Love Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers and Alligator. Superb rekkids.

Looking forward very, very, very muchly to Boxer.

Front cover is fuggen great.

i like this band very much! Looking forward to the new album

i think these guys are way underated. surely if people like interpol they can like these guyses too

I thought this thread was going to be about the ABC's ill-fated experiment with a one-hour national news bulletin.

Yup, very underrated. And underexposed, particularly in Australia.

I think he's an extraordinarily gifted lyricist. Anyone who can put together an opening salvo like this :

I'm put together beautifully Big wet bottle in my fist, big wet rose in my teeth I'm perfect piece of ass Like every Californian So tall I take over the street, with highbeams shining on my back A wingspan unbelievable I'm a festival, I'm a parade

And then punch through this as a BAM in a verse for another song

*All night I lay on my pillow and pray For my boss to stop me in the hallway Lay my head on his shoulder and say Son, I've been hearing good things

I wake up without warning and go flying around the house In my sauvignon fierce, freaking out Take a forty-five minute shower and kiss the mirror And say, look at me Baby, we'll be fine All we gotta do is be brave and be kind*

has my vote.

ACE.

THAT LOOKS FUCKING GREAT.

Posting while pissed. Good idea.

I love the shock of the lyrics in Karen

Karen, we should call your father, maybe it's just a phase
He'll know the trick to get a wayward soul to change his ways
It's a common fetish for a doting man to ballerina on the coffee table cock in hand

Without warm water in my head; all I see is black and white and red
I feel mechanical and thin, hear me play my violin again
I'm living in the target's shoes, all I see is black and white and blue.
Idle, idle, idle, idle, protect the nest, protect the title

Karen, put me in a chair, fuck me and make me a drink
I've lost direction, and I'm past my peak
I'm telling you this isn't me, no, this isn't me
Karen, believe me, you just haven't seen my good side yet

Well, whatever you do
Listen. you better wait for me
No, I wouldn't go out alone into America
Whatever you do
Listen, you better wait for me
No, I wouldn't go out alone

Tracklist:

1. Fake Empire
2. Mistaken for Strangers
3. Brainy
4. Squalor Victoria
5. Green Gloves
6. Slow Show
7. Apartment Story
8. Start a War
9. Guest Room
10. Racing Like a Pro
11. Ada
12. Gospel

Produced and mixed by the band and Peter Katis
Mastered by Fred Kevorkian

Ahem ... any leakage ?

The National's last album had some great bookends bookending some boring, um, books.

Hello from Icey Brooklyn! We have a few announcements that might interest you....

Firstly, the great French blog La Blogotheque has just posted two "Concerts à Emporter" (Take Away Shows) from the National. These videos were made in one take by our friend and collaborator Vincent Moon when we were staying with friends near Perpignan, France in Banyuls sur Mer last September. We're playing borrowed flamenco guitars (which we didnt bother to tune due to the influence of the local wine!) and we get some help from our French friends. There are two videos, "Start A War" and "Ada". Both songs (albeit in very different forms) are on our new album "Boxer" which will be released May 21/22 by Beggars Banquet. Please visit this link. Enjoy!

Secondly, for all of you who live in the Midwestern United States--ok maybe thats a bit broad--but for any of you within driving distance of Cincinnati, Ohio, the National's Bryce Dessner is curating a contemporary music festival called "Music Now" in Cincinnati the weekend of April 5-7 at Memorial Hall. Performers include Amiina (long-time Sigur Ros collaborators), Sufjan Stevens, My Brightest Diamond, and Bryce and our frequent collaborator Padma Newsome's band Clogs. The National's Aaron Dessner will also perform with Clogs. The full line-up and ticket information can be found here

Really like Alligator a lot, though it does have a couple of naffies in there.

Saw em on jools holland once

i thought two thoughts - 1. these guys are really good, 2. Thats the same chord in the pre-chorus in Cherub Rock.

for those far more internerd savvy 'Boxer' is out there. As I am not 'savvy' i'll just say on first listen it sounds *reads fro a cue card *really fucking good

It's leaked and it's sounding good so far.

Nowhere near as immediate as Alligator or Sad Songs ... and the arrangements are definitely more subtle than on previous records.

The production is a little ... I dunno ... enervating ... especially for a band who are so insane live.

Live on BBC 6Music NOW!!!

Played solo acoustic versions of Mistaken for Strangers and Gospel and a seven-minute interview.
Wuill be achieved here

Hi Everyone! We have a few news updates for you. Firstly, we've been invited to open the first leg of the Arcade Fire's US tour! Most of the dates are already sold out, but for those of you who have tickets already, we'll see you there!

Secondly, we have confirmed appearances at the Roskilde festival in Denmark, Oxegen festival in Ireland, and the Latitude Festival in Southhold, England. The dates are listed below. We will be confirming more festival appearances soon.

