The National talks to P4K about forthcoming album

I'ma go ahead and declare the as-yet-unnamed record The National is finishing up right now my most anticipated release of the year (if, indeed, it releases in 2010). It's weird, I think The National's music is a bit of an outlier in my music love spectrum, at least lately. But I adore their compositions so much--and their seriousness, honestly--that the idea of a fresh album to adore...well, it's almost too much.

Ever the over-achievers, Pitchfork got enigmatic frontman Matt Berninger to sit down and talk about it. He says the record's about 75 percent finished.

The most exciting excerpt:

"I don't think it sounds anything like Alligator, but it's less restrained than Boxer, that's for sure. I don't quite scream my head off in the way I did with "Mr. November", but I do think it's cathartic. Boxer was all tension without a whole lot of release. This builds a lot of those same kinds of tensions, but I think there's at least a little bit of bloodletting in this one. I'm trying to sing out and higher a little more, and the melodies move around a little more. When we started this record, I worked on melodies before I worked on lyrics. A lot of my melodies are sort of in a limited chanting, murmuring range, which has always worked for me. But I was trying to work on melodies this time much harder than I ever have in the past, and I think that alone has made the songs feel like they release more."

Can't wait.

Hey, remember when I interviewed Aaron Dessner at Langerado?

How about when I blogged about their set there for PasteMagazine.com?

How about when I reviewed their show at The Tabernacle last year?

Yeah, me too.

Live Review: The National @ The Tabernacle 5/27/09

Photo taken by either myself or Sara Miller at Langerado 2008.

All I could think the whole time was, "This is my natural habitat." There's a certain kind of joy to be found in going to see The National play. It was the second time for me; the first was at Langerado last year when I was an intern at Paste. I (painstakingly) blogged this review of it for PasteMagazine.com at the time, and I remember the evening as being one of the happiest I've had-- not just because of the great shows (Of Montreal immediately preceded The National), but also thanks to good company and unexpectedly free hamburgers.

Though much closer to home, the venue for this show was no less romantic, and the band seemed equally comfortable in the Tabernacle's beautiful, welcoming environment. The crowd was appreciative, the chandelier glowed pleasantly from the ceiling and absolutely everything just seemed to glitter. If only all concert-going could be like this.

Here's the review, for Atlanta Music Guide:

Live Review: The National @ The Tabernacle, May 27

It began with "Runaway." The nine-member incarnation of The National, complete with three horn players and a keyboardist, began the set with a new, mesmerizing, post-Boxer song. Poignant and compelling even on the first go-around, everyone listened with rapt attention. Then, like one communal exhale, guitarists Aaron and Bryce Dessner launched into the opening riffs of "Start A War" and the place erupted. It wasn't the during-intro cheers that marked the change, it was that the baritone notes that spilled out of Matt Berninger as he clutched his microphone like a lifeline were now veiled in a delicate tenor and soprano cloak as thousands sang along with him. Our song shimmered in the background like the tinsel curtain behind the band itself...[Read more]

Stuff that will rock. Part 2.

Above: Cursive

Upcoming show awesomeness:

On May 1, Omaha's Cursive and Philly's Man Man will play the Variety Playhouse right here in the ATL.

Now. We all know the FOA opinion on Man Man. There's a lot of screaming and dancing, etc. Case in point. But let's not forget our headliner, who released Mama, I'm Swollen on Saddle Creek Records in March. It's the latest full-length in their rather prolific career. Here's the single:

[MP3] Cursive - "From The Hips"

It's a show that will rock.


Also, The National hits Atlanta's Tabernacle May 27th. Bonnie "Prince" Billy hits the Variety May 29th. Bon Iver hits the Variety June 7th.

And tonight, Lazer/Wulf plays with McClane at East Atlanta's 529. It will rock, too.

It'll all rock.

Aaron Desner talks to P4K

There's a really excellent interview with Aaron Dessner of The National on Pitchfork right now. It's probably better than mine was last year. Humph.

Excerpt, on the new National record, which will apparently not be a Civil War theme album:
We're kind of in the early stages, but we're getting into it. In a way, we're further along than we were at this stage of Boxer because we actually have songs. With Boxer, we were sort of spinning our wheels without songs for the early part of it. The way we work, it just takes a really long time to turn these amorphous turds of rock songs into something that lasts and is interesting and has elbows and is special.

He also talks about the Red Hot compilation Dark Was The Night he and his brother Bryce curated. Recommended reading.

The National will be at the Tabernacle in Atlanta on May 27.

Lackthereof - "Fake Empire" (The National cover)

My head just a-splode.

I bought this record today (Your Anchor by Lackthereof), and I really like it. I didn't look at the track listing before I popped it in, though, so when this song (the album's final track) came on, I nearly wet myself.










The original, for anyone who's forgotten:



You'll remember my adoration for both the original album and the song itself.

Lackthereof is Danny Seim from excellent NW band Menomena. This is suddenly a lovely afternoon.

Linkage Wednesday, re: Tom Waits, DCFC, The National, etc.

FOA Linkage Wednesday returns! Get excited, 'cause here we go....

First, I have have have to point you towards this NPR piece: Tom Waits Interviews Tom Waits

It begins with this utterly fantastic introduction (by Tom Waits about Tom Waits):
"I must admit, before meeting Tom, I had heard so many rumors and so much gossip that I was afraid. Frankly, his gambling debts, his animal magnetism, coupled with his disregard for the feelings of others... His elaborate gun collection, his mad shopping sprees, the face lifts, the ski trips, the drug busts and the hundreds of rooms in his home. The tax shelters, the public urination...I was nervous to meet the real man himself. Baggage and all. But I found him to be gentle, intelligent, open, bright, helpful, humorous, brave, audacious, loquacious, clean, and reverent. A Boy Scout, really (and a giant of a man). Join me now for a rare glimpse into the heart of Tom Waits. Remove your shoes and no smoking, please."


