"ABOUT TODAY" THE NATIONAL (2004)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

There are songs that wow us for a time, but then whither with age. And then there are songs that stay exceptional, ones that truly stand the test of time. That’s the case with “About Today”. One of The National’s earliest songs, it never even made it onto a full LP. But because of its tremendous staying power, it lives on today on many of their set lists. While Matt Berninger might crowd surf during “Mr. November”, he, the band and the audience take a far different approach to “About Today”. One characterized by a near stillness and quietness.

The song’s beauty is felt in every note. When I listen to it, I want to devour every note, I want to feel all of it. Bryan Devendorf’s tom hits are like heartbeats inside a lover’s chest. The acoustic guitar and string arrangements are like souls entwined yet strangely distant from one another. And Berninger’s lyrics are sung to his lover only and no one else. “About Today” is not just my favorite National song, it’s one of my favorite songs of all time.

“You just close your eyes and I just watch you slip away. How close am I to losing you?”

"BLOODBUZZ OHIO" THE NATIONAL (2010)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

I have no direct ties to the state of Ohio. And I still have no idea what exactly a bloodbuzz is. But from the first time I heard it, I’ve always had a strong affinity for “Bloodbuzz Ohio”. It’s one of my favorite National tracks of all time. This is a song that I’ve never grown tired of. It never lost its luster after all this time. And when I see the band play live, it’s one of the songs I look forward to hearing the most on the setlist. But, why?

“Bloodbuzz Ohio” is actually not a song about Ohio. While that’s where The National hail from originally, the song is so much more than that. It’s actually a coming-of-age narrative. It’s about how when we return home after a long time away, it’s not just the place that has changed, we’ve changed so much as well. The song reminds us to look back for a larger perspective on our lives. And to see that, while the place we call home may change, there’s always a deep affinity and love for the places we came from.

“I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees. I never married but Ohio don't remember me.”

"FAKE EMPIRE" THE NATIONAL (2007)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

I discovered Alligator and Boxer at the same time when The National finally crossed my radar. Hearing both albums I was struck by the way the band got into a zone between the two records. While Alligator is still a favorite of mine, Boxer was clearly an output written and recorded by a band that knew their unique identity. They embraced it, ran with it and carved out a sound that no one else can claim. “Fake Empire” was the lead track — but, in many ways, it was also the centerpiece.

“Fake Empire” existed on a grand scale, both musically and lyrically. Considered one of The National’s finest, its structure of revealing various musical layers like an onion sounded more like an orchestra than a rock band. Backed by a syncopated rhythm of piano chords, snare hits and a horn section flourish. the rhythmic delay tied ingeniously to Berninger’s monotone delivery: “We’re half awake in a fake empire.” Lyrically, the song featured some of the band’s most memorable lyrics. While “Fake Empire” is about the mundaneness of life, there is, with absolute certainty, nothing mundane about the song itself.

“Stay out super late tonight. Picking apples, making pies. Put a little something in our lemonade and take it with us.”

"LIGHT YEARS" THE NATIONAL (2019)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

The last show I saw before the pandemic was The National at the Beacon. It wasn’t a typical show. This was a band that was already a few years into playing at arenas. But in an intimate theater setting, they introduced their new album I Am Easy to Find, paired with a short film by Mike Mills (not of REM fame). It felt more like a visit to an art museum than a rock concert. It wasn’t exactly my favorite National show because the band’s energy just wasn’t at the levels I was used to. But in the introspective and artistic rhythms of the night, the band showed a new flair for a quieter, softer aesthetic. And the highlight was “Light Years”.

This is not a song that The National could’ve possibly written and performed in their early years. There’s a maturity and a wisdom here that had to marinate with time. It’s a somber realization about how far two people can be pulled apart until there’s barely anything left. It’s a story that’s years, maybe decades, in the making. The piano part has no irony. No musical unexpectedness or other. Just a beautiful fragility that give ways to a sad, beautiful reality.

“I was always ten feet behind you from the start.”

"AFRAID OF EVERYONE" THE NATIONAL (2010)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

Some songs have greater meaning during specific seasons in our lives. I believe my affinity for “Afraid of Everyone” wouldn’t have been what it is if it weren’t for the fact that High Violet was released the month my daughter was born. I have distinct memories singing along to “Anyone’s Ghost” and “Bloodbuzz Ohio” and her giggling along. But I also remember how “Afraid of Everyone” spoke to me, wrecked me and woke me up to the reality of the intense weight on our shoulders of raising up a child.

