The National

The National | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 3, 2001)
• Original Release Date: July 3, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Brassland Records
• ASIN: B00005NTHJ
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,504 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #14 in Music > Indie Music > Dance & DJ > Dance Pop
  • #24 in Music > Indie Music > Alternative Rock > Rock
  • #95 in Music > Indie Music > Alternative Rock > General

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The National make sturdy American music, the sort of stuff that's built out of solid songs, radio-ready hooks, and tasteful, efficient arrangements. The CD's earnest, straight-ahead material is often country-flavored, but it can also evoke '80's rock anthems. Matt Berninger sings of the heart's travails in a sensitive, manly way that recalls fellow romantics like Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen. He's equally adept at packing a slew of words into a single vocal phrase or milking a single word for dramatic effect. The guitar-bass-drums lineup is nicely abetted by the occasional piano line or synth flourish. There isn't room for surprise or eccentricity on this album; everything here is completely worked out and professionally crafted. But that's one reason this disc will appeal to people with a taste for well-made rock. --Fred Cisterna

Chicago Sun-Times, July 2001

"Classic American roots rock with a distinctive sound all its own."

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this CD., October 1, 2002

By 

MaryT "Writer and Curmudgeon" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The National (Audio CD)

For various work-related reasons, people are always giving me their CDs to listen to. A coworker bugged me for months to listen to this CD, but it wasn't until I put it in my car's rotation that I had time to listen to it. That was last week, and I've been listening to it almost constantly ever since. I love the resonance of his voice, the lyrics are fresh and intelligent, the songs are all listenable and just fantastic. I can't say enough good about it.

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An Honorable Lineage, June 27, 2005

By 

WrtnWrd "Hankman" (Northridge, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The National (Audio CD)

Though they've grown exponentially over the last two releases, The National arrived fully-born on this debut. Vocalist/lyricist Matt Berninger has only honed his sharp and honest voice, but that commitment to detail is all over these 12 tunes. They plumb the Amerindie sound without redefining it; instead, they join an honorable lineage that includes Warren Zevon, Matthew Sweet, R.E.M., Drive-By Truckers, and, especially, Afghan Whigs. There's a bit more gentility here than on Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers or Alligitor; with luck, they will just get rougher and rougher. The mire becomes them.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's a keeper, February 11, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The National (Audio CD)

On the strength of one song, "Son", I bought this CD. Since then, I've replayed that one along with "John's Stars" and "Pay for Me" a hundred times. Overall, the songs are polished but still show enough scratches and dents to have an interesting finish, moody but not morose. I did sometimes wish Matt Berninger would have ripped a Tom Waits howls now and then...some of the songs just begged for it. In the end, though, I'd recommend this CD to my favorite friends.