The music of The National (2 of 5)

Album: Boxer (2007)



(Probably my favorite of The National albums. I like the album title. During the creation of Boxer, bristling in-studio fights left the band wondering whether it was worth continuing at all. Eventually, they stopped halfway through recording to cool off, which saved the album and the band.
The album cover is a photo of the band performing "The Geese of Beverly Road" (from the band's third album Alligator) at producer Peter Katis' wedding. Boxer has made numerous "albums of the decade" lists including Pitchfork Media and Paste Magazine. You can read this very personal account of how the album had a special meaning for a reviewer at the Guardian.

Fake Empire
Green Gloves
Mistaken for Strangers
Ada
Brainy
Slow Show




EP: The Virginia (2008)



Now that we are talking album sleeves, I wonder if there is a story behind that airplane wing? Other than the obvious that the band fly around to venues.


You've Done It Again, Virginia
Mansion On The Hill (live) (Bruce Springsteen cover)


As always, share your opinions on the music in the comments below.

The music of The National (1 of 5)

Album: Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers - The National (2003)



Cardinal Song
90-Mile Water Wall



EP: Cherry Tree - The National (2004)



Cherry Tree
("About Today" will be shared for soundtrack special)


Album: Alligator - The National (2005)



Mr. November
Secret Meeting
Daughters Of The Soho Riots



Listen to this band? Agree/disagree with my choices