“Afraid of Everyone” was a sobering wake-up call for me. That line “I don’t have the drugs to sort it out” was especially poignant. On the flip side, the song was a clear reminder that my wife and I were not alone as newbie parents in feeling the fears, anxieties and excitement that we felt. A complex and beautiful mess of emotions. There was incredible comfort in that. The irony of it all was that by listening intently to the song, I felt that I was intently heard.

“With my kid on my shoulders I try not to hurt anybody I like. But I don't have the drugs to sort.”

"SQUALOR VICTORIA" THE NATIONAL (2007)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

I’ve always been a rhythm guy. I love a well crafted bass line. The simple grooves. And the complex stuff, too. I appreciate an unexpected drum part. Intros. Solos. Fills. All of it. And, generally, when I listen to music, the rhythm section is usually flaunting itself in the foreground. I often notice their intricacies even before I know the lyrics or guitar parts played over the verses. So when I first heard “Squalor Victoria”, I was simply blown away.

Since their solo album, Bryan Devendorf’s drums have always been a standout element of The National. What I love about his percussion style is his knack for the simple. He makes it sound so good. Every drummer has made a name for him or herself in their own way. Neil Peart owned technique and complexity. Bonzo owned sheer power. What Devendorf has done is make simplicity a desirable thing. On “Squalor Victoria”, his drums are the hero, but he’s using a beat that sounds like the stuff of teenaged basement jams. It’s infectious and mesmerizing, especially in a live setting.

“Underline everything. I'm a professional in my beloved white shirt.”

"LEMONWORLD" THE NATIONAL (2010)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

On the tour to promote High Violet, I caught The National at New York City’s Terminal 5, a relatively intimate setting that they would outgrow almost overnight. The band was real as always. They didn’t just play their songs, they shared the stories behind them. Aaron or Bryce (I still can’t tell them apart) mentioned one song, in particular, that gave them fits. His guilty admission was that the time signature was overly complex. It was hard for the band to stay in sync, to find their groove. That song was “Lemonworld”, and that night they played it nearly flawlessly.

One of the most distinct aspects of The National has always been the lyrics. No one else in rock & roll strings words together like Matt Berninger. It’s not far fetched to say that the band’s songs can be easily identified. just by reading the words without any music. This is the case with “Lemonworld”. Every syllable sung or hummed embodies the band’s storytelling approach on a bed of industrial guitar strums, tumbling tom rolls and high hat accents.

“Lay me on the table, put flowers in my mouth, and we can say that we invented a summer lovin' torture party.”

"ADA" THE NATIONAL (2007)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

Five of my Top 15 favorite tracks from The National are from the Boxer album. It’s a testament to how good this album really is. What made Boxer particularly unique is that the songs go together exceptionally well as a unit, but they’re also more than strong enough to shine on their own. Some of the band’s best songs hail from Boxer, but one of my favorites has always been one of the least heralded tracks: “Ada”.

“Ada” flies under the radar because it starts off quiet and unassuming on an album with other songs that tend to grab your attention in their first few seconds. But the thing about it is it builds gradually with this intense, yet quiet kind of tenacity. The piano parts were recorded by guest collaborator and fellow Brooklynite Sufjan Stevens. It is one of the finest piano-driven tracks from The National — from the opening trills to the closing chords. But there’s also an orchestral element to “Ada” that adds a dark richness to the song with intermittent french horns and strings.

“Stand inside an empty tuxedo with grapes in my mouth, waiting for Ada.”

"THE SYSTEM ONLY DREAMS IN TOTAL DARKNESS" THE NATIONAL (2017)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

The National occasionally thrives in mid-tempo land. But they’re best known for leaning toward one end of the spectrum — in a slow world of ballads and introspective tracks and in a loud, fast world of aggression and emotion. It had been a while since they really nailed the latter. You have to go all the way back to the Boxer album to hear elements of fits and bursts. But with “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness”, they found a new rhythm and a new way to bring on the rock.

Aaron Dessner’s guitar solo about halfway through the track is one of the band’s most memorable guitar moments to date. It’s pure rock & roll — but it’s accompanied by the quirky, unexpected instrumentation we crave and expect from The National, like the periodic guitar twitches and echoey harmonics. “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness” is clear proof that The National has turned a corner and found a way to evolve their sound while staying true to their persona. Just like all great bands do.

