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The National’s fourth album is a slow burn stunner, delivering the goods in the same vein as their 2005 break-through, Alligator.
Boxer is quite simply an understated masterclass in indie rock. You won’t find this Brooklyn based band troubling the latest singles charts, instead, they concentrate on songs that will stay with you long after Akon has ‘smacked that’ for the last time.
Starting with nothing but the baritone vocals of Matt Berninger and the tapping of piano keys, ‘Fake Empire’ walks us through the dark, empty streets of New York, with nothing else to do but soak in the melancholic atmosphere.
From there, album highlight ‘Mistaken for Strangers’ kicks in, with a multi-layered track that makes it almost impossible to pick one aspect as its’ strongest – the lyrics, guitars, rhythm, tone....you choose;
“You get mistaken for strangers by your own friends,
When you pass them at night under the silvery, silvery Citibank lights,
Arm in arm in arm and eyes and eyes glazing under....”
It is a modern delight.
One guarantee is that the twelve tracks on offer here will give different rewards to each listener, there is just so much going on within each song it is inevitable. For me, standouts include those previously mentioned – as well as the hypnotic driving drum beats of ‘Squalor Victoria’ and the heartfelt delivery, in amongst the acoustic guitars, on ‘Slow Show’;
“I wanna hurry home to you,
Put on a slow, dumb show for you,
And crack you up...”
What The National has achieved here, is to present us with a snapshot of our times. Their intricate melodies covering everything from relationships to big city life to the ache of getting older – all delivered amidst a reflective haze.
Your only challenge now is to actually find a copy of Boxer, it isn’t that easy. Once you do though, grab yourself some time, get comfy and let it grow.
Essential Tracks
Fake Empire
Mistaken for Strangers
Slow Show
Full Track Listing
1. Fake Empire (3:25)
2. Mistaken for Strangers (3:30)
3. Brainy (3:18)
4. Squalor Victoria (2:59)
5. Green Gloves (3:39)
6. Slow Show (4:08)
7. Apartment Story (3:32)
8. Start a War (3:16)
9. Guest Room (3:18)
10. Racing Like a Pro (3:24)
11. Ada (4:03)
12. Gospel (4:29)
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