First Two Pages of Frankenstein vs. Gasms | ALBUM REVIEW x2

[@SomeSong2]

Joe nailed exactly how I feel about the This Is Us sound of adult-format rock post 2010. There’s a big market in that mishmash, dreary gray, moping kind of sound.

[@MMoses87]

Wow an 83 yr old man with an album called Gasms. That's beyond legendary.

[@echosmyron1278]

Much like The Hold Steady and Sleater-Kinney, The National are a band that peaked in the 2000s and gradually lost their verve once the 2010s arrived. I never liked them as much as those other 2 bands during their prime, though Boxer was my second favorite album of 2007 (#28 for that decade overall). Alligator/Boxer/High Violet is their pinnacle for me; their sound was never that multi-dimensional to me, and even on albums like TWFM and SWB I felt like I was listening to less-intense rehashes of songs they’d done better a few years earlier. Obviously, this new album marks a new low in the band’s shedding of the tension/energy that previously existed in their sound. I still have a soft spot for the vibe of The National as a band, and added “Grease in Your Hair” to my ongoing 2023 playlist (I also added “Grand Junction” off The Hold Steady’s latest record - I think both bands are quite bland at this stage, but I used to really like both of them, and I just want a small memento). 2.5 stars, I guess.

[@curly_wyn]

The National was never multi-dimensional for me. They always so generically mediocre and grey. Just not my vibe. And, I really like Sleater-Kinney a good bit; their newer isn’t amazing, but still not bad by any means.

[@frangarcia7774]

I pretty much with everything you said

[@3bwana]

My sister dated Smokey’s son Berry(named after Berry Gordy) in high school in the 80’s which makes his dad’s new Lp title and single all the skeevier

[@oppothumbs1]

I have to agree with Jason, unfortunately, on his outstanding review of Smokey's new record sounding like "musical wallpaper and No Surprises" for this year's girls and boys. Smokey was to Bob Dylan our greatest living poet (unless he was a joker to the left or clowning on the right). Just a wonderful lyricist; not sure how many melodies but a lot I think he wrote but his guitarist wrote a lot of the music. Marvin Tarplin - let's give it up for Marv and why more people don't know his name is a shame. Even Berry Gordy helped make a few of Smokey's songs better and they were practically partners at Motown. Smokey wrote great songs for Forgotten Mary Wells and the Temptations and The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game for The Marvelletes. More than one critic called it "a most perfectly satisfying song". kzbin.info/www/bejne/jV7Zf3uIet10bac Please no more funky uptempo covers by the likes of Grace Jones who critics probably also thought was great. If I am writing too much now it's cause the Jones song is on and I'm a little upset. Grace's version has me thinking of This Years Model by Costello, one of the greatest songs ever: See her picture (Graces) "grace" a thousand places 'cause she's this year's girl You think you all own little pieces of this year's girl Forget your fancy manners, forget your English grammar 'Cause you don't really give a damn about this year's girl Still you're hoping that she's well-spoken 'cause she's this year's girl You want her broken with her mouth wide open 'cause she's this year's girl Never knowing it's a real attraction, all these promises of satisfaction While she's being bored to distraction being this year's girl A bright spark might corner the market in this year's girl You see yourself rolling on the carpet with this year's girl Those disco synthesizers, those daily tranquilizers Those body-building prizes, those bedroom alibis All this, but no surprises for this year's girl This song was from Elvis' angry, anti-woman (I really don't think so as he was just looking for attention and sparkle), immature, and pre-crooner pre-sophisticated songwriter days that electrified the airways. So many great songs by Smokey and Marv and some of my favorites are: Ooh Baby Baby, Baby Come Closer, Baby Baby Don't Cry, and Bad Girl kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZ_Nf6uoZrZ3iJY Maybe it sounds corny to most of you but Smokey's falsetto and Miracles harmonies on Bad Girl are gorgeous and cryworthy. "So good at the start but now we must part" Come out in the late 50s. Maybe my favorite is: I'll Try Something New kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYqUoHSno9uFrpo. What orchestration of strings and all good things about love: I'll take the stars and count 'em and move a mountain And if that don't do, I'll try something new I'll tell the moon above it's you that I love And baby, if it don't do I'm gonna try something new Oh, well if there's something to see, try, here's what I'll do Always trying something new, always trying something that's new Sorry to go on forever with all the lyrics and too much information and monkey business like Mickey's Monkey; I'm referencing a Smokey song with the subtlety and charm of an anvil.

