The weather is warming (ignore the random dumps of snow), green is beginning to return to the trees and those with allergies are making sure they have plenty of their favorite antihistamines in store. Spring is here and with it is a host of fantastic new record releases I’m very excited about. Here’s what’s coming out May 11th.
The National:
High Violet
What really gets me about this Brooklyn-based band is the voice of Matt Berninger, their lead vocalist and lyricist. He lacks range but he makes up for it in personality. His lyrics are delivered in a deep baritone, in an almost monotonous voice. While the use of the words ‘personality’ and ‘monotone’ together sounds like an oxymoron, Matt’s style is perfect for conveying the contemplative nature of his lyrics.
High Violet is the follow-up to 2007’s phenomenal Boxer, one of my favorite albums of that year.
All of High Violet is streaming over at The New York Times where you can also find a fantastic article which provides a lot of insight into the dynamics of the band and their recording process. The album is also being streamed by NPR’s previously featured First Listen. Make sure you take a listen to the first single off the record (and my favorite song so far,) Bloodbuzz, Ohio.