The National: High Violet

The 5th album by Cincinnati-turned-Brooklyn band The National, released May 11, 2010 to critical acclaim. 

This is another band I had scribbled down a couple times on notepads to look into.  Living in & loving Ohio, I instantly loved Bloodbuzz Ohio when I caught it late one night on the free video channel CoolTV, but now looking up the lyrics online:

"I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees. I'll never marry, but Ohio don't remember me."  Say what?  No matter, still love it!

Pressed at United Records, this is a double 180 gram set with custom labels, packaged in a heavy card-stock gatefold with foil embossed accents, and heavy printed inner sleeves. Download card is included.

Cover sculpture is The Binding Force by artist Mark Fox.

Some standard 180 gram sets have a black 'High' disc, and a nearly-too-dark-to-tell purple 'Violet' disc.

I bought the standard 180 gram vinyl not knowing there were 2 full colored pressings: a Euro pressing in opaque purple (not sure how limited), and the US pressing in dark transparent purple limited to 2000 numbered copies. Seems everyone is doing initial short run pressings on various colors to entice pre-orders. I say, press 'em ALL on colored wax so each copy is just that much more special.




The above variant photos are from google images.  Some standard 180 gram copies have an even darker transparent purple Violet (2nd) disc, that looks black unless you hold it up to light.  My copy is all black.

36 reviews of High Violet @ metacritic.

Official website: americanmary.com

The National Blog on tumblr

Facebook / At their label 4AD