Guys, I’m Really Proud Of The National

The National at the Troubadour, 2006 / photo by David Greenwald

When I first started following The National, after the release of Alligator in 2005, dudes weren’t exactly the toast of indie-ville. Their brooding, slow-burning sound took a while to catch on — it wasn’t until a tour with blogosphere then-phenoms Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and the eventual release of 2007’s even mellower Boxer that the band began to get the recognition they deserve. (In the span of just two years, I saw them jump from the Troubadour to the Wiltern.) Now, May’s High Violet is primed to become this year’s Veckatimest, if not its 125k-first week Contra. You’ll remember that Alligator was my absolute favorite album of the last decade, and I’ve got nothing but high hopes for the new record — but given the spotlight they’ve acquired, you probably don’t need me to gush about every minor news item a few hours after Pitchfork/Stereogum/etc. does (If you do: I will happily do so, post in the comments!) However, I can’t miss posting their first single, the essential “Bloodbuzz Ohio” — as steadily anthemic a track as we’ve come to expect from the New York act. Enjoy.

The National – “Bloodbuzz Ohio”: mp3

(High Violet is due May 11 on Beggars Banquet)

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