The National has received a lot of nationwide attention in the past few months, including a New York Times Magazine profile, late-night show appearances and headlining gigs in bigger halls. It may seem like a lot of hype, but the band has been making records for almost a decade to critical acclaim. And the band's latest release, High Violet, is their finest record yet.
High Violet is meant to be taken as a whole, but the single "Bloodbuzz Ohio" is a great introduction to the band's sound. The guitars drone instead of riff. The melody seems simple at first, but demonstrates a complexity after multiple listens.
And vocalist Matt Beninger sings slowly and deliberately so the audience can pick up on every word--with lyrics moving from surreal ("I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees") to profoundly personal ("I still owe money to the money to the money I owe / I never thought about love when I thought about home").
The introspective album translates into an incredibly engaging live show, as witnessed in this awesome performance from the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
And vocalist Matt Beninger sings slowly and deliberately so the audience can pick up on every word--with lyrics moving from surreal ("I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees") to profoundly personal ("I still owe money to the money to the money I owe / I never thought about love when I thought about home").
The introspective album translates into an incredibly engaging live show, as witnessed in this awesome performance from the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
