Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers

The National | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 2, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Brassland Records
• ASIN: B0000C8AOY
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,776 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #39 in Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > Chamber Pop

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievably Great!, October 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers (Audio CD)

I read the great feature on these guys in the Fader and ordered the album. It is totally unbelievable how great this album is --- I will be very surprised if the National does not blow up --- or at least become a major cult band like Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds or the Tindersticks. Songs like Thirsty, which starts off incredibly restrained but gradually grows richer sonically and ends with an absolutely brilliant string arrangement, just blow me away. Where did these guys come from? What I like most about this music is that it is smart and ambitious and hip without sounding overly contrived or image conscious. It seems to me that the National is not trying to sound like anyone or any particular genre (unlike most bands today). I get the feeling they are just making music as it comes to them -- without any thought to defining "a sound" that is easily marketed. The album ranges from stripped down traditional folk sounding tunes like 90 Mile Water Wall --- which seems inspired by almost any track of Bob Dylan's Desire --- to raging rockers like Murder Me Rachael and Available --- which seem to take their cues from Joy Division and even U2 --- to intricate electronic and acoustic arrangements like Patterns of Fairytales and Cardinal Song which seem almost entirely original to my ears.....very restrained, intelligent, plaintive vocal performances combined with subtle electronic percussion and intricate, almost classical guitar/keyboard/bass/string arrangements. It will be very interesting to see where this band goes --- there is a huge amount of talent and genuine songwriting here.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great discovery, December 12, 2004

By 

nick cave fan (dallas, tx) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers (Audio CD)

The title of this album is misleading. It could be called Funny Songs for Angry Lovers ....or Dirty Songs for Sad Lovers....lyrically, the songs explore different sides of relationships and there is a lot of levity..... song titles like Trophy Wife and Sugar Wife make me think the album title may be intended as a joke. Though who can say. Whatever the case, this is an interesting, intense album.

There are quiet acoustic and electronic ballads like the frst song Cardinal Song and one of the last, Patterns of Fairytales ....but also totally blistering, raging rock songs like Murder Me Rachael and Available. I am partial to the latter....but I think they wouldn't be as effective without the quiet, beautiful moments. As far as influences, there are some hints of americana in the Wilco sense in spots (like 90 Mile Water Wall) but also Joy Division in other songs like Available. I was turned onto the National by a friend who is also a fellow Nick Cave fanatic, but I can't really compare them to any specific Cave era or album. I am more reminded at times of Leonard Cohen and even Silver Jewsand Wilco.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars try the Cherry Tree EP too, December 12, 2004

By 

barbara roy (chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers (Audio CD)

I heard a song called All the Wine on the radio in Chicago from the National's more recent Cherry Tree EP and fell in love it. Got the EP and it is fantastic, one of my favorites of the year. It took me longer to get in to Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers -- probably because the first song, Cardinal Song, is a long, quiet sad and slow ballad --- but it is beautiful and I like it more and more. The second song, Slipping Husband, is the opposite -- up tempo, catchy and then unhinged in the end. The National keep you guessing though -- each song is like a new adventure and there are lots of different moods on this album. Overall, I have to say I prefer the Cherry Tree EP -- but Sad Songs will be in heavy rotation for me for some time. And I am very intersted to hear what comes next.