Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers
by The National
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Dusted Magazine
    60
    To the extent that it falls prey to unnecessary pseudo-sophistication, Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers comes off weak; to the extent that it maintains its own musical niche within the shattered-lover trope, Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers makes the shopworn surprisingly compelling.
  2. AllMusic
    60
    It's hard to shake the feeling that the National is highly influenced by and studied in the bands it emulates, but the album is still worth a listen for fans of moody country-tinged lounge music.
  3. Under The Radar
    50
    The album is plagued by overcooked production, and these are the type of songs--confessional, despairing--that are best served rare. [#5, p.114]
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Awards & Rankings

53
#53 Most Shared Album of 2003

User Reviews

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User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 61 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 58 out of 61
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 61
  3. Negative: 0 out of 61
  1. MBond1810
    Apr 12, 2013
    8
    'Available' and 'Sugar Wife' are two of the best songs of the year. The best National album along with Boxer.
  2. Ricko
    Mar 29, 2012
    8
    The album before their holy trinity of Alligator/Boxer/High Violet. Sad Songs is a good album but my least favourite of The National's 5The album before their holy trinity of Alligator/Boxer/High Violet. Sad Songs is a good album but my least favourite of The National's 5 records so far but its still very strong. Lyrically it's spot on but occasionally it lacks imagination musically. There are a couple of mid tempo countryish tracks that don't particularly add anything to the record. Although I love The National's slow and mid tempo stuff on other records, here the band sounds better on the more up tempo tracks. That said - these are small complaints and there is a lot more to praise on here than there is to pick at . Murder Me Rachel and Slipping Husband show some of the brilliance that followed on Alligator and the final track "Lucky You" really finishes the album off nicely.… Full Review »
  3. JonnyR.
    Jul 13, 2008
    8
    'Sugar Wife' and 'Patterns Of Fairytales' are manifest fillers and disrupt the fluidity of the album. "Sad Songs For 'Sugar Wife' and 'Patterns Of Fairytales' are manifest fillers and disrupt the fluidity of the album. "Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers" is one of the best albums of 2003… Full Review »
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