The National
have worn a lot of hats since their 2001 debut, but they've never been able to shake the rural, book-smart, quiet violence of the Midwest. The Brooklyn-groomed, Ohio-bred indie rock quintet's fifth full-length album navigates that lonely dirt road where swagger meets desperation like a seasoned tour guide, and while it may take a few songs to get going, there are treasures to be found for patient passengers.
High Violet
begins to take shape on
"Afraid of Everyone,"
a slow-build, midtempo rocker that expertly utilizes
the Clogs
' (guitarist
Bryce Dessner
's other chamber pop band) prickly orchestrations, but it's the punishing
"Bloodbuzz Ohio"
that serves as the record's centerpiece. Built on a foundation that fuses together
TV on the Radio
's
"Halfway Home"
and
Arcade Fire
"No Cars Go,"
its refrain of "I still owe money to the money, to the money I owe" seems both relevant and nostalgic, resulting in a highway anthem that feels like the anti-
"Born to Run."
Other standout cuts like
"Conversation 16,"
"England,"
and the darkly funny/oddly beautiful closer,
"Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks,"
trumpet
Violet
's second-half supremacy, but even they tremble beneath the
"Bloodbuzz"
intoxication. ~ James Christopher Monger