This summer, I am excited about the return of three big bands: Interpol, The National and Arcade Fire. The National have been steadily building up momentum for a decade now. Slowly building up a fan base across three great records: The national,Alligator and Boxer. I have been a fan since Boxer and have started testing their latest: "High Violet". All the best moments from previous albums are there: Berringer's brooding vocals and intellectual and edifying lyrics, simple yet poignant guitar riffs and slow buildups. Yet there are new developments. The lyrics are much more personal as Berringer reveals his anxieties about becoming a father but also how wonderful the experience is. He sings about apocaliptic floods, zombies and hurricanes and the world that is left afterwards. The sound of the album is a lot more expansive as they use the horn section more, the piano is more involved in the general sound and there are occasional hints of strings adding a sumptuous layer to their sound. The general sound is a lot softer compared to the heavy,distorted sound of Alligator and The Boxer.
The National represent the original wave of Brooklyn '00s rock band amongst Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol and the strokes and it looks like they will be joining those bands considering their build up of critical acclaim. I have just begun to listen to the album but I know it will soon become one of my favorites this year.
Here's the national performing "Runaway" on Canadian tv.
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