I have since revisited them and I love Aligator, High Violet sounds good too but it needs a few more plays. Not really listened to Boxer much but the opening track was great.

I found the new album to be mostly boring and the lyrics for the most part didn't leave a lasting impression on me. Anybody else think that lyrically they are an overrated band? I mean Matt has his moments but I don't think he's as deep as people make him out to be.

It's not about 'depth' at all. His lyrics are about self loathing and alienation and such. Nothing new and certainly shallow.
It's about inventiveness and cogent writerly tendencies.
These lyrics are definitely not overrated - especially when compared to those of peers.

The new album is the first National album i've bought and after listening to it about 6 times now i'm not that impressed with it. There's a few standout songs alright but most of the album just goes right past me. I'll probably try another one of their albums to see if i like them better before i give up on them.

Get Alligator and/or Boxer if you don't like either of those give up.

Peers? Like who Interpol?

Boxer is pretty darn stellar lyrically, but otherwise, I will agree he can get bogged down by his jabs at profundity. High Violet may be the worst he's been in this respect for quite some time as over half of the record is average lyrically. If anything, his work can benefit from simplicity at times like on About Today or even Runaway which are entirely straightforward and all the more resonant because of it.

Why don't people like High Violet? I've only recently 'got' The National and I pretty much heard all 3 albums close together, starting with Alligator, then Boxer and then High Violet and they're all good albums. At the moment Boxer is my least favourite... Although that's more to lack of listening. I think High Violet is a really solid album and I don't understand why people aren't taking to it like Alligator and/or Boxer.

Unaminous critical acclaim and #1 on RYM for the year is a fairly good sign people have taken to it.

Yeah I know, but KOL's latest album was critical acclaimed but people still regard it as shit. Even though it's critically acclaimed I'm still finding people aren't taken with it (people on here mainly.)

And I don't know why, it's a great album. I enjoy it more with every listen.

I've seen them three times. Saw them for free at the South Street Seaport three years ago, at Brooklyn Academy of Music and at Madison Square Garden where they opened for REM followed by Modest Mouse. I like them
They're at Radio City next week but I'm seeing them at Prospect Park in July
unless I decide at the last minute to score a ticket on craigslist...