There’s plenty of blood red imagery mixed with deeply somber blues on The National’s latest album, High Violet. It is a well orchestrated and diabolically crafted follow up to the band’s break-out 2007 release “Boxer”. However the middle-brow anthems of snarling hope found on Boxer are replaced with the grimmer realities of a paranoid adult who’s still not fitting in. “High Violet” digs deeper asking more questions than giving answers but still manages to find grace in the process. I don’t know if the album is better than Boxer but it’s certainly more diverse than any of the band’s previous releases. However, while slower tunes like “Sorrow” and “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks” are beautiful on their own, they don’t have quite the replay value the others do. Their is a stark contrast to the more gruesome faster-moving songs like “Conversation 16″ and “”Blood Buzz Ohio”. “Terrible Love” is a real standout and emerges as an instant classic.

The National’s skill at blending seriously dark shades with endearing rock melodies puts them in a unique category of talented bands who successfully try to go their own way without spinning their wheels. They still have a knack for turning songs about “white guy problems” into “catchy heart-wrenching tales of mid-American life”. It’s hard to not have some self-doubt as a comfortable American in today’s world and The National embrace this reluctance putting it in the forefront of their songs. When lead singer Matt Berninger sings, “You and your sister live in a Lemonworld, I want to sit in and die” you can’t help but imagine the lanky front-man in his dark suit leering from the corner of a 4th of July barbecue. But it’s not all gloom and doom. There is a sweet and moving finesse beneath the grave vocals which keep The National from being just another angst-ridden rock outfit. The Dessner twins keep Berninger grounded with their soothing riffs and perfectly timed chimes while the other brothers, Scott and Bryan Devendorf, lay down the well-paced beating pulse of the rhythm section. High Violet is a rewarding release with a depth and detail that really takes some time to soak in. I encourage several full listens before passing judgment but rest assured it’s worth it.

The album is streaming thru NPR until it’s release date on May 11.