Features
Friday, December 24 2010
The 70 Best Albums of 2010
PopMatters is on its annual publishing break until 3 January 2011, except for some film reviews and blogs. In the meantime, enjoy some of the year's best...
The year's best albums are highlighted by the emergence of a future superstar, two veteran and virtuoso rappers, and a Dream Team of indie bands releasing career peaks.
Friday, December 24 2010
The 60 Best Songs of 2010
Sixty slices of musical greatness highlighted by one of the most delightful expletive-ridden hits in pop music history.
Tuesday, December 7 2010
The Best Indie Rock of 2010
"Indie rock" has become a term as amorphous and hard-to-pin-down as some of its associated lingo. But for our purposes here, we'll go with a line of demarcation strangely omitted from the discussion much of the time: the rock portion of the equation.
Monday, June 21 2010
"Out of the Conflict Comes Great Art": An Interview with Bryan Devendorf of the National
Bryan Devendorf, drummer for the National, discusses High Violet, questionable lyrics, and how to rob Interpol.
Wednesday, August 1 2007
Grand National: An Interview with the National
From Cincinnati to New York to a stereo near you, The National are the latest in the line of life-changing American bands.
Reviews
Friday, August 6 2010
The National + Vampire Weekend: 13 July 2010 - Lyon, France
While it’s odd to see such a 50/50 split in the attentions of an audience, it’s clear that both bands have something worthwhile to offer.
Thursday, July 29 2010
The National: iTunes Festival London 2010
Here's a short online live EP from the National that leaves you breathlessly wanting more.
Monday, May 10 2010
The National: High Violet
For now, at least, the National have put aside the fireworks of their younger days; luckily, High Violet is such a stirring take on the perils of grown-up life that it's easy not to miss them.
Monday, June 22 2009
The National: 29 May 2009 - Philadelphia
The National’s performance, muted and uneasy as it was, still elicited rapt attention and glowing faces.
Thursday, June 12 2008
The National: A Skin, A Night & The Virginia EP
This DVD/EP combo explores the band's process in recording their brilliant Boxer. The film is a bit overdone, but the EP nicely shows the parts that make up the National's sound.
Blogs
Friday, October 14 2011
The New Yorker Festival: A Conversation with "Dad Rock" Band The National
The National are impressed they get more women in the audience than Radiohead does.
Friday, August 12 2011
The Forms - “Fire to the Ground” Features Matt Berninger
New vocals takes dancing in the streets to different level.
Thursday, March 10 2011
The National's "Conversation 16" Video (Featuring Mad Men’s John Slattery)
It’s hard to knock the National for milking their 2010 release High Violet for all it’s worth since the album is so damn good. The…
Friday, January 21 2011
Watch: The National's Performance of "Bloodbuzz Ohio" on Austin City Limits
Last weekend, PBS’s live music program Austin City Limits aired an episode of a soaring set by the National from Oct. 11, 2010. In the…
Thursday, October 14 2010
The National: 26 September 2010 - Chicago
Many high-profile acts have failed to fill the Riviera Theatre during recent summer shows, however The National, New York's indie quintet, had no problem in doing so recently.
News
Wednesday, September 19 2007
Band is building a buzz with one of the best albums of the year
Some bands rocket to fame and pray not to burn out. Some become household names only after years of steady gigging and recording. And then…
