THE NATIONAL - The National (2001; listened to "2021 Remaster" version), first three listens
[Listens #1 and #2 posts originated as e-mails to my brother, hence the especially casual tone and my freeness with rhetorically addressing musicians I don't know and who are probably perfectly decent guys as "you hipster twat."] The National (2001; listened to "2021 Remaster" version), listen #1 - You're really going to start with a song called "Beautiful Head?" Is making the audience feel dirty your whole thing? - On the one hand, the guitar work of the first few songs is appealing. On the other hand, the first 3-4 tracks all take the same basic repetitive-riff + speak-singing vocals approach that gets old pretty quickly. - Way too many relationship songs in a row that take a sneering tone. some people just shouldn't date. I actually prefer when they do more weirdo cryptic poetry, songs like "'Bitters & Absolut" at least sound like they're about something - Everything sounds so crisp!. Maybe it's to