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The National

Jean Louise FinchJean Louise Finch Posts: 82
edited April 2013 in Other Music
This is my first post in something other than the Porch. Hello!

I feel a little late to the party regarding the National. I'd heard of them, but had no idea about them. A few weeks ago, my local station was playing a great song, and I tracked it down: it was "Bloodbuzz Ohio" by the National. I picked up that album (High Violet) and I love it. Turns out they've been around for ages and I totally missed the boat. What should I get next? Are all their albums so awesome as this one?

Thanks!
Jean Louise
http://watchitgotofire.wordpress.com/
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • dcfaithfuldcfaithful Posts: 13,076
    Get "Boxer".

    The National is a GREAT band, and even their earlier material is solid. "Alligator" is a good album too, but I would definitely suggest "Boxer" next.

    Also, welcome! :wave:
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  • MissPennyLaneMissPennyLane Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 687
    So happy when I saw the title of this thread.... High Violet is one of my favorite albums and there is something about Matt Berninger's voice that welcomes me home almost like the way Eddie's voice does....
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,240
    Alligator, boxer, high violet

    might be my favorite trio of any bands last three albums.

    Very solid stuff on all three. def get boxer next
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  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,310
    Not posting this to be a jerk, but to let you know that you're not alone in thinking they are great:

    viewtopic.php?f=9&t=164069&hilit=the+national
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  • Aaron 23Aaron 23 Allen, TX Posts: 543
    Cherry Tree is also a very solid EP, and I also like The Virginia EP and The White Sessions

    I would suggest Boxer, Cherry Tree, and Alligator, followed by the other two (they have some live arrangements that are a touch different from their studio counterparts and a few extra studio songs)
  • musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
    edited June 2012
    one of the most consistent bands in the world. I'd get Alligator, Boxer and High Violet.

    Not only do you have one of the best lyricists in Matt, but one of the best drummers in Bryan. Sufjan described Matt's voice as being like an older brother who isnt afraid to hit you in the face, but also will protect you on the playground. Bryans drumming is so incredible but its also so subtle. He isnt showing off his drum skills by hitting a bunch of things on his kit, but what he does play is among the best of any band.

    Their music is so colorful, High Violet really does sound like the album cover.

    The lyrics are so incredible. Matt is so adept at capturing that post college feeling, the idea that hits like an anvil where one day your dreams, desires, and hopes vanish and feel miles away. And you are left with some crappy job, long hours, mundane, meaningless and humdrum responsibilities, routines and the daily grind. That moment often called the quarter life crisis. Being stuck in some stuffy job, in a tie, when you should be outside doing something productive.

    When i was stuck in a crappy job, this is a band that got me through.

    "I sold my daylight for a career". "another uninnocent elegant fall into the unmagnicificent lives of adults" "I had a stilted pretending day, i put on an argyle sweater and put on a smile I dont know how to do this" "im a professional, in my beloved white shirt" "showered a blue blazered fill yourself with quarters" "you are pink your young young middle class they say it doesnt matter 15 blue shirts and womanly hands you are shooting up the ladder, your mind is racing like a pro now, oh my god it doesnt mean alot to you, one time you were a glowing young ruffian, oh my god it was a million years ago" "everything i love gets lost in drawers" "you could drive a car through my head in 5 minutes from one end of it to the other" "i leaned on a wall, and the wall leaned away" "sorrow found me when I was young, sorrow waited sorrow won" "the floor is falling out from everybody i know" "We miss being ruffians, going wild and bright In the corners of front yards, getting in and out of cars We miss being deviants"

    the list is endless.

    these lyrics hit home and they cut DEEP.

    This band describes the period in your 20's where you can't find your way. Boxer is one of the best albums of the 2000's.

    Take High Violet. My favorite album of 2010. the things a massive piece of art. Sprawling. Gorgeous. Layered. Multi Textured.

    What is indie music? The National is indie. youd be hard pressed to find a better band. and they can create a straught forward rock song, but then blow your mind with an almost folk sounding song with a violin that haunts you years later on 90 mile waterwall off Sad Songs and Dirty Lovers
    Post edited by musicismylife78 on
  • musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
    intodeep wrote:
    Alligator, boxer, high violet

    might be my favorite trio of any bands last three albums.

