Available - The National - Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers - 2002

I keep waiting for the The National to release an album that sounds like they do on this song. Every National album has 2-3 tracks like this that prove to the world that they know how to rock. These songs are invariably the singles and the songs that produce the most excitement when played live, but a deep dive into any National album will also show you that surrounding these 2-3 songs are usually 10 other songs that drift on through a fog of red wine and the inherent disappointment of adult relationships. These songs are often quite good, and at worst are just dull...but taken in total can make an album drag and drag. Much as loved 2007's The Boxer, it could have easily cut 3-4 of it's dirges, and replaced even one of them with another rocker in this vein and they would have had a perfect album on their hands.

Instead we must make due with the little bits of adrenaline that The National deign to serve to us between bouts of melancholia. Not that this song is without its share of darkness, in fact the bitter tale the lyrics spins is one of the uglier tales in band rife with them. A familiar tale for anyone acquainted with The National's catalog or single life in NYC, it tells of the story of man consistently compelled by liquor and sex to keep coming back to the same hopeless dysfunctional relationship...punctuated by Matt Beringer's wonderful parlour trick scream.

He uses that scream twice on this album (the other time on the equally great Slipping Husband), but since has seemed reluctant to pull it out again...but the effect that occurs when Beringer goes from his deep, honeyed baritone to a throat shredding screech of frustration is jaw dropping. Coupled with the lyrics "Why do you dress me down and liquor me up?!?" it presents the picture of a man who hates this woman for using such low methods to manipulate him, and hates himself more for allowing himself to be manipulated by them. Damn near note perfect.

Apartment Story - The National - Boxer - 2007

Despite my vote for Boxer as the best album of 2007, The National remain a band that I wish were better. The problem is, songs like this prove they are capable of being more than a maudlin band full of existiental urban angst...songs like this prove they can actually rock and still keep their philosophical bent.

I will need a little more time before I decide if this song is really worthy of being called perfect, but...between the hypnotic, all snare, drumming, the churning bassline, the haunting organ, and the restrained, buzz-saw guitars, the song manages to mix whimsy and dread in equal parts, while Matt Beringer's lyrics tell a tale that could be about a couple riding out a blizzard trapped in their apartment, or perhaps it's the apocalypse, who can say?

Not to try and be the "I was with this band way back then" guy...but honestly, the parrallels between this band and me are rather noteworthy and lead to me getting into them around the time of their first album. Like me Beringer is from relatively small town Indiana, came to Cincinnati to try to do things better...found that place woefully inadequate and came to New York during the dotcom boom. Now they, like me, call Brooklyn their home. Honestly, I love this band...I just wish their gloomy world view wasn't always so mirred in lethargic rhythms.

All The Wine - The National - Alligator - 2005

Okay, so Facebook exists for only one purpose...so that I can sit at work and look at pictures of hot chicks but claim that I am not viewing porn if asked. That is why it is extremely annoying when I see an attractive woman in one of my friends' pictures and click on her name only to find out that she has set her profile to private.

Ladies if you are uncomfortable with the notion of your pictures being used by a thirty something guy as mildly sexual entertainment, then please get off the internet. If life has taught you nothing else, it should have taught you by now that the internet is a vehicle to bring pornography to the masses. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Like most of the songs on Alligator, this one seems like a warm up for a better version that would appear on Boxer.

Ada - The National - Boxer - 2007

I was sitting around with some friends in a practice space on 9th St in Brooklyn shortly after the turn of the year. We sometimes crash my man, Dr. P's space and bang on instruments or just drink beer and shoot the shit. Anyway, we were having the "what was your favorite album of 2007" conversation and I stood up for Boxer as the album to beat. Dr. P's objection was that he found the last third of the album to be a bit bland and forgettable.

To counter that argument I will present this song.

Abel - The National - Alligator - 2005

Prior to the release of The Boxer, I used to wish that The National always sounded like this. I wanted more aggressive rock and less brooding. But with their last album, they proved that the moody atmospheric thing is kinda their forte. Now, these more propulsive songs can seem a bit forced. Like they're wearing a suit that doesn't really fit them...feigning agitation when really resignation is more their style.

Still, some quality yelling in this one.