The follow-up to 2005's Alligator is filled with lush arrangements and sees the band incorporating new instrumentation and expanded musical elements such as piano, trumpet, and more prominent background vocals. Churning grooves and shambling new wave rips, turning up depressed guitar poetry that's both elegantly wasted and kinda murky.

• 180 Gram Vinyl
• Yellow Colored Vinyl
• Remastered by John Dent at Loud Mastering

One of our favorite alt-rock albums, despite not being a great recording, The National's masterpiece Boxer has seen a few versions on digital formats and vinyl. The digital versions all sound very bad in our opinion with excessive compression and all the wrong EQ option, so bad to the point where the music is actually damaged. The original 2007 vinyl pressing (US and EU) was also a let down with reduced dynamics, but the latest Yellow Vinyl pressing with John Dent mastering (JONZ matrix) is by far the best version of Boxer ever produced, it actually makes this album sound good. If, like us, you love Boxer, this is the version to get!

"The National don't do anything radically different on Boxer, but then again, they don't really need to: their literate, quietly anthemic take on indie rock seemed to have arrived fully formed on their 2001 self-titled debut. Boxer just hones in even more precisely and intimately on the heartfelt territory the band covers, with punchy-yet-polished production and orchestration by the Clogs' Padma Newsome giving these songs an intimacy and widescreen expansiveness that rivals the Arcade Fire. The album's first four songs are among The National's finest work yet: "Fake Empire" begins as a dead-of-night ballad that echoes Leonard Cohen, then peppy brass and guitars turn it into something joyous. The brooding "Mistaken for Strangers" touches on the side of the band that could be mistaken for a more hopeful Joy Division, if lyrics like "You wouldn't want an angel watching over you?/Surprise surprise, they wouldn't want to watch" can be counted as hopeful. "Brainy," a borderline obsessive love song, shows off the remarkable, dark chocolate richness of Matt Berninger's vocals and how well they complement the band's occasionally bookish lyrics, while "Squalor Victoria" makes the most of Newsome's lavish string arrangements. The rest of Boxer is subtler, but no less accomplished, with each song supporting the other as a classic album should. "Apartment Story"'s hypnotic chug and "Slow Show"'s witty, knowing affection make them standouts, while the graceful, regretful "Ada" plays more like a short story than a song. As focused as it is ambitious, Boxer is riveting." - Heather Phares, All Music

Track Listing:

01. Fake Empire
02. Mistaken For Strangers
03. Brainy
04. Squalor Victoria
05. Green Gloves
06. Slow Show
07. Apartment Story
08. Start a War
09. Guest Room
10. Racing Like a Pro
11. ADA
12. Gospel  

Click here to listen to samples on AllMusic.com ♫