THE NATIONAL - Sleep Well Beast (2017), listen #1

Pushing the "play" button* on Sleep Well Beast brought certain... well, I don't know if "expectations" are the right word because music that's totally new is an unknown without definite expectations.  Still, I've listened to a lot of National records for the first time and tried to provide a spot reaction.  There have been things they've had in common.  So yeah, there are certain things I figured I would be hearing.  Let's go with that.

Expectation:  Minor variations on a theme, but basically would sound like the National

Reality:  More or less, merits more discussion below.

Expectation:  First track will be a slow one with a mumbled melody that builds

Reality:  "Nobody Else Will Be There" is structured the way I'd expect the first track on a National record from 2017 to be built, yet it sounds a little different.  Maybe it's the vocal delivery - I did wonder whether it was even Matt singing.  Maybe it's the somewhat irritating snapping sounds.

Expectation:  Either the second or third track will be the designated rocker, with a big U2-inspired guitar sound

Reality:  I don't know if I was expecting "Day I Die" to go quite so hard, but yes.  Bryce's inner the Edge was apparently dying to get out, because he sounds unshackled on a few tracks on the first half of the record.

Expectation:  Maybe the National won't ever end up doing that electronics-heavy record or period I've been expecting was around the corner.

Reality:  Here's where they threw me a little.  I don't think I was quite prepared when "Walk It Back" hit and suddenly they're doing their usual atmospheric soundscape as bleeps and bloops instead of as fuzzed out guitars.  With obviously programmed drum loops too!  Guess I just imagined they'd announce their first foray into this style with the first track, not the third.  It's not like WIB is even structurally all that different from other National songs wherein the backing music is kind of a haze of sounds, but it stood out as distinct.  The almost dub style pulsating beats are especially loud, and Matt commits unusually much to the sad-sack monotone.  So, that one definitely got my attention.  

Now, by the time of "Born To Beg," the odd-numbered tracks are starting to sound like standard National fare.  But even then, it's alternating with harder rocking than usual "rock" tracks for the even numbers.  That's even lumping in "The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness" as a "standard" rocker just because it has a lot of guitar, and ignoring all the other stuff that one throws in.  So that's where I'll say Sleep Well Beast surprised me the most on first listen: that overall period from tracks 2-6.

Expectation:  A song called "I'll Still Destroy You" will be one of the louder ones.  Then towards the end of the record, my attention will start to wander.  Not because it's bad, just from first-listen-to-something-new syndrome. 

Reality:  By that point mid-tempo has taken over and we're no longer alternating loud and quiet.  But yes, my attention did wander quite a bit during the second half.

Expectation:  Something in at least two of the last three tracks will deeply confuse me and/or demand closer attention

Reality:  Yeah, I'm going to have to spend some time figuring out exactly what's going on with "Dark Side Of The Gym."  It doesn't seem to be about a gym, it incorporates stuff about "first man and first lady," and it ends with a minute of a chamber orchestra playing.  I'll also have to think at least a little about whether there's a reason the title track reprises the title phrase from an earlier song.  Not going to dissect lyrics after one listen, especially when they're presumably full of Berninger-isms, but seems like more rocky marriages, which is what I'd expect.

Expectation:  Increasing number of multi-vocalist tracks, increasing number of musicians in the studio, lots of participation from Padma Newsome

Reality:  Yes on one and two.  However, every possible guest musician in the known universe is credited on this record except Padma.

Expectation:  In the end, it'll be a National record, and I'll be cautiously optimistic that it'll grow on me but will feel like it's too soon to rate or say more.

Reality:  Indeed.  No surprise there.

Personnel notes:

I don't know what to make of the fact that things seem to have crystallized in the songwriting credit department, with the default credit being that unless otherwise noted, "all lyrics and vocal melodies" are credited to Matt and Carin, and "all songs composed by" the Brothers Dessner.  

Aaron, Bryce, and Bryan all worked on the drum programming, so at least the latter got to play a part in his own replacement

Two guys called Benjamin Lanz and Kyle Resnick are now credited as touring members of the band.  I guess as synth programmers and horn players, since that's their role on the record.

Favorite track:  'Day I Die"

Runner up:  "The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness"

Least favorite track:  "Born To Beg"

Rating:  Pending

Thoughts on listen #2 whenever I get around to it!

*Technology changes and stays the same.  Since I grew up when cassettes were the industry standard, my perception is that there's always been a "play" button in some form.