more so than my initial impressions of the early singles for FTPOF (an album I really like). This one like really lets everyone shine, but I love the drums so much.

What album leak? Is there already a tracklist out?

These two songs are really good. I was a bit disappointed with their last album. Not that it is a bad album but it just mostly doesn't work to me.
 
What album leak? Is there already a tracklist out?

These two songs are really good. I was a bit disappointed with their last album. Not that it is a bad album but it just mostly doesn't work to me.
The person who leaked the news about these singles being released today also said there was going to be an album and shared the track listing. I believe you can find a thread on the National’s subreddit where the links to those forum posts were shared.
 
The person who leaked the news about these singles being released today also said there was going to be an album and shared the track listing. I believe you can find a thread on the National’s subreddit where the links to those forum posts were shared.

Found it. Thanks!
 
The person who leaked the news about these singles being released today also said there was going to be an album and shared the track listing. I believe you can find a thread on the National’s subreddit where the links to those forum posts were shared.
Not saying there isn’t going to be an album drop soon but I’m leaning against today. I got a bandcamp notification from them but only about the two singles. I’ve never seen an artist sell two singles the same day they announce a new album so I’m going with no for today.
 
What album leak? Is there already a tracklist out?

These two songs are really good. I was a bit disappointed with their last album. Not that it is a bad album but it just mostly doesn't work to me.
There doesn't seem to be a concrete consensus on when the album is coming out. But supposedly a music journalist had already listened to it and it was logged in to last.fm. But I think that's been wiped away or something. It's weird that the band did no teasing for the singles especially considering they did tease Weird Goodbyes for a bit before they actually released it. In regards to the album drop, I wouldn't think it would happen until October at the earliest.
 
I just came here to say the new singles are legit. Just used a VPN for NZ to access them on Youtube. So if that's true, I'm assuming the album leak info is true too. Maybe we'll know tomorrow.

So, Alphabet City is nice. It's a mellow, darker sounding single, but it sounds better than the mellower songs on FTPOF to me. There are more dynamics in the instrumentation here. It does kinda just end. But I'm sure it'll grow on me. It almost reminds me of something like Think You Can Wait, but with a SWB style mixed in.

Space Invader is incredible. I just love it that a nearly 7 minute song from The National exists. Sleep Well Beast the song is also a long one, but it's a slower sprawl. This one just builds and builds and sounds so good. Already these two singles hit me pretty hard, more so than my initial impressions of the early singles for FTPOF (an album I really like). This one like really lets everyone shine, but I love the drums so much.
Agreed 💯 My initial reaction to both singles is far greater than anything that was released from FTPOF and I mean I love Tropic Morning News and Eucalyptus! As a whole, FTPOF is a decent album but it doesn't grab me in the same way their previous LPs has, and imho is only slightly better than IAETF 🤷 so that said, this bodes well for the forthcoming 🆕 album!
 
Agreed 💯 My initial reaction to both singles is far greater than anything that was released from FTPOF and I mean I love Tropic Morning News and Eucalyptus! As a whole, FTPOF is a decent album but it doesn't grab me in the same way their previous LPs has, and imho is only slightly better than IAETF 🤷 so that said, this bodes well for the forthcoming 🆕 album!
I just came here to say the new singles are legit. Just used a VPN for NZ to access them on Youtube. So if that's true, I'm assuming the album leak info is true too. Maybe we'll know tomorrow.

So, Alphabet City is nice. It's a mellow, darker sounding single, but it sounds better than the mellower songs on FTPOF to me. There are more dynamics in the instrumentation here. It does kinda just end. But I'm sure it'll grow on me. It almost reminds me of something like Think You Can Wait, but with a SWB style mixed in.

Space Invader is incredible. I just love it that a nearly 7 minute song from The National exists. Sleep Well Beast the song is also a long one, but it's a slower sprawl. This one just builds and builds and sounds so good. Already these two singles hit me pretty hard, more so than my initial impressions of the early singles for FTPOF (an album I really like). This one like really lets everyone shine, but I love the drums so much.
agreed! both singles already have better production than anything on FTPOF. They kind of sound like lost b-sides that could have been recorded around TWFM. Especially Space Invader which sounds very TWFM-esque.
 
The person who leaked the news about these singles being released today also said there was going to be an album and shared the track listing. I believe you can find a thread on the National’s subreddit where the links to those forum posts were shared.
They apparently have played a bunch of additional new songs live on their current tour: Deep End, Hornets, Tour Manager, Coat on a Hook, Smoke Detector, Turn Off the House. Looks like enough material for a 🆕 album, and hopefully Weird Goodbyes gets a proper home on there too!
 
I’ve been checking out Atlanta’s set list tonight and am already feeling jealous. Demons, Abel, Hard To Find…
Was anyone here at the Atlanta show? I saw a post that people were sitting in the front row, and some guy left when Matt tried to reach out to him. I wonder if much of the front section was made up of record station people or season ticket holders? (This pic is from Eucalyptus)

366735057_10160753587773788_845779562464985235_n.jpg
 
They apparently have played a bunch of additional new songs live on their current tour: Deep End, Hornets, Tour Manager, Coat on a Hook, Smoke Detector, Turn Off the House. Looks like enough material for a 🆕 album, and hopefully Weird Goodbyes gets a proper home on there too!
I've been so fortunate to have seen 3 of those songs performed live. I definitely think Weird Goodbyes will be on the upcoming album since the artwork style / typography are the same.
 
Was anyone here at the Atlanta show? I saw a post that people were sitting in the front row, and some guy left when Matt tried to reach out to him. I wonder if much of the front section was made up of record station people or season ticket holders? (This pic is from Eucalyptus)

366735057_10160753587773788_845779562464985235_n.jpg
That was kind of my fear. I saw a pic on their Instagram wheee it looked really full of people standing, but that might have been towards the end. I wouldn’t have been enjoying it as much if I was surrounded by people sitting. In Nashville many of the people around me were super into it, it felt nice.
 
Was anyone here at the Atlanta show? I saw a post that people were sitting in the front row, and some guy left when Matt tried to reach out to him. I wonder if much of the front section was made up of record station people or season ticket holders? (This pic is from Eucalyptus)

366735057_10160753587773788_845779562464985235_n.jpg
that is so bizarre to have a seated section right in the front! My friend saw The National years ago in Milaukee at a fancy seated theatre around either the TWFM or HV tours and said almost everyone ended up standing up in the front for the whole show.
 
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