    Very solid stuff on all three. def get boxer next

    youd be hard pressed to find any band whose last 3 albums are as consistently mindblowingly awesome as alligator, boxer, high violet. Unless your band has Thom Yorke in it of course. When High Violet came out, I said the same thing, the national put out the best 1-2-3 punch of any band in the last 20 years.
  • White DiscussionWhite Discussion Melissa Texas Posts: 2,812
    Buy them all :)
  • dcfaithfuldcfaithful Posts: 13,076
    musicismylife78 wrote:
    one of the most consistent bands in the world. I'd get Alligator, Boxer and High Violet.

    Not only do you have one of the best lyricists in Matt, but one of the best drummers in Bryan. Sufjan described Matt's voice as being like an older brother who isnt afraid to hit you in the face, but also will protect you on the playground. Bryans drumming is so incredible but its also so subtle. He isnt showing off his drum skills by hitting a bunch of things on his kit, but what he does play is among the best of any band.

    Their music is so colorful, High Violet really does sound like the album cover.

    The lyrics are so incredible. Matt is so adept at capturing that post college feeling, the idea that hits like an anvil where one day your dreams, desires, and hopes vanish and feel miles away. And you are left with some crappy job, long hours, mundane, meaningless and humdrum responsibilities, routines and the daily grind. That moment often called the quarter life crisis. Being stuck in some stuffy job, in a tie, when you should be outside doing something productive.

    When i was stuck in a crappy job, this is a band that got me through.

    "I sold my daylight for a career". "another uninnocent elegant fall into the unmagnicificent lives of adults" "I had a stilted pretending day, i put on an argyle sweater and put on a smile I dont know how to do this" "im a professional, in my beloved white shirt" "showered a blue blazered fill yourself with quarters" "you are pink your young young middle class they say it doesnt matter 15 blue shirts and womanly hands you are shooting up the ladder, your mind is racing like a pro now, oh my god it doesnt mean alot to you, one time you were a glowing young ruffian, oh my god it was a million years ago" "everything i love gets lost in drawers" "you could drive a car through my head in 5 minutes from one end of it to the other" "i leaned on a wall, and the wall leaned away" "sorrow found me when I was young, sorrow waited sorrow won" "the floor is falling out from everybody i know" "We miss being ruffians, going wild and bright In the corners of front yards, getting in and out of cars We miss being deviants"

    the list is endless.

    these lyrics hit home and they cut DEEP.

    This band describes the period in your 20's where you can't find your way. Boxer is one of the best albums of the 2000's.

    Take High Violet. My favorite album of 2010. the things a massive piece of art. Sprawling. Gorgeous. Layered. Multi Textured.

    What is indie music? The National is indie. youd be hard pressed to find a better band. and they can create a straught forward rock song, but then blow your mind with an almost folk sounding song with a violin that haunts you years later on 90 mile waterwall off Sad Songs and Dirty Lovers

    Excellent post man.
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  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,310
    dcfaithful wrote:
    musicismylife78 wrote:
    one of the most consistent bands in the world. I'd get Alligator, Boxer and High Violet.

    Not only do you have one of the best lyricists in Matt, but one of the best drummers in Bryan. Sufjan described Matt's voice as being like an older brother who isnt afraid to hit you in the face, but also will protect you on the playground. Bryans drumming is so incredible but its also so subtle. He isnt showing off his drum skills by hitting a bunch of things on his kit, but what he does play is among the best of any band.

    Their music is so colorful, High Violet really does sound like the album cover.

    The lyrics are so incredible. Matt is so adept at capturing that post college feeling, the idea that hits like an anvil where one day your dreams, desires, and hopes vanish and feel miles away. And you are left with some crappy job, long hours, mundane, meaningless and humdrum responsibilities, routines and the daily grind. That moment often called the quarter life crisis. Being stuck in some stuffy job, in a tie, when you should be outside doing something productive.

    When i was stuck in a crappy job, this is a band that got me through.

    "I sold my daylight for a career". "another uninnocent elegant fall into the unmagnicificent lives of adults" "I had a stilted pretending day, i put on an argyle sweater and put on a smile I dont know how to do this" "im a professional, in my beloved white shirt" "showered a blue blazered fill yourself with quarters" "you are pink your young young middle class they say it doesnt matter 15 blue shirts and womanly hands you are shooting up the ladder, your mind is racing like a pro now, oh my god it doesnt mean alot to you, one time you were a glowing young ruffian, oh my god it was a million years ago" "everything i love gets lost in drawers" "you could drive a car through my head in 5 minutes from one end of it to the other" "i leaned on a wall, and the wall leaned away" "sorrow found me when I was young, sorrow waited sorrow won" "the floor is falling out from everybody i know" "We miss being ruffians, going wild and bright In the corners of front yards, getting in and out of cars We miss being deviants"

    the list is endless.

    these lyrics hit home and they cut DEEP.

