For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.
Alligator was the first key turning point in The National’s evolution as a rock band. The layers of alt country were shedding away and being replaced by an edgier rock sound that would continue to bloom on Boxer. Unlike Boxer, Alligator was an album that I became acquainted with years after it was released. This sort of discovery is like flipping back at earlier entries in a journal. On Alligator, we see some of The National’s most brash lyrics (think “Mr. November” and “All The Wine”) as well as some of their most mysterious, including “Looking For Astronauts”.
While Berninger’s lyric writing has improved by leaps and bounds with each album, what strikes me most about “Looking For Astronauts” is how similar it is to current era National. Berninger’s vocal delivery is more or less the same. Bryan’s unexpected rhythms are there. And the intricate strumming is reminiscent of many songs from the band’s past ten years. What’s different, however, is Berninger’s lyrics seem more esoteric here. Is he speaking literally or figuratively, or both? I only discovered today that Berninger knew Neil Armstrong, a friend of his uncle. Coincidence? Maybe not.
“You know you have a permanent piece
Of my medium-sized American heart.”