“I can’t explain it any other, any other way.”

"ENGLAND" THE NATIONAL (2010)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

High Violet came out a week after our oldest child was born. In those first few weeks, I would hold our tiny, precious baby and sing songs to her. I’d sing “Anyone’s Ghost”, “Bloodbuzz Ohio” and others. I wanted her to know these great songs and to have the same love for music that her daddy has. But one song I never sang to her was “England”. It’s one of my favorite tracks off my favorite National album. But it’s not really a sing-song-y kind of song. And that might just be exactly why I love it so much.

“England” is rich, intense and epic. It unravels and intensifies with each passing second. It’s a steady 5 minute long crescendo where horns and strings are the stars and Bryce’s electric guitar fades humbly into the background. I’ve seen The National play it live twice, and both times Berninger ratcheted up the intensity several notches, pushing his vocal chords to the limits in the bridge. Rounding out High VIolet with an enveloping, cinematic feel, “England” is less rock band, more orchestra.

“Someone send a runner for the feeling that I lost today.”

"DAUGHTERS OF THE SOHO RIOTS" THE NATIONAL (2005)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

By the time Alligator reared its head on the indie music scene, The National seemed intent on purging its alt country and americana roots and devouring a sound more closely associated with rock. They rocked harder with songs like “Mr. November”, “Abel” and “Lit Up”. But the song that has had the most staying power for me off this seminal album is the slower, acoustic-driven “Daughters of the Soho Riots”.

Let’s start with the song title. The name did a quite a bit to exude greatness even before you listened to it. Soho. And riots. The way those two words strung together established an immediate tension and attraction. But musically, it had a quiet strength and resilience. When I first heard Alligator, it was far from my favorite track off the album. Other songs like “Secret Meeting”, “All the Wine” and the aforementioned tracks above were my favorites. But “Daughters of the Soho Riots” is the one track that has grown on me over time.

“Break my arms around the one I love.”

"I NEED MY GIRL" THE NATIONAL (2013)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

Early on, The National made a name for themselves by being loud and brash. “Abel” and “Mr. November” were both attention-grabbing and sound-defining. But as the band matured, they added new ways of creating music. The band figured out a way to write ballads in their own unique way. Even in the songs that were among their most accessible, you can still find elements that feel distinct to their unusual persona as a rock band. For proof, you don’t have to look any further than “I Need My Girl”.

The song title tells you exactly what this song is about. But it’s Matt Berninger’s way with words that makes this ballad more complex and nuanced. It’s why and when he needs his girl that makes the song unforgettable. “I'll try to call you from the party. It's full of punks and cannonballers.” The words aren’t mere song lyrics. They’re stories. And The National pairs them with a simple, yet unexpected guitar riff that catches you off guard rythmically. That’s how The National tackles pop.

“I'll try to call you from the party. It's full of punks and cannonballers.”

"MISTAKEN FOR STRANGERS" THE NATIONAL (2007)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

“Abel” and “Mr. November” may have been the band’s early monster tracks, but, for me, the Boxer album is where it all came together with a swagger and a musical maturity not evident in most indie bands. Boxer was the album that proved to me these guys weren’t a flash in the pan. They could go on to become one of the next great bands of our time. Which they did. Several songs from my Top 15 come from Boxer, including “Mistaken for Strangers”.

This was one of the songs that endeared me to The National instantly. It has bravado. And it has hooks. The song seems to wind itself up with that opening distorted guitar riff from Aaron Dessner. Next, Bryan Devendorf reels you in with these irresistible, nearly epileptic drumbeats. Then Berninger launches into the vocals, practically reading it like it’s a poem. It’s one of my favorites on The National’s concert set lists because the band just feels like it’s completely in the zone every single time they perform it.

“Showered and blue-blazered, fill yourself with quarters.”

"COLD GIRL FEVER" THE NATIONAL (2001)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

The National’s musical roots started in country and its various alternative expressions. It all began with their self-titled debut album, a recording that existed before they ever performed live. Listening back to that first LP, it’s quite a trip reflecting on the band’s significant evolution over the past 20 years. It’s not one of my favorite albums from the band, but “Cold Girl Fever” is still a track I enjoy immensely.