    This band describes the period in your 20's where you can't find your way. Boxer is one of the best albums of the 2000's.

    Take High Violet. My favorite album of 2010. the things a massive piece of art. Sprawling. Gorgeous. Layered. Multi Textured.

    What is indie music? The National is indie. youd be hard pressed to find a better band. and they can create a straught forward rock song, but then blow your mind with an almost folk sounding song with a violin that haunts you years later on 90 mile waterwall off Sad Songs and Dirty Lovers

    Excellent post man.

    Agreed. I know exactly what they mean.
    severed hand thirteen
    2006: Gorge 7/23 2008: Hartford 6/27 Beacon 7/1 2009: Spectrum 10/30-31
    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
    2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
    2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
    2017: RRHoF 4/7   2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4   2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18 
    2022: MSG 9/11  2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
    2025: Pittsburgh 5/16+5/18
  • samjamsamjam New York Posts: 9,283
    Cool advice, I like The National a lot, but just a casual fan. Need to dive in deeper and will be doing so soon! :)
    "Sometimes you find yourself having to put all your faith in no faith."
    ~not a dude~
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  • Miss ColadaMiss Colada Posts: 167
    SVRDhand13 wrote:
    dcfaithful wrote:
    musicismylife78 wrote:
    one of the most consistent bands in the world. I'd get Alligator, Boxer and High Violet.

    Not only do you have one of the best lyricists in Matt, but one of the best drummers in Bryan. Sufjan described Matt's voice as being like an older brother who isnt afraid to hit you in the face, but also will protect you on the playground. Bryans drumming is so incredible but its also so subtle. He isnt showing off his drum skills by hitting a bunch of things on his kit, but what he does play is among the best of any band.

    Their music is so colorful, High Violet really does sound like the album cover.

    The lyrics are so incredible. Matt is so adept at capturing that post college feeling, the idea that hits like an anvil where one day your dreams, desires, and hopes vanish and feel miles away. And you are left with some crappy job, long hours, mundane, meaningless and humdrum responsibilities, routines and the daily grind. That moment often called the quarter life crisis. Being stuck in some stuffy job, in a tie, when you should be outside doing something productive.

    When i was stuck in a crappy job, this is a band that got me through.

    "I sold my daylight for a career". "another uninnocent elegant fall into the unmagnicificent lives of adults" "I had a stilted pretending day, i put on an argyle sweater and put on a smile I dont know how to do this" "im a professional, in my beloved white shirt" "showered a blue blazered fill yourself with quarters" "you are pink your young young middle class they say it doesnt matter 15 blue shirts and womanly hands you are shooting up the ladder, your mind is racing like a pro now, oh my god it doesnt mean alot to you, one time you were a glowing young ruffian, oh my god it was a million years ago" "everything i love gets lost in drawers" "you could drive a car through my head in 5 minutes from one end of it to the other" "i leaned on a wall, and the wall leaned away" "sorrow found me when I was young, sorrow waited sorrow won" "the floor is falling out from everybody i know" "We miss being ruffians, going wild and bright In the corners of front yards, getting in and out of cars We miss being deviants"

    the list is endless.

    these lyrics hit home and they cut DEEP.

    This band describes the period in your 20's where you can't find your way. Boxer is one of the best albums of the 2000's.

    Take High Violet. My favorite album of 2010. the things a massive piece of art. Sprawling. Gorgeous. Layered. Multi Textured.

    What is indie music? The National is indie. youd be hard pressed to find a better band. and they can create a straught forward rock song, but then blow your mind with an almost folk sounding song with a violin that haunts you years later on 90 mile waterwall off Sad Songs and Dirty Lovers

    Excellent post man.

    Agreed. I know exactly what they mean.

