After even breaking into the charts with ‘Boxer’ – a Rober Award nominee as album of the year – and their charity project for the Red Hot organization, ‘Dark Is The Night’; the band from Cincinnati took their time to create a work of impeccable facture without any noticeable flaw. ‘High Violet’ amply fulfilled that goal. Matt Berninger’s baritone vocals kept on underlining their highly emotive stories, whereas their commercial appeal kept on going stronger. The only possible criticism their fifth record could bear is that instead of attempting any changes, The National seem to have taken advantage of their new found popularity by digging deeper in the foundations of their characteristic sound; as if it was collection time of all the plaudits they’ve been earning until now.