An Honorable Lineage
WrtnWrd | Northridge, CA USA | 06/27/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Though they've grown exponentially over the last two releases, The National arrived fully-born on this debut. Vocalist/lyricist Matt Berninger has only honed his sharp and honest voice, but that commitment to detail is all over these 12 tunes. They plumb the Amerindie sound without redefining it; instead, they join an honorable lineage that includes Warren Zevon, Matthew Sweet, R.E.M., Drive-By Truckers, and, especially, Afghan Whigs. There's a bit more gentility here than on Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers or Alligitor; with luck, they will just get rougher and rougher. The mire becomes them."
Too good
Peter M. Kostrivas | 01/17/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Don't get me wrong, Alligator and Boxer are excellent but this is The National's best album, in my opinion anyway. Openers don't get much better then "Beautiful Head" (okay maybe not better then "I'm trying to break your heart). If you've listened to Boxer, Alligator, or even sad songs.. you might be suprised about how different this one is. Self titled has a much countryisher sound to it then their later work, but the lyrics are obviously The National. From the upbeat twang of "Pay for me" to the absolute rawness of "29 years" and to the romantic feel of "watching you well", this album delivers on every single song, please buy."
Not their best, still really good
L. Riley | Athens, GA, USA | 07/08/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I already have Alligator, Boxer, and Sad Songs, And this is yet another great addition. I haven't had it very long yet, so some songs are still growing on me, typical of The National. Anyways, Beautiful Head and American Mary are the best songs on here. 29 Years is really good too, Berringer reprised it at the end of "Slow Show" on Boxer. Aside from that, the other songs are good, but not their best. This is a good debut album, and Beautiful Head and American Mary are in my top "The National" Songs. As I've said in other reviews, if you're new to The National, get Alligator, and let it grow on you."