For many years, the National’s sound was defined by the baritone of frontman Matt Berninger. By introducing a phalanx of guest vocalists to complement his recognisable rumble, 2019’s ‘I Am Easy To Find’ delivered a considerable surprise. It’s less surprising, then, that the doors to .
A wonderfully astute profile of the National in the New Yorker magazine some years ago got to the heart of the matter. The Cincinatti, Ohio band, wrote Amanda Petrusich, “has given voice to a particular kind of midlife melancholy: what it means to have a good job and a reliable partner, and nevertheless feel choked and despairing”.
Once upon a time, rock bands wished for nothing more than to look as though they posed a clear and present danger to your children. Though a few true believers still hold to this honourable creed, nowadays most groups are comprised of the kind of people one might expect to be grading your offspring’s dissertation