Hi all! FTPOF hits me in my soul in a way that no other album has. It’s not necessarily my favorite rhythms and sometimes the lyrics are a bit cheesy but I just don’t care because this album connects to me on such a deep level. The last couple of years I’ve been working with a therapist to better understand myself, and I’ve learned that I have gone through periods in my life of significant depression, and that I am a very anxious person.

It’s difficult to describe what this album has done for me the last week or so since I fully dived into it. This album understands me as much or more than even the closest people in my life. Talking about mental health is so difficult, and I have a fairly public job where I can’t just talk about or express what’s going on. I have to be “strong” because many people depend on my leadership. My mental health challenges are hidden, out of view, and only the very closest people in my life are aware of them, which can be counted on one hand.

This album gives me someone new to confide in. I can go to that place when I listen to it. This album isn’t just a therapist or close friend listening and trying to understand my problems. it’s much more than that. What The National have done is create something that does more than just listen, it speaks to me, and tells me that I’m not alone, or a weird individual. It gives me a huge hug when I need it. It tells me that so many other people are going through these issues, and many people are struggling worse than I am. It’s a warm cup of tea in front of a fire in the living room in the middle of winter at the end of a brutally cold and long day.

I understand completely why this album isn’t for everyone. But this album is absolutely 100% for me and I’m so glad they released it.

Ps- I do agree with the seemingly universal complaint about The Alcott lol.