Finally, Steve Lamacq from BBC Radio in England has added "Mistaken for Strangers" to his "Rebel Playlist" on 6 Music.....we're not entirely sure what that means, except that it would helpful to us if you go to this link and vote for our song before Sunday. If you feel so inclined

Here are all the updated tour dates:

01 MAY: Atlanta, GA / ATLANTA CIVIC CENTER supporting Arcade Fire
02 MAY: Asheville, NC / THOMAS WOLFE AUDITORIUM supporting Arcade Fire
04 MAY: Washington, DC / DAR CONSTITUTION HALL supporting Arcade Fire
05 MAY: Upper Darby, PA / TOWER THEATER supporting Arcade Fire
07 MAY: New York, NY / UNITED PALACE THEATER supporting Arcade Fire
08 MAY: New York, NY / UNITED PALACE THEATER supporting Arcade Fire
09 MAY: New York, NY / RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL supporting Arcade Fire

22 MAY: London, UK / ASTORIA
23 MAY: Paris, FRANCE / LA MAROQUINERIE
25 MAY: Berlin, GERMANY / MAGNET

28 MAY: New York, NY / BOWERY BALLROOM // SOLD OUT
29 MAY: New York, NY / BOWERY BALLROOM // SOLD OUT
30 MAY: New York, NY / BOWERY BALLROOM // SOLD OUT
31 MAY: New York, NY / BOWERY BALLROOM // SOLD OUT
01 JUN: New York, NY / BOWERY BALLROOM // SOLD OUT

02 JUN: PHILADELPHIA, PA / JOHNNY BRENDA'S
04 JUN: MONTREAL, CANADA / CABARET JUSTE POUR RIRE
05 JUN: TORONTO, CANADA / OPERA HOUSE
06 JUN: DETROIT, MI / MAGIC STICK
07 JUN: CHICAGO, IL / METRO
08 JUN: MINNEAPOLIS, MN / 400 BAR
09 JUN: MADISON, WI / HIGH NOON SALOON
11 JUN: ST LOUIS, MO / DUCK ROOM
12 JUN: LOUISVILLE, KY / HEADLINERS
13 JUN: ATLANTA, GA / THE EARL
14 JUN: MANCHESTER, TN / BONNAROO MUSIC FESTIVAL
15 JUN: CINCINNATI, OH / 20TH CENTURY THEATER
16 JUN: COLUMBUS, OH / THE BASEMENT
18 JUN: CLEVELAND, OH / BEACHLAND BALLROOM
19 JUN: PITTSBURGH, PA / REX THEATER
20 JUN: WASHINGTON DC / 9:30 CLUB
21 JUN: BOSTON, MA / MIDDLE EAST DOWNSTAIRS
25 JUN: SAN DIEGO, CA / CASBAH
26 JUN: LOS ANGELES, CA / EL REY THEATER
27 JUN: SAN FRANCISCO, CA / BIMBO'S 365 CLUB
28 JUN: PORTLAND, OR / BERBATIS PAN
29 JUN: VANCOUVER, CANADA / RICHARDS ON RICHARDS
30 JUN: SEATTLE, WA / NEUMOS

7 JUL: ROSKILDE FESTIVAL, Denmark
8 JUL: OXEGEN FESTIVAL, Ireland
15 JUL: LATITUDE FESTIVAL, Henham Park Estate, Southwold, UK

Thanks so much!
the national

Consider my opinion thoroughly revised ... Boxer is absolutely fantastic, much more of a mood piece than a pop record (despite the brevity of the songs) and, on repeat listens, probably the most compelling record I've heard so far in '07. I keep coming back to it, discovering new things that I love.

Mistaken For Strangers and Squalor Victoria are truly bloody brilliant.

How are this band so criminally underrated ? How many sterling records do they have to release ?

Is the ginger aspect a problem ? If Nathan looked like Daniel Kessler would they sell more records ?

In case it is not abundantly apparent, I am truly cunt-eyed on Anzac Eve BUT these are relevant enquiries, cuntmongers.

go fuck ya mother

I mean it's even softer than the LPs

I find most of their stuff, except Boxer, a tough listen lately.. as in.. I'm never that keen to hear it, and it doesn't do much for me.. not as much as Boxer anyway. Just something about Boxer.

About Today is incredible

I finally 'got' it with them...possibly due to them being virtually on repeat constantly at my girlfriend's place, but now I feel like a tit for missing them live when I've had the opportunities to go.

yah. they are great. i have got 'a skin, a night' am yet to watch it though. boxer is the best album, but I still like listening to their earlier stuff.

Listening to 'Boxer' again for the first time in months. It's such a heartbreaker.

New interview on DiS today

Obama Mr November tshirt

Awesome.

I love it.

buy one of these if you love both The National and Barack Obama.

poo. try this instead...

http://www.merchco-online.com/index.php?mainpage=productinfo&products_id=3105

Or click on Temet's link a few posts above : )

ahhHAHAHHAHA.

fuck, i am on crack today.

got my Obama/Mr November shirt - it's tits!

Really ?

Might have to invest.

AA tee, nice soft cotton, good quality print. ace.

teehee:

.....the National (or as I like to call them ''...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Creed'' because that is what they sound like)

To be released on February 17th, 2009, Dark Was The Night is a compilation produced by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National, with help from John Carlin, the founder of the Red Hot Organization, who was the executive producer...

The artists appearing (in alphabetical order) are as follows:

• Andrew Bird
• Antony + Bryce Dessner
• Arcade Fire
• Beach House
• Beirut
• Blonde Redhead + Devastations
• Bon Iver
• Bon Iver & Aaron Dessner
• The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez
• Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti)
• Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues
• The Decemberists
• Dirty Projectors + David Byrne
• Kevin Drew
• Feist + Ben Gibbard
• Grizzly Bear
• Grizzly Bear + Feist
• Iron & Wine
• Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
• Kronos Quartet
• Stuart Murdoch
• My Brightest Diamond
• My Morning Jacket
• The National
• The New Pornographers
• Conor Oberst & Gillian Welch
• Riceboy Sleeps
• TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek
• Spoon
• Sufjan Stevens
• Yeasayer
• Yo La Tengo

That is a rad line-up of band right nyah.