Playing a seminal role in the band’s development and aesthetic, “Cold Girl Fever” may have sounded light years behind Alligator and Boxer. But it seemed to gather trademark elements of the band, neatly packaged in layers with a handsome bow on top. “Cold Girl Fever” was built on mood, not melody. It was a beautiful collision of two worlds — the Americana-infused universe felt in the opening guitar strum and Berninger’s bass drone and then the experimental universe epitomized by the hypnotic synthesizer hook and odd tempo halt at the 1:55 mark. This was the rookie track that became a foreshadowing of great things to come.

“Don't hold on to me when there's nothing to hold.”

"GUILTY PARTY" THE NATIONAL (2017)

For the first half of September, I’ll be selecting my Top 15 favorite songs from The National. A band that has rarely let me down — both in the recording studio and in concert. #FaveArtistTop15

After Trouble Will Find Me, The National’s next album Sleep Well Beast felt like a sigh of relief. It represented a return to form. A solid album from top to bottom with varying themes, instrumentation and tempo. My personal feeling about Trouble Will Find Me is that it felt like The National was trying to make it work. But Sleep Well Beast just felt naturally The National. “Guilty Party” is one of my favorite tracks off the album. While it feels like a quintessential National track, it also sounds nothing like else they’ve recorded before.

The things that make The National so distinct and so good are all present on this record. For starters, there’s Matt Berninger’s wonderful and personal way with words. On “Guilty Party”, like so many other National songs, his lyrics are written and sung in such an authentic, unpretentious manner. They feel real. And the words are accompanied by those sparse moments of instrumentation that the band has become known for. Rarely heavy-handed or excessive, The National found all the right horn accents, synth interludes and Bryan Devendorf’s infectious drumbeats — and ushered them in at all the right moments.

“I say your name. I say I'm sorry. I know it's not working. I'm no holiday. It's nobody's fault. No guilty party. We just got nothing. Nothing left to say.”

"HOTEL CALIFORNIA" GIPSY KINGS (1990)

Cover songs can be many things. They can be lazy album filler. They can be ho-hum recordings that do nothing to advance a band’s catalog. But, once in a while, they can be truly epic. For my next five entries, I’m highlighting five of my favorite cover songs of all time. Each of these tracks, in my opinion, have reinvented and, in many ways, exceeded the original recordings.

One of my all-time favorite cover songs hails from one of the my all-time favorite movies. The Big Lebowski was never short on great music, epic story arcs, fascinating character development and comedic moments. And the Gipsy Kings’ cover of The Eagles hit “Hotel California” seemed to be somehow dropped down on the dusty intersection of all these elements.

John Turturro’s “Enter Jesus” moment at the bowling alley is one of the most unforgettable Big Lebowski moments. And the scene is queued up with this song. It’s an ironic choice because The Dude throughout the film makes it clear how much he hates The Eagles. In a cruel twist of fate, his bowling nemesis seems to arrive with his own personal soundtrack, flaunting The Eagles’ biggest hit on a bed of heartfelt flamenco. While I don’t care much for The Eagles, I love what the Gipsy Kings did with this mega hit. “Hotel California” was no longer just a place. It became a state of mind.

“Ella de lo lejos. Una luz centela. La idea se mezclan. Se evaporan las noches.”

"DEAR PRUDENCE" SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES (1983)

Cover songs can be many things. They can be lazy album filler. They can be ho-hum recordings that do nothing to advance a band’s catalog. But, once in a while, they can be truly epic. For my next five entries, I’m highlighting five of my favorite cover songs of all time. Each of these tracks, in my opinion, have reinvented and, in many ways, exceeded the original recordings.

Hyaena is one of those underrated 80’s albums that makes you wonder why it didn’t get the same kind of attention that its peers did, like New Order’s Power, Corruption & Lies and The Smiths’ The Queen is Dead. No other band was doing what Siouxsie & the Banshees were doing in the studio or on tour — and no one could even if they tried. It was all about the band personnel. And this is as clear as day when you play their Beatles cover “Dear Prudence”.

Siouxsie’s unique sound and persona placed an emphatic and eerie stamp on this Beatles White Album classic. Her ominous, echoey presence is inescapable. Her vocals seem to hover over us - in direct contrast to the band’s other big cover song (Iggy Pop’s “The Passenger”), where Siouxsie sings right into our faces as if she’s hanging over the edge of the concert stage. But the special treat on “Dear Prudence” wasn’t Siouxsie. It was Robert Smith’s ingenious musical arrangement and post-punk guitar riffs. Thankfully he got back to writing, recording and touring with The Cure shortly after Hyaena, but his gloomy contributions on “Dear Prudence” are forever immortalized.

“Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play? Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day.”

"ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER" JIMI HENDRIX (1968)

Cover songs can be many things. They can be lazy album filler. They can be ho-hum recordings that do nothing to advance a band’s catalog. But, once in a while, they can be truly epic. For my next five entries, I’m highlighting five of my favorite cover songs of all time. Each of these tracks, in my opinion, have reinvented and, in many ways, exceeded the original recordings.

As legendary as Bob Dylan is, I understand that he’s not for everyone. Some people just can’t listen past Dylan’s nasal-infused vocal delivery. Jimi Hendrix wasn’t exactly the most vocally gifted musician either. But whatever he lacked as a singer he more than made up for as a guitar player. The thing about his rendition of the Dylan classic “All Along the Watchtower” is he lit every strand of folk and Americana roots from the song on fire, burned those elements to the ground and then made the fire rise even higher with an electric reboot.

Throughout my middle and high school years, I lived next door to a Jimi Hendrix fanatic. My brother introduced me to Jimi’s impressive catalog, which was incredibly prolific given his short life span. The thing that immediately drew me in to his music was a guitar playing style that almost sounded otherworldly. It wasn’t rock. It wasn’t blues. But it was this crazy blend of the two that seemed to be so effortless to Jimi but impossible to others. You can’t simply play the same notes that Jimi played and expect it sound the same. It was the way in which he navigated back and forth between those two genres so easily that makes “All Along the Watchtower” one of the greatest cover songs of all time.

“No reason to get excited. The thief, he kindly spoke. There are many here among us. Who feel that life is but a joke.”

"MAD WORLD" MICHAEL ANDREWS FEAT. GARY JULES (2002)

Cover songs can be many things. They can be lazy album filler. They can be ho-hum recordings that do nothing to advance a band’s catalog. But, once in a while, they can be truly epic. For my next five entries, I’m highlighting five of my favorite cover songs of all time. Each of these tracks, in my opinion, have reinvented and, in many ways, exceeded the original recordings.

During a long, successful reign throughout the 80s, Tears for Fears was one of those few new wave bands that broke through into the mainstream. They conquered alt rock stations, took over MTV and eventually invaded Top 40 stations. They did it with songs that defined a new generation of music — like “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, “Shout”, “Pale Shelter”, “Change”, “Head Over Heels” and “Mad World”. When Michael Andrews and Gary Jules teamed up to create a new apocalyptic version of “Mad World” for the Donnie Darko soundtrack, they reimagined the tempo to become something that crawls under your skin and stays there.

By stripping down the sound and slowing down the RPMs to a near standstill, Andrews crafted a unique film score that put the instrumentation in the background and thrusted TFF’s profound lyrics to the foreground. This deliberately slower pace in Andrews’ vision for “Mad World” gave the words a harder, darker edge. It revealed that, as great as the drum-machine and synth-driven new wave original was, the lyrics and eerie melody behind the song have always been the most powerful things about the song.

“All around me are familiar faces. Worn out places, worn out faces. Bright and early for the daily races. Going nowhere, going nowhere.”

"HURT" JOHNNY CASH (2002)

Cover songs can be many things. They can be lazy album filler. They can be ho-hum recordings that do nothing to advance a band’s catalog. But, once in a while, they can be truly epic. For my next five entries, I’m highlighting five of my favorite cover songs of all time. Each of these tracks, in my opinion, have reinvented and, in many ways, exceeded the original recordings.

When I think of all the great cover songs, some of the best ones are adored and revered by the original writers and recording artists. Johnny Cash’s rendition of Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt” is one of those songs. It’s the very first song that comes to mind when I think of great cover songs. Of Cash’s rendition, Trent Reznor famously said, “That song isn’t mine anymore.”

Cash elevated “Hurt” into the stratosphere. Powerful. Gripping. Even more haunting than the original, which seems impossible. Recorded the year before he died, this was like Cash’s swan song. The most impressive thing about the cover is that Cash took emotions and thoughts so deeply personal to Reznor and gave it new meaning without changing the lyrics. Toward the end of his life, this recording represents one of Johnny Cash’s crowning achievements.

“What have I become? My sweetest friend. Everyone I know goes away in the end.”