We're half-awake, in a Fake Empire

So you may have noticed that activity has stepped up a gear around here recently - well that's mainly because I have a lot of studying/essay-writing/dissertation research to do, and writing a blog post somehow feels less like time-wasting than going on facebook...



One of my favourite bands to listen to while studying (or actually at any time) is The National. They are basically perfect. I first heard their song Fake Empire (see video above) about 16 months ago, and for the longest time I was too afraid to buy their album Boxer, despite the excellent reviews it got, because I didn't want to be disappointed. Then, having been anything but disappointed, I was reluctant to investigate their back catalogue until my cousin's drunken friend raved about Alligator. He was spot on (despite the inebriation). Boxer and Alligator feature Springsteen-esque melodies and intimate, meaningful lyrics. The lead singer Matt Berninger has the most sincere, deep baritone I have heard in a long time. Every line he sings sounds more poignant for it.

Don't expect to instantly love these albums - they need time and space to breathe. But, trust me, the wait is well worth it.

And if you're after more, a couple of band members have recently curated a charity compliation album, Dark was the Night, which is getting a lot of press. I haven't heard it yet, but as soon as I have money I will be buying it!