The Benja-man Is Verbose

  Okay, the record didn’t throw me quite so much anymore.   But it’s still one to process – not necessarily a good thing meaning there’s endless depth or anything, more like there are good bits and less interesting bits and I’m trying to sort out where they fit together.   I’ve already tried to draw a distinction between songs that are about melody and songs that are about vibes, and especially vocally, the National tend to be going heavy on the vibes.   It’s a valid approach to what I’m so crudely calling “indie rock,” but there has to be momentum that makes the listener’s head not on an exquisitely crafted atmosphere, or else I’ll be bored by it.     The actual nature of the vibes here varies from track to track.   Certainly “Cardinal Song,” which I kinda hated on first listen and kinda dug on second listen – although I’m still a little unnerved by its self-defeating protagonist being referred to as “you” and the lyrics being structured like advi...

So, the National seemed to have a formula.  And without really changing their basic indie-rock setup (I guess there are more keys, and they add a viola on a few tracks), they're breaking with what I thought was their formula.  I am very very confused by Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers .  I did actually say out loud "what am I listening to?"  (I was in the gym, so I did try to say it quietly, at least.) I was not thrilled to hear opener "Cardinal Song" seemingly leaning into everything that The National did wrong.  With all the talent you have, you're going to lean into the mumbling without a discernable tune and doing the giving bad advice thing, about how it's important to manipulate "her" into wanting you?  After just one listen, I have no idea if the borderline-misogyny is ironic or not.  The bigger issue was that I was thinking "Cardinal Song" was just a singularly unappealing song to me musically.  But then it kept going.  And went in...

 [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...

I occasionally like to challenge myself to write about things that interest me.  When writing such e-mails to family, I regularly found that I was more doing it to entertain myself than due to anyone else actually caring.  It occurred to me that whether or not anyone else other than me was entertained by my mumbling into the void, might as well actually mumble into the void.   Basic agenda here:  I will write about things I feel like writing about - probably mostly music, although we'll see - when I feel like it, as frequently or rarely as I feel like.     For the time being, this will be a dumping ground for a project in which, in response to my brother talking up the band [The] National, I decided I'd listen to their entire discography and rave and/or snark about it as appropriate.  I am not coming in as a fan of the National, I could not have named a song by the National prior to starting this, so I have no preconceived notions about the Nation...