User Score
Universal acclaim- based on 303 Ratings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 275 out of 303
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Mixed: 13 out of 303
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Negative: 15 out of 303
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Jun 17, 2017
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Mar 18, 2011High Violet is one of a kind. Matt Berninger sings all of his emotions. He feels sorrow, he feels pain, he felt heartbroken. His vocals are amazing. The lyrics are really well and the musicianship is fantastic. The drumming is another thing. Some of the best drumming I've heard in awhile. All In All, The National are definitely a band to be reckoned with. A-
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Jan 26, 2012A solid output from The National. In some ways it's more consistent than it's predecessor (The Boxer) mainly in it's sound which is a bit lighter. However I miss the atmosphere of dark, almost bleak atmosphere of Boxer.
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Oct 25, 2011Enjoyed this much more than I did "Boxer", but unlike other National albums i found this album to be more immediate than its predecessors which were growers.
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Jul 10, 2011Beautiful, very evocative of something sour and bitter without ever getting dull.
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Sep 25, 2021This album is so touching and dramatic and so beautifully put together. It mixes in dark stories with grand moments and doesn’t get dull at all.
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Aug 11, 2010
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Feb 20, 2011A wonderful little album that mixes alt-country, indie-rock, even a bit of atmosphere for an interesting mix of music. I don't think I could describe this music to a friend, except to say it's like a Midwestern version of Arcade Fire, but perhaps instead I would just say it's fantastic, worth a listen for anyone that enjoys indie rock.
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Oct 21, 2010This album is the most charming of those in The National's discography. The poetry is strong, speaking to the awkward middle-aged socialite in all of us. Though the formula they follow can sometimes have uninteresting results, High Violet does its best to keep us listening by reminding us of just how imperfect we are.
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Dec 29, 2010
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Oct 6, 2022
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May 28, 2017They just keep on putting out music with an extravagant and incredible quality.
What more can be said, beautiful from head to toe. You get submerged in every song, deeply and it's fabulous. -
May 21, 2011
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Apr 21, 2011Matt Berninger's delightfully melancholy voice goes perfectly with the moody and gorgeous songs on this album. Although it seems to lack the cohesive force that "Boxer" had, the album is exceptional when each song is taken into consideration. The sounds are apocalyptic, gloomy, and creative. An exceptional work from an exceptional band.
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Jan 26, 2012This album is flawless. Every track plays like a dark hymn for a frightened generation of lovesick vagabonds. The National are one of the best groups around, and this is their best album in my opinion.
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Sep 7, 2010
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Nov 29, 2010album of the year - no one even came close. sure it's sad, but it's funny too. matt berninger's lyrics just keep getting better. this album may take some getting used to and isn't appropriate for party situations, BUT for anyone who understands that this life is bittersweet (fans of "no country for old men" as an example) "high violet" is essential.
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Nov 12, 2010
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Jun 25, 2013A very good album. Not incredible, but very good. Picked it up on vinyl and I've listened to the digital versions and I would reccomend splurging for the vinyl. The vocals become much more haunting like that. This album has a lot of ups and very few downs, but fails to really tell a story.
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Sep 30, 2010To call this album haunting seems to be an understatement - this album gets better, and darker, with each listen. The best new album I've heard in a while..
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Apr 23, 2012
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JeffSJun 8, 2010This is a brilliant album that - pardon the cliche - just gets better with each listening. In its understatement, it becomes almost overwhelmingly power. It is honest, evocative and quite possibly the most haunting (and haunted) album I have ever heard.
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AdrianKMay 20, 2010The third great in album in a row. exceptional music carried by great vocals. Additionally this album grows with every listening.
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MartinTJun 9, 2010Perfect album. Brilliant for breaking up to. Or buying for a new friend.
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DavidMay 15, 2010Just beautiful music and what a great voice - bought the CD having heard only Runaway and no song disappoints. Too early to say what songs are stand outs - just listen to the entire album and savour a band totally in the zone.
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MattGMay 18, 2010
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KeithSMay 19, 2010Rich, dark, sombre and beautiful. Brilliant.
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HappyEnchiladaMay 23, 2010After the first couple listens I had this ranked behind Alligator and Boxer, but it's broken through to where I wouldn't argue with anyone calling it their best. Rather than rank it, though, I'm happier thinking of Alligator/Boxer/High Violet as equal components of a superb triple album. Highly recommended.
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RobTMay 23, 2010The National's best album yet! Really enjoyable and it gets better with every listen.
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AlejandroGMay 25, 2010Great!
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Awards & Rankings
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Dec 20, 2010The National's latest is easily up there with the very best indie-rock records of the year.
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Its charms are subtle, its grip soft and easily shrugged by those who choose to pay it only passing attention. Live with it a while, though, and High Violet rewards patience with songs that colour one's waking existence, becoming vivid night-time narratives when curtains are drawn.
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An easy grandeur is present throughout, as is a sense they are following an increasingly individual, carefully textured path. It is a wild, vivid romance that The National make their own, and on High Violet it sounds just as striking, just as wild, just as vivid as ever.