The National - High Violet

I thought I would start this blog by writing about a band dear to my heart: The National. I first came across the band when trying to find bands to see at quite a left field line-up for Benicassim 2008 (headliners included Leonard Cohen, My Bloody Valentine and Richard Hawley). As fate would have it, the first song I heard was 'Fake Empire'; a powerful, anthemic melody fused with Matthew Berninger's distinct baritone. Berninger is joined by two sets of brothers: bassist Scott Devendorf and drummer Bryan Devendorf, along with guitarists Aaron and Bryce Dessner, the latter a forming member of The Clogs. As I became drawn in i found that the National were not another fleeting indie band but rather a band with a strong musical background, having released three albums after their formation in Cincinatti in 1999. Here was a band that in my opinion was "proper". 'Fake Empire' was coincidentally used in Obama's election campaign and the album, 'The Boxer' became the sombre soundtrack to my summer.
Two years on and with their discography getting a severe battering on my iTunes play count, comes the release of 'High Violet' and the explosion of the band on a global level. The album debuted in the top five in the U.S and the band have recently played to a packed out audience on the Other Stage at Glastonbury. High Violet, is a seductive collection of anti-anthems that have the ability to inspire but allow self reflection. Berninger, in a recent interview with the Rolling Stone confessed that at the turn of the century he spent many late nights in his Brooklyn apartment with headphones on his ears, a glass of wine in his hand and Nick Cave's darker offerings for company. Anyone seeking a similar evening of melancholy may do well with High Violet however, songs such as 'Anyone's Ghost' and 'Bloodbuzz Ohio' offer euphoric highs evident in their recent performance on the David Letterman show (published below). The combination of highs and lows make The National incredibly engaging and envoke a charm that requires you to listen again.
Despite their success, the National still feel like my band, a band cut away from all the other NME bullshit that you get with many bands you love. It looks therefore, as though the bastards will continue to dominate my listening.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5C2WVCruPM