[@TastesLikeMusic]

Smokey rules and this new album is pretty good but y’all not ready to admit it because you can’t hear new music. - Joe

[@alexconway4950]

I really want to like Frankenstein but boy it’s disappointing! Thoughts from Kramzer?

[@chapmancarruthers]

Surely some disappointment plays into THE National score. Sleep Well Beast was incredible and then IAETF seemed like a total phone in. I’ve only heard the first single off the new one but it sounds like a total throw away. The National along with War on Drugs and Kurt Vile all seem to be on the same trajectory, sadly.

[@TheGenreman]

Have you seen Anthony Fantano’s review of the National album?

[@TastesLikeMusic]

It’s a damn classic. - Joe

[@JohannesYtterstrom]

You gotta give it to Smokey Robinson. Being active since early 1960's. Recorded or helped to record more songs than even he can mention (probably..). Still making records at 83 AND helped The Temptations with their latest album "Temptations 60" in 2022. The man clearly likes what he is doing!

[@thecroft6070]

Gasms is one hell of a song - I was shaking with laughter listening to it. The earnest delivery of the ridiculous lyrics make it even funnier

[@CrunchyFrog47]

One thing I thought about the Smokey when I was listening to it is that it sounds like his Quiet Storm R&B of the early 80s. Songs like Grovin' or Bein' With You...and considering Jason's hatred of anything early 80s, I'd figured he'd give this a low review even without the title track (which is abhorrent). I agree with Joe with a light 3.5...definitely not as good as his classic period. As far as for The National, it was the first album I ever heard by them, and I didn't hate it mid 3.5 for me, a bit samey but I kinda liked it.

[@viscountpalmerston]

'Undulating vibrato'... Joe taking a leaf out of Smokey's risqué lyrics book there!

[@bwpm1467]

Wow, Joe. Most The National fans think The Alcott is the weakest moment.

[@TastesLikeMusic]

Hmm you must have mistaken me for someone who cares what The National fans think. - Joe

[@bengalgangster]

@@TastesLikeMusic it is my fav song , as joe and bengal align again 🐯

[@CrunchyFrog47]

I'm really not familiar with The National at all and it didn't bowl me over. I much preferred the Phoebe Bridgers tracks.

[@sonicpharmacist]

Smokey sings the word “gasms” 52 times in his song which is 4 minutes 20 seconds long. That’s a gasm every 5 seconds.

[@erikkiwi6395]

Huge National fan but First Two is just OK (though a step up from their last and worst record). The songs with special guests are my least fave. @joe I find the Swift song the least interesting on the record. Her "curse on this house" lyric is hard to listen to... It's such a non-National lyric. Anyway, happy to have 6 of the new songs. 👎 To Alexa on the rest. Oh, @joe totally right about track pacing. Way too slow on this record.

[@gerardovazquez6441]

This isn't helping stands out from the rest, it is the only song for which I would return to this album

[@robforzese5496]

Joe, have you heard the new Ben folds tracks? Thoughts?

[@TastesLikeMusic]

I did. It’s pretty good. - Joe

[@GarganoA]

What? How dare you??!!!! LoL J/K...Not a Smokey Robinson fan so I wouldn't check out Gasms anyway BUT I've gotta admit, even if I'm in the minority, I've been enjoying the new National album. It's not their most dynamic or memorable, for sure, and to be honest I'd probably give it a 3.5 out of 5 myself but there's something so comfortable and soothing about it. Idk, it's been out a couple weeks already but I find myself going back to it a fair amount.

[@veerchasm1]

GASMS sounds way more fun…he needs to do a shout out to me!

[@bengalgangster]

i just listened to the song "gasms" , thought it was a SNL skit!! Just wait till weird al yankovic gets ahold of this!! 🐯🐯

[@echosmyron1278]

Weird Al is way too PG to write anything that dirty.

[@179rich]

How do you parody "Gasms?" It's beyond parody.

