The National : Rolling Stone

The National RSS Feed

From the Archives

June 14, 2007

Breaking: The National

Brooklyn quintet synthesizes Nick Cave, Violent Femmes to create blue-collar baroque

Recordings and Reviews

Boxer

Let's talk about the drummer a minute. Bryan Devendorf's the name. He plays in the National, who do brooding Leonard Cohen-Nick Cave-style melancholy, except he's not brushing the drums elegantly, he's pounding, yet he amps up the piano, strings and guitar. He's a huge part of the reason the...

2007 RS: 4of 5 Stars

Alligator

2005

More Album Reviews

Photos

More Photos

Videos

Links

The National Official Site

Biography

The National create darkly serious, literate and lush indie rock that reached critical mass with the group's fourth album, 2007?s Boxer, which reached Number Five on Billboard?s Top Independent Albums chart.

Formed in Brooklyn, New York, the band is composed of Ohio friends Matt Berninger, whose brooding baritone is reminiscent of musical precursors like the late Joy Division singer Ian...

More Biography

Key Tracks