High Violet

This article is about the album. For the band, see The High Violets.
High Violet
Studio album by The National
Released May 10, 2010 (2010-05-10)
Recorded March 2009 – January 2010
Genre Indie rock, post-punk revival
Length 47:40
Language English
Label 4AD
Producer The National
The National chronology
The Virginia EP
(2008)		 High Violet
(2010)		 Trouble Will Find Me
(2013)
Singles from High Violet
  1. "Bloodbuzz Ohio"
    Released: May 3, 2010
  2. "Anyone's Ghost"
    Released: June 28, 2010
  3. "Conversation 16"
    Released: October 25, 2010
  4. "Terrible Love (Alternate Version)"
    Released: November 22, 2010

High Violet is the fifth studio album by The National, which was released on May 10, 2010 in Europe and on May 11, 2010 in North America via 4AD.[1] The band produced the album themselves assisted by Peter Katis with whom they worked on their previous albums Alligator and Boxer at their own studio in Brooklyn, New York, and at Katis' Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, Connecticut.[2] The sculpture on the album cover was created by artist Mark Fox, and is called The Binding Force.[2][3]

An expanded edition of High Violet was released through 4AD on November 22, 2010.[4][5] The reissue includes the standard 11-track album along with a new bonus disc, featuring the unreleased tracks "You Were a Kindness" and "Wake Up Your Saints" as well as alternate versions, B-sides, and live recordings.

Release

On March 10, 2010, they performed opening track "Terrible Love" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, two months before the album's release.

The album's first single "Bloodbuzz Ohio" was made available for download on the band's website on March 24, 2010. The song was also released on 7" vinyl (with the exclusive B-side "Sin-Eaters") on May 3, 2010.[6]

On April 19, 2010, a low-quality version of the album was leaked onto the internet in its entirety which prompted the band to announce that the album would be streaming on The New York Times' website from April 23 until April 27,[7][8] then on NPR's website until May 11.[9]

On May 13, 2010, the band played "Afraid of Everyone" on the Late Show with David Letterman. Sufjan Stevens sang backup for them during this performance.

High Violet sold 51,000 copies in its first week of sales, charting at #3 on the Billboard 200. This marks The National's highest charting effort yet (beating Boxer, which debuted at #68).[10]

The track "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks" was the featured song at the climax of the second season of the SyFy Channel's TV show Warehouse 13.

In May 2013, the band played High Violet track 'Sorrow' 105 times in a row at an art installation in New York, in a performance lasting six hours.[11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic85/100[12]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[13]
The A.V. ClubA[14]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[15]
The Guardian[16]
Los Angeles Times[17]
MSN MusicA−[18]
NME8/10[19]
Pitchfork Media8.7/10[20]
Rolling Stone[21]
Spin8/10[22]

High Violet was released to widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 based on reviews from mainstream critics, the album received a score of 85 out of 100 based on 36 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[12] BBC Music critic Mike Diver hailed the album as The National's "finest disc to date" and "a potential album of the year."[23] Andrew Gaerig of Pitchfork Media wrote that "when they aim for powerful or poetic, they get there" and described High Violet as "the sound of a band taking a mandate to be a meaningful rock band seriously."[20] Steven Hyden of The A.V. Club called the album "carefully considered without being labored" and "richly detailed without being fussy".[14] The Guardian's Dave Simpson wrote that High Violet "is beautifully subtle" and "grows in power with each listen",[16] and The Independent's Andy Gill called it "a masterclass in subtle emotional shading."[24] Sputnikmusic writer Channing Freeman cited the album as the band's "third masterpiece in a row."[25]

High Violet appeared on several publications' year-end lists of the best albums of 2010. Time named it the fourth best album of the year,[26] and it also placed at number 15 on Rolling Stone's list of the 30 best albums of 2010.[27] Pitchfork Media placed it at number 28 on their list of the 50 best albums of 2010.[28] Exclaim! ranked High Violet at number 7 on their list of the Best Pop & Rock Albums of 2010, with critic Travis Persaud stating that it "continues the envious feat of releasing another album that's superior to its predecessor."[29] The album placed at number eight on The Village Voice's year-end Pazz & Jop critics' poll.[30] High Violet was awarded a Q Award for Best Album, an honor presented to The National by English musician Bernard Sumner.[31] The album was also included in the 2011 edition of the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Chart history

The album debuted at #3 on the US Billboard 200 and has sold over 250,000 copies in the US and 600,000 copies worldwide.[10][32] The album also debuted in Canada at #2, in Portugal at #3, and in Germany at #10.[10][32][33] High Violet is now a Gold Album in Canada, Ireland, Denmark, Belgium, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Track listing

Standard edition
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Terrible Love"  Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner 4:39
2. "Sorrow"  Berninger, A. Dessner 3:25
3. "Anyone's Ghost"  Berninger, Bryce Dessner 2:54
4. "Little Faith"  Berninger, Carin Besser, A. Dessner 4:36
5. "Afraid of Everyone"  Berninger, A. Dessner 4:19
6. "Bloodbuzz Ohio"  Berninger, A. Dessner, Padma Newsome 4:36
7. "Lemonworld"  Berninger, B. Dessner 3:23
8. "Runaway"  Berninger, A. Dessner 5:33
9. "Conversation 16"  Berninger, Carin Besser, A. Dessner 4:18
10. "England"  Berninger, A. Dessner 5:40
11. "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks"  Berninger, Carin Besser, A. Dessner 4:12
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
12. "Walk Off"  Berninger, A. Dessner 2:40
13. "Sin-Eaters"  Berninger, A. Dessner 3:40
Expanded edition bonus disc
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Terrible Love" (Alternate Version)Berninger, A. Dessner 4:18
2. "Wake Up Your Saints"  Berninger, A. Dessner 4:14
3. "You Were a Kindness"  Berninger, A. Dessner 4:25
4. "Walk Off"  Berninger, A. Dessner 2:40
5. "Sin-Eaters"  Berninger, A. Dessner 3:39
6. "Bloodbuzz Ohio" (Live on The Current)Berninger, A. Dessner, Padma Newsome 3:53
7. "Anyone's Ghost" (Live at Brooklyn Academy of Music)Berninger, B. Dessner 2:58
8. "England" (Live at Brooklyn Academy of Music)Berninger, A. Dessner 5:27

