Stream The National’s “High Violet”

The National’s thoroughly excellent High Violet is now streaming on the New York Times‘ Web site, which also carries a gushing five-(web)-page spread on the slow-burning Brooklyn band. Has the Old Grey Lady ever done a full album stream premiere, much less one with this much cachet and anticipation attached? Either way, it’s impressive, and couldn’t have happened to a more deserving band. (Update: They’re on the front page of NYTimes.com. Wow.)

One notable portion of the interview:

With ‘Lemonworld,’ ” Matt said afterward, “we tried so hard and it always seemed to fail as a rock song. It lost the charm of the ugly little demo. Now it’s the ugliest, worst-mixed, least-polished song on the record, and it took the longest to get there.”

I agree — it’s definitely the record’s low point, if only because the title recalls the much more inspiring “The Geese of Beverly Road,” its glimmering world and its big slice of lemon.

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