I also particularly enjoyed this question and answer:
"Q: What's hard for you?
A: Mostly I straddle reality and the imagination. My reality needs imagination like a bulb needs a socket. My imagination needs reality like a blind man needs a cane. Math is hard. Reading a map. Following orders. Carpentry. Electronics. Plumbing. Remembering things correctly. Straight lines. Sheet rock. Finding a safety pin. Patience with others. Ordering in Chinese. Stereo instructions in German."

Oh, and this one :
"Q: What is a gentleman?
A: A man who can play the accordion, but doesn't."
What's he mean by that?! I like the accordion...

There's also a lot of really self-indulgent discussion about record collections, his ears and squid. Recommended reading, for sure.

Next up, we've got this post from the very talented Nikki. She points us toward this Stereogum thing, in which Chris Walla from Death Cab for Cutie summarizes his feelings on Gossip Girl and one of his band's songs appearing on it the previous evening. Sheer brilliance.

Excerpt:
"I keep hearing about this Gossip Girl. There's this one picture of her with her and her hot friends, spread out like margarine all over a Lincoln Town Car. Are they going to dinner? What's on the stereo while they drive? Is it our band? What world could I possibly be living in?"

The post is part of yesterday's "all Death Cab all the time," feature at Stereogum. The regular bloggers relinquished control and let members of DCFC do all the content all day. Risky? Yeah. Hilarious? Also yeah. Other good ones to read are:
New Hold Steady - Sequestered In Memphis by Chris Walla
The Roger Walters Quandary Or, Will The Last One Leaving Battersea Please Turn Out The Lights? by Ben Gibbard

Having dealt with blogging and online news posting extensively myself, I think it's great the way their content's still tailored to the usual Stereogum formatting...


Caren at Paste has created indie e-cards. For serious. They're incredible.


Grumpy Pitchfork says this about The National's A Skin, A Night and The Virginia EP. Incidentally, I disagree wholeheartedly with almost every sentence in this review. Mr. Klein misses the point entirely. Anyone who finds A Skin, A Night underwhelming and unnecessary is un-fascinated with songwriting and most likely has no soul. But I don't have any feelings about it.

In contrast, here's how I feel about The National.

Catching Up With...The National

I love it when big blogs pick up my articles!

The Music Slut likes my work...It won't even be live on the Paste site 'till Monday. They're quite thorough, those music sluts....

It's the interview I did with Aaron Dessner from The National at Langerado...one of my favorite interview moments so far. He was really really thoughtful...good person to talk to.
Enjoy.

Also, this is the trailer for their Vincent Moon documentary, A Skin, A Night.. Comes out Tuesday. It's really really good.

The National - A Skin, A Night trailer (FOAVOD)

Chills.



A story about it.

Vincent Moon.

AmericanMary.com

Linkage Wednesday

True to my word (and little else, I imagine).

Linkage Wednesday:

A little bit of Gandalf Love.

Anticipation!

Guess which of these parties I generally enjoy more? Dr. Pepper promises a free can of its soda to everyone in America if Guns n' Roses release Chinese Democracy before the end of year. Read this.
(Kudos to Paul Thompson for saying both are prune-like. Ha.)

I Guess I'm Floating give us Radiohead for Dummies (Part 1). Pretty great.

Do you live within driving distance of Athens, Ga.? Do you like the New Pornographers? How 'bout Okkervil River? Cable and Tweed's givin' away tickets.

This is funny because I was about 30 feet away interviewing Aaron Dessner, also from The National as this interview was taking place. Go Grooveshark!

Here is a blurry picture of The National that I took at Langerado:



And finally, I very much recommend that you check out Have You Heard. They've really been kickin' ass lately

Langerockin'

I have returned from Langerado! I'd like to tell you all about it, but I'm so exhausted from all the driving (SOOOO much driving!), the constant show-going, the eating, the hand-sanitizing, and most of all, the extensive blogging the other Paste-types and I did the whole time, that I'm pretty much tapped out. We're almost done with all the entries. I've finished mine. So instead of revisiting everything I already wrote about (painstakingly and on very little sleep), I'll have a link fest here! Yay!

In (sort of) chronological order, so far:

The Big Cyprowski: Paste's nearly up-to-the-minute Langerado Blog (How we got lost and ran out of gas where there were panther crossing signs, by Steve LaBate. Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars, by Sara Miller.)

We Can Dance (Or Not Dance) If We Want To (!!! by me, Built to Spill, by Sara Miller.)


Langerado: Rap's Rock 'n' Role Models (The Roots, by Steve LaBate and me, The Beastie Boys by Steve LaBate.)

Saturday in the Swamp: From Canines to Specters (Dr. Dog by Sara Miller, Ben Folds by Sara Miller, Matisyahu by me, Ghostland Observatory by me.)

A Close Shave: Of Montreal Brings Out the Dead (Of Montreal, by me and Sara Miller.)

A National Anthem: Langerado's Lovely Ending (The National by me.)

Have fun! A photo journal will be up soon on the Paste blogs also.

The best shows I saw were Josh Ritter, Of Montreal and The National. Those guys rock.