This isn't a record review. This isn't really much about anything, except for the perceived popularity of the Brooklyn-based (and formerly Cinci) band, The National.
I've just noticed that there are very few people that I come across in my daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, etc. encounters that dislike this band. In particular, they've really seemed to boom since 2008, and ever since, I have not heard on single person say "I don't like that band."
I do remember first hearing them... that was "Alligator." I wasn't quite on board. We got a CD in at the station, sans artwork, that seemed to be a cast-off, so I snagged it up. I remember listening to it driving up US-23 past Brighton, and thinking "Wow, I do not like this at all. It sounds like re-hashed new wave crap!" The general response then was fairly mixed. Most of the folks whose opinions I didn't care for loved them, while the others dismissed the lead singer as sounding too much like Ian Curtis from Joy Division. I didn't really get that, but I just didn't get it anyway.
Then a few months later, there was this girl who had a moderate crush on. When I asked her what she was listening to, she said The National. "Oh yeah, I've heard them" was my reply, and "Wow, what crap!" is what I was thinking. But as it often goes, I ended up starting to like them the more I got to know said gal. She was also a My Morning Jacket fan, which at that time for me was the kiss of death when it came to girls ("Oh, you like MMJ??? Let me buy you a drink!"). We somehow ended up at my place one night when "Z" came out, and ended up making out to that one. That was about the long and short of that, and what does this have to do with The National anyway? Absolutely nothing!
A few years later, "Boxer" came out, right around the time I started dating another girl. She liked The National also. We broke up on a Sunday, but ended up back together like 5 days later and went to go see them that following Saturday. It was a great time which added a significant amount of sentimental value for me to this band's music. For a while, after we ditched the relationship 2 weeks later, I couldn't even finish listening to "Slow Show" anymore. It was just too much. I'm way past that now, but man, what am I even talking about? It wasn't my intent to make this post about girls.
At any rate, The National have a new album coming out here in another week or so. The buzz on these guys is ridiculously massive, and I have to admit, my excitement and expectations are pretty high as well. When I heard the first single, "Bloodbuzz Ohio," my mouth was watering. Being a fellow Ohioan, I find myself identifying with that song probably just a little much... "I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees... I never married, but Ohio don't remember me... I still owe money to the money to the money I owe"... AHHHHHHH!!!!!
I've heard the whole album now, and for the most part, it works for me. My only real complaint is the production on the opening track, "Terrible Love." I just don't like the tonal quality of it. The guitar lines sound like they're being churned through some kind of a giant mid-range AM radio machine. I could have used a little more treble.
I was just conversing with another friend of mine who professed her love for The National - although she didn't really get it at first either. So yeah, they're quickly becoming one of my favorite bands. I actually ended up going back to "Alligator" and it probably stands as my favorite record of theirs. "All the Wine," "Secret Meeting," "Abel" - good tracks. Also, I've tracked down "Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers" and I recommend that as well. That one has some good tracks with a little more screaming on them like they do on "Abel". Yesterday I found out that they're playing a double-bill in Redmond, WA with my current favorite band of bands, Okkervil River. I would sooner skip all the crazy festivals going on in the PACNW this summer just to see that show.
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