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The National have been steadily building an audience over the years with critically lauded albums and sold out tours. When Barack Obama started using their song 'Fake Empire' to soundtrack his appearances it seemed like they were on the cusp of entering the mainstream and their fifth album 'High Violet' maybe the record to help do that. The music is brooding and introverted and many of the songs build to a soaring epicness. The lyrics seem an unusual mix of stories of urban middle class life and bursts of surrealism and fantasy and Matt Berninger's voice is a compelling, resonant instrument. The single 'Bloodbuzz Ohio' is terrific and there are a scattering of memorable lines like the repeated 'I'll explain everything to the geeks'. Unfortunately there is a distint lack of light and shade though and too many of the songs are indistinguishable in their muddy, plodding miserableness.