National Discography & Albums
Albums
* 2001: The National
* 2003: Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers
* 2005: Alligator
* 2007: Boxer
* 2010: High Violet
EPs
* 2004: Cherry Tree
* 2008: The Virginia EP
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Featured National Album
The National - Apartment Story
"Apartment Story" is a song by Brooklyn-based indie rock band The National from their fourth studio album, Boxer. The song was released on November 5, 2007 as the album's second single. The single's B-side is "Mansion on the Hill," originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen on his 1982 album Nebraska. The band's cover version was recorded live on January 14, 2006 at the opening night of that year's New York Guitar Festival. The band performed "Apartment Story" at MTV's Times Square studio on May 19, 2007 as part of the channel's Human Giant 24-hour marathon special. The band also performed the song on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on September 26, 2007. In November 2007, Q featured "Apartment Story" in their list of 50 Essential Downloads. A month later, the song ranked #5 on Gigwise's "Top 50 Singles of 2007" list. Grab the hottest National merch around click here.
 (Band Tees) This awesome National tee features the "Tree" design! 100% Licensed and perfect for any true fan! Click "Buy It Now" to select your size! Price: $ 32.95 |
 (Patches) This Black Label Society embroidered iron-on patch features the "Cross Skull" logo! Perfect for yer top, jacket, hat or bag! Dimensions are 7cm x 7cm. 100% Official Black Label Society Merchandise. Price: $ 7.95 |
 (Patches) This canvas patch features the Evanescence "Angel Statue" logo! Perfect for yer top, jacket or bag! Dimensions are 11cm x 11cm. AMY LEE. 100% Official Merchandise. Price: $ 7.95 |
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National Biography
The National is a Brooklyn-based alternative rock band formed in 1999, by friends from Cincinnati, Ohio. The band’s lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger in a distinctive, deep baritone. The rest of the band is composed of two pairs of brothers: Aaron Dessner (guitar, bass, keyboards), Bryce Dessner (guitar), Scott Devendorf (bass, guitar) and Bryan Devendorf (drums).Their self-titled debut album”The National” (Brassland 2001) was recorded and released before they had played even a single show. They cut the album with engineer Nick Lloyd and formed a label with writer Alec Bemis, so those recordings could be released. Kerrang! magazine gave it four Ks, calling it “the stuff underground legends are made of.”
The National made a second album, “Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers” (Brassland/Talitres 2003). The staff was the same, though Peter Katis, who produced “Turn on The Bright Lights” and “Antics” by Interpol, helped produce and mix, and Australian composer Padma Newsome from Clogs collaborated on arrangements and strings.
Following the first session of several for Bernard Lenoir on France’s Radio Inter, an in-between EP was released, Cherry Tree, containing what would become the blueprint for the sound on their next record and the session of Sad Song’s standout Murder Me Rachael. After these accolades and being impressed by their live show, Roger Trust signed them to Beggars Banquet.
A show at their favorite bar became a van ride to neighboring cities, became a plane ride to Europe, became two summers overseas. Their ties to those good jobs slackened. And they continue on their own path, moving out even further out in Brooklyn to Ditmas Park, where there is space and familiar suburban streets and even Geese on Beverly Road. Their album, “Alligator”, much of which was recorded at their homes in Ditmas Park, was engineered by Paul Mahajan, who has worked with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV on the Radio. Padma Newsome camped out for a month with the band, and Peter Katis added more production and mixed the record at his house in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Berninger’s potent baritone still intones about matters fraught and funny and sad; about record collections, missing persons and medium-sized American hearts. But the record’s not simply gothic or miserablist — more like the plays of Tennessee Williams, it’s full of peculiar intimacies and awkward grace. Alligator’s heroes are reckless and possessed seducers, but they are apologetic ones. In The National’s imaginings, in songs alternately lush and spare, there is something twighlit and dreamy worked out in the basement of our brains.
“Abel,” “Secret Meeting,” and “Lit Up” were released as singles.
On May 22, 2007, The National released their follow-up to Alligator, Boxer, on Beggars Banquet. Taking advantage of the fact that nobody had heard their first album and earliest demos, Matt proceeded to steal lyrics and melodies from them and give them the attention they deserved while keeping the intimacy that made them special. They even managed to convince new friend Sufjan Stevens to lay down some piano tracks for them, and recorded the album in a scant 6 months after coming off the long post-Alligator road.
“Mistaken for Strangers”, “Fake Empire” and “Apartment Story” have been released as singles. The band have just finished touring North America and are on a large European autumn/winter tour after playing high slots at several large festivals. In their Dec. 07/Jan. 08 issue, Paste magazine named Boxer best record of 2007.
The band’s fifth album, High Violet, was released on May 10, 2010 by 4AD Records. “Bloodbuzz Ohio”, “Anyone’s Ghost” and “Terrible Love” were released as singles.
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