The National - Boxer
On this week's episode, we dig into the the forth album by the band the National, 2007's Boxer.
The National is a band, literally, of brothers (two pairs) and a friend all from Ohio that formed after all parties moved to New York. From the get go, the band's music leaned heavily on and atmospheric and stood out due to the deep baritone vocals of lead singer and lyricist Matt Berninger.
After slowly but steadily building up a following, Boxer, their second album on the Beggar's Banquet label, was the band's breakthrough LP. Its full of melancholy songs about relationships and existential struggles about being an adult. The album received widespread critical acclaim, and was included in many end of year "Best Of" lists for 2007, topping several of them, and is often mentioned as one of the best album of the 2010s.
Recommendation for this episode: A Year in Pajamas by Braden Blake.
THINGS WE DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
The National, circa 2007.
Pictured (from L to R): Aaron Dessner, Bryan Devendorf, Matt Berninger, Bryce Dessner, and Scott Devendorf.
Matt Berninger and Scott Devendorf’s first band, Nancy, circa 1996.
Pictured (clockwise from top left): Matt Berninger, Casey Reas, Mike Brewer and Scott Devendorf.
Matt Berninger talks about Boxer and the themes that run through the album.
Here’s the National performing "Slow Show" live at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on May 15, 2010 along whit a brief interview with Aaron and Bryce Dessner.
Here is the National performing at a “Tiny Desk Concert” the National Public Radio studios in 2013.