Charts and certifications

Release history

Country Date Label Format Catalogue #
Worldwide May 10, 2010;
May 11, 2010 (United States)		 4AD CD CAD 3X03 CD
Limited CD (with foil-stamped slipcase and special poster) CAD 3X03 CDX
2LP (standard black vinyl) CAD 3X03
Limited 2LP (violet-coloured heavyweight vinyl) CAD 3X03X
Japan May 26, 2010 Beggars Japan/Hostess Entertainment CD (two bonus tracks) CAD 3X03 CDJ/BGJ-10082
Worldwide November 22, 2010 4AD 2CD expanded edition CAD 3X49 CD

Credits

Additional musicians

References

  1. ↑ "New National Album: High Violet". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
  2. 1 2 4AD - The National reveal further details for High Violet
  3. ↑ http://www.markfoxstudio.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/The-Binding-Force.jpg
  4. ↑ "4AD - News - 'High Violet' Expanded Edition details announced". 4AD. 28 September 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  5. ↑ M., Paul (28 September 2010). "Double CD reissue of The National's High Violet". Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  6. ↑ 4AD - The National - Download Free MP3 of the new single, 'Bloodbuzz Ohio'
  7. ↑ Tumblr Blog Post
  8. ↑ The National Agenda - NYTimes.com
  9. ↑ First Listen: The National, 'High Violet'
  10. 1 2 3 Spinner.com - The National - Billboard Album Chart
  11. ↑ "The National undertake song marathon for art installation". 3 News NZ. May 7, 2013.
  12. 1 2 "Reviews for High Violet by The National". Metacritic. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  13. ↑ Monger, James Christopher. "High Violet – The National". AllMusic. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  14. 1 2 Hyden, Steven (May 11, 2010). "The National: High Violet". The A.V. Club. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
  15. ↑ Greenblatt, Leah (May 5, 2010). "High Violet". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  16. 1 2 Simpson, Dave (May 6, 2010). "The National: High Violet". The Guardian. London. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  17. ↑ Wappler, Margaret (May 11, 2010). "Album review: The National's 'High Violet'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
  18. ↑ Christgau, Robert (July 2010). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
  19. ↑ Kennedy, Adam (May 7, 2010). "Album Review: The National – 'High Violet' (4AD)". NME. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  20. 1 2 Gaerig, Andrew (May 10, 2010). "The National: High Violet". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
  21. ↑ Hermes, Will (May 11, 2011). "High Violet". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
  22. ↑ Modell, Josh (May 11, 2010). "The National, 'High Violet' (4AD)". Spin. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  23. ↑ Diver, Mike. "The National High Violet Review". BBC Music. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
  24. ↑ Gill, Andy (May 7, 2010). "Album: The National, High Violet (4AD)". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on May 10, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  25. ↑ Freeman, Channing (April 22, 2010). "The National – High Violet". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
  26. ↑ Suddath, Claire (December 9, 2010). "The National, High Violet". Time. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  27. ↑ "The 30 Best Albums of 2010". Rolling Stone. December 25, 2010. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  28. ↑ "Staff Lists: The Top 50 Albums of 2010". Pitchfork Media. December 16, 2010. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  29. ↑ "Pop & Rock Year in Review". Exclaim!. November 25, 2010. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  30. ↑ "Pazz+Jop 2010". The Village Voice. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  31. ↑ "The Awards 2010: Best Album – The National". Q. October 25, 2010. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  32. 1 2 "AOL news story".
  33. ↑ "German charts".
  34. ↑ "Australian Record Industry Association". ariacharts.com.au.
  35. ↑ "The National - High Violet". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  36. ↑ "CANOE - JAM! Music SoundScan Charts". Jam.canoe.ca.
  37. ↑ ":: MTV | Album Top 50 KW 7 | charts". Mtv.de. 2012-02-17. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  38. ↑ Published Friday, May 14, 2010, 9:01am EDT (2010-05-14). "Cathy Davey album secures Irish top spot - Music News". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  39. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Spanish charts portal". spanishcharts.com. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  40. ↑ Steffen Hung (2012-02-17). "swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts - Albums Top 60 2012-02-17". Swedish Charts. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  41. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Swiss Charts - Albums Top 100 19.02.2012". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  42. ↑ "UK Music Charts | The Official UK Top 75 Albums: Week of Mon 17 May - Yahoo! Music UK". Uk.launch.yahoo.com.
  43. ↑ "Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  44. ↑ "Gold and Platinum – Albums – 2011". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
  45. ↑ "Guld og platin 2011" (in Danish). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
  46. ↑ "Certified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
  47. ↑ "JAAROVERZICHTEN 2011" (in Dutch). Retrieved 2011-12-29.
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