[@erickent4248]

I never much liked American Music Club, and when I heard the National, I have always thought they were very similar bands, there is an occasional sarcastic lyric I like, the over all vibe though is too bland. I absolutely love the title 'First Two Pages of Frankenstein' though. I feel like if I gave it a listen I would turn it off after a few tracks and never play it again. I am frightened by the very idea of Smokey Robinson having sex.

[@echosmyron1278]

If you want to compare The National to any older band, the most obvious comparison to make would be Tindersticks (a 90s UK band). Their first 3 albums (all excellent) sound like proto-National material.

[@bwpm1467]

Et tu, Kramzer?!

[@dtPlaythroughs]

This gave me a TLMgasm

[@RostyslavLogachov]

With Joe on The National and closer to Jason on Smokey (2 stars for me). 2023 has a tone of much worse than this, for sure.

[@AbbeyRoadkill1]

The one National album I really like is Trouble Will Find Me. None of their other ones do that much for me. I haven't listened to the Smokey Robinson album but if Joe can only get to 3.5 stars on it, then I probably wouldn't be able to get past 3.

[@Vanessa.P]

The song "Gasms" is a terrible way to open that album but I assume some of the thinking behind it was publicity motivated. He's really been leaning into it in the promotion of the album so someone obviously thought it was a good idea. But it just doesn't work and I don't think it would work for anyone at any age. It sorta reminds me of "Yummy" by Justin Bieber in that way, an ill thought out attempt at a sexual song that just. does. not. work. It's not clever. It's not sexy. It's just embarrassing. For me the rest of the album wasn't too good either. Nothing quite as bad as the title track, of course, but it just didn't excite me. For an album all about sex and sensuality it really didn't exude that for me. I do think that he does sound good for his age overall though. Definitely could be a lot worse. But some of the lyrics on this album - yeesh. I gave it 2 stars. I could say The National album is disappointing but from the singles my expectations weren't super high. Overall they were fine but I was not excited at all. I really hate that they are leaning into this association with Taylor Swift and I don't think it's been good for them artistically. I am also usually a pretty big fan - I've bought every release of the 2010s before even hearing them, they were always on my insta-buy list. But no longer. I still think this is good but not anything I am likely to return to any time soon or really care about, definitely in the bottom of a ranking of their albums. Very few tracks that even stand out from the album. 3.5 for me as well. Learning that Gasms got a higher score from Pitchfork was initially pretty shocking because of my opinion of Gasms but I guess maybe I am harsher on it than a lot of other people. I can see Pitchfork giving that album by The National a lower score than their other stuff, easily. Just wasn't expecting them to go so high on Gasms.

[@bengalgangster]

great commentary V !!!!! well said , not sure if i will do smokey or not!! cheers!!🐯🐯

[@curly_wyn]

Gawd, the whole Gasms album is just really horrible.

[@oppothumbs1]

Excellent review. Please don't refrain from harsh criticism when it is merited. Everyone on here respects you even more now or they better!

[@Vanessa.P]

@@curly_wyn Yeah, definitely could have been better!

[@Vanessa.P]

@@bengalgangster Thanks! I can't see you loving it but I'd at least hear the title track for fun!

[@Sanyo815]

I really like the national. I've seen them live quite a bit and as recently as last year and they rocked but god damn they have gone boring in the studio. I still think the lyrics are good on this record but the music is so dull. Their last really good record was ten years ago so I can't see any way they can reclaim their former glories unfortunately

[@whiteshadow59]

Man the National are getting bad. The first 2 tracks were alright. Joe, how could you not like "THE NATIONAL" ??? I mean they're so annoyingly middle upper class, but somehow they still have a piece of my heart. Their last album with the female vocalists was actually really good I thought. Going to listen to Laugh Track soon to get the bad taste out of my mouth, hopefully???

[@tylerhackner9731]

Love Smokey he a legend

[@xyloxia]

Sadly, I agree with Joe on the National and Jason on Smokey. In both cases the album title is only the beginning of the badness that awaits the listener. Two albums that I never want to hear again.

[@bengalgangster]

not really a national fan but , the album was pleasant enough , and my fav 2 tracks were the song taylor swift helped with and one of the phoebe bridgars songs, no bengal is not turning SWIFTIE" and i have not listened to smokeys album, and not sure i will , but who knows!! i agree joe , the ALCOTT was my top track !! Cheers!! 🐯🐯

[@davidellis5141]

Taylor , braving the elements ⛈️ in Nashville last night !