    Second that, great post. Nothing better than The National especially live, highly recommend it!
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  • chittychitty Posts: 609
    The National have been my favourite and by far most listened to band the past couple years. Phenomenal band! So glad I took the time to listen to them after hearing Fake Empire a couple summers ago.
    Hands down in my top 3 live concerts as well and I've seen a ton of shows!
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,240
    Oh and check out their version of the Rains of Castamere from the Game of Thrones season 2 soundtrack it is haunting and fantastic :D
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  • jervin007jervin007 Posts: 3,182
    intodeep wrote:
    Oh and check out their version of the Rains of Castamere from the Game of Thrones season 2 soundtrack it is haunting and fantastic :D

    They did a song for Game of Thrones? I will be checking that out for sure!
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  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,240
    jervin007 wrote:
    intodeep wrote:
    Oh and check out their version of the Rains of Castamere from the Game of Thrones season 2 soundtrack it is haunting and fantastic :D

    They did a song for Game of Thrones? I will be checking that out for sure!
    Yeah it was cool. It is the song that played at the end of the 9th episode of season two "blackwater"

    It's the lannister song rains of castamere
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn2l2_v6Ur8[url][/url]
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  • eeriepadaveeeriepadave West Chester, PA Posts: 42,155
    I've had "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks" stuck in my head recently and this version especially

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIY3duxQvIc
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  • Jean Louise FinchJean Louise Finch Posts: 82
    Everyone!

    Thank you so much! I did a real post and run (pesky life got in the way of my message boarding), but am now reading everything everyone wrote. So glad to hear that there is so much other good stuff out there; I'll be hitting up my local record shop this weekend. Really, thanks. I love High Violet and can't wait to hear the others. So good to know that they've really affected a lot of other people, too.

    Really, thanks so much.

    Jean Louise
    http://watchitgotofire.wordpress.com/
  • djklambakedjklambake PHX, AZ Posts: 2,522
    I dig High Violet and Boxer... But Alligator is my fave. I can listen to it all the way through several times a day. It's a classic.
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  • eeriepadaveeeriepadave West Chester, PA Posts: 42,155
    I only have High Violet :oops: Have a handful of songs on itunes off Boxer which I like. Don 't have anything or heard anything off their first album.
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  • MJK1889MJK1889 Posts: 59
    A fantastic band, probably my favourite of modern times.
    Matt Berninger sounds a little like Michael Gira from Swans.

    Only happier!
  • jervin007jervin007 Posts: 3,182
    intodeep wrote:
    jervin007 wrote:
    intodeep wrote:
    Oh and check out their version of the Rains of Castamere from the Game of Thrones season 2 soundtrack it is haunting and fantastic :D

    They did a song for Game of Thrones? I will be checking that out for sure!
    Yeah it was cool. It is the song that played at the end of the 9th episode of season two "blackwater"

    It's the lannister song rains of castamere
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn2l2_v6Ur8[url][/url]

    Sadly, I cancelled HBO, so I haven't seen any of season 2. I did hear the blackwater battle wasn't anywhere near as good a the book though.
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    2004 Boston: Sept 28 & 29
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  • Rambis35Rambis35 Posts: 238
    I have been listening Alligator a lot. Like, almost nonstop. As great as Boxer is, I might slightly prefer Alligator.
  • Tim SimmonsTim Simmons Posts: 8,216
    Great new single. Band is fantastic.


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 527oBKIPMc
  • reesdogreesdog Auckland, NZ. Posts: 1,981
    The National are really superb, and if you love this band you should check out an English band called Doves, kinda similar, anthemic music and lyrics and the band is just as good as The National. Lost Souls is a good place to start.
    A wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom.
  • Tim SimmonsTim Simmons Posts: 8,216
    The Last Broadcast is a masterpiece.
  • reesdogreesdog Auckland, NZ. Posts: 1,981
    Tim Simmons wrote:
    The Last Broadcast is a masterpiece.
    Sure is, I have that one on vinyl, I think all 4 of their albums are brilliant. Sorry to hi-jack The National's thread, back to them, hard to pick a fave song but I'll go with Fake Empire and Slow Show...
    A wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom.
  • BenzorBenzor Posts: 886
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p017fh37

    Live session with 'Demons', 'Heaven Faced', and the incredible 'Graceless'. All are good but 'Graceless' is the next great National song.
  • eeriepadaveeeriepadave West Chester, PA Posts: 42,155
    Tim Simmons wrote:
    Great new single. Band is fantastic.


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 527oBKIPMc


    cool thanks, forgot they were coming out with new material :)
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  • reesdogreesdog Auckland, NZ. Posts: 1,981
    Heard Demon's' on the radio yesterday and today, first listen I was a bit...meh, second listen, yes this could be really good. A grower I'm thinking...
    A wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom.
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