You can get off to a fast start. You can sustain your opener with the main course, not filler. But can you end on a high note? Sometimes I wonder if recording a strong closer is the most difficult thing to pull off when it comes to album rock. When it comes to the cream of the crop in music, I can think of more strong openers than strong closers. Nonetheless, I still have my favorites which I’ll be featuring on Mental Jukebox all month.
The experience of listening to High Violet for the first time was incredibly gratifying. They did it. They somehow managed to get even better, following two exceptional releases: Alligator and Boxer. This is not the last great National album, but it’s probably the band at the height of its powers. Every song brimming with Berninger’s unique flair for a killer lyric. Every song managing to incorporate experimental motifs without ever overdoing it. Every song is fantastic, and right up there with the best of them is the closer “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks”.
I’ve seen The National a few times in concert – and one of the highlights of set lists has always been this track, often slotted in as the final track in the encore. It’s a reminder just how good this band is at making somber, reflective ballads that leave you practically breathless. Most bands have to end albums and concerts with a banger. But The National have found a way to pack enormous power with a slow tune. The piano, artfully understated. The guitar, insidiously potent. The strings, hanging by a thread. The vocals, full of sweet, sweet remorse.
“Leave your home. Change your name. Live alone. Eat your cake.”