[@bengalgangster]

@@davidellis5141 Why what happened? 🐯🐯

[@davidellis5141]

@bengalgangster Show delayed due to lightning 🌩 & tornado 🌪 warning but Taylor didn't cancel & played outside starting past 11PM playing past 2:30 AM. Credit to her for not sending everyone home disappointed .

[@bengalgangster]

@@davidellis5141 wow ok , that is to commended for sure!!! bravo for taylor!!🎉

[@weirddebbiem1619]

bengal, good to hear that you are not turning into a "Swiftie". I would have told you to shake it off. 🤣🤣 💜💜

[@curly_wyn]

I agree with Jason on Gasms. I love you, Smokey, but your new record is horrible. The whole thing. One star from me. It’s the worst record I’ve heard this year, easily.

[@TastesLikeMusic]

Bad indie music has warped your brain like it has Jason’s. - Joe

[@curly_wyn]

@@TastesLikeMusic I don’t even like The National except for the song Lemonworld lol

[@chessandearl]

I've been a National fan for a long time, and this is the first album that I will not be buying, it's just boring.

[@tylerhackner9731]

Awesome 👏

[@garrettredd2541]

I like the National a good bit, up to and including Trouble will Find Me. However after that they hit a massive plateau for me. And, i dont know the full back story, but naming a album The First Two Pages of Frankenstein has got to be one of the most pretentious things i've seen in a good while haha goodness.

[@GarganoA]

Berninger had writer's block and reading through the first two pages of the novel was the beginning of his seeing his way out of it.

[@garrettredd2541]

Interesting, thanks for sharing

[@scottanthonyweidner8692]

Elton dropping tomorrow?

[@TastesLikeMusic]

Probably Friday

[@scottanthonyweidner8692]

@@TastesLikeMusic I’m caught up on the good, the bad, and the ugly of his career. I’ll use the extra time to revisit the beautiful. Once again, no soundtracks?

[@TastesLikeMusic]

The 31 studio albums listed on his Wikipedia page plus Friends, Duets, The Union, and the Lockdown Sessions. 35 total

[@bengalgangster]

@@scottanthonyweidner8692 they are doing the friends soundtrack in 1971 , 🐯 plus duets, the union and lockdown sessions , 35 total🐯

[@oppothumbs1]

Who is Elton?

[@asmundgjystdal4204]

I am a quite big fan of The National, but this new album is boring. 3 stars.

[@deathfromabove77]

Totally with Joe on this. I've never liked the National , everything I've heard of theirs always sounds tastefully played and "tidy" but boring. I like plenty of "sad" indie bands but there's something "by the numbers sad" and completely Un inspirational about the National, so 2 stars sounds about right.( i haven't heard the record but i trust Joe the king...and they're a 2 star band for me anyway) On the other hand I love Smokey, have been a fan my whole life, his 60s work with the Miracles is of course legendary and amongst the greatest pop records ever made...i'm also with Joe in being slightly uneasy about my now 83 year old, soul music hero releasing an album titled "Gasms" ..but there are some fine songs on the album and Smokey still sounds in great voice...as for Pitchfork...well , like most modern music critics/websites/publications , a source not to be trusted for their views...i'm interested in my ratings of any new music, and i'm more than comfortable with that....and of course i always take note of my TLM boys who i always trust with their opinions ( whether i agree with them or not)✊❤

[@davidellis5141]

The National have passed their peak. They are pretty much .. spent.

[@bengalgangster]

the band or the baseball team? lol!!⚾⚾

[@davidellis5141]

@@bengalgangster Both !!

[@aidanphr1446]

Joe was totally right!

[@famousashtray]

National is boring dad rock

[@179rich]

You feel embarrassed when someone sings about "gasms?" Sheesh! Grow up! The song is fine.

[@TastesLikeMusic]

Eargasms are specifically embarrassing. Especially the part about his eardrum quivering. Pretty soon he’ll be telling us he has cum snot.

[@ArmandoMPR]

I could’ve taken 10 more minutes of Joe ragging on The National and that mopey, boring, dad rock sound.