The National is one of my favourite bands. On the top 5 of my personal list of 13 Cult Bands You Must Worship Before You Die—well, I guess they’re no longer so cult. They won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 2017. Meaning they’re already pretty mainstream, right? They’re still ultra cool, though.
To me, they are like the adult contemporary version of Interpol. The National are part of the indie rock aristocracy.
I was supposed to go see them in Perth in March. But then the apocalypse happened—fuck you, COVID.
I first watched The National in Singapore in 2010 or 2011. After the beautiful show, I became even more obsessed with. them. Slick, sophisticated, elegant, and refined. Matt Berninger is like the Neil Diamond of indie rock. Or, as Pitchfork said, a Cary Grant interpretation of Leonard Cohen.
The song here, “I Need My Girl”, is one of my favorite songs among many of their amazing creations. It was released as a single in November 2013 (UK) and January 2014 (US). Listen to Berninger’s deep, rich, oaken baritone. Every time I hear his voice, I get chills.
“The National,” wrote MEMAAustixTX, “have been one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the last decade. Touring worldwide and releasing album after album of challenging, intricate music, they have steadily risen to become among the most prominent voices in modern rock.”
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Featured image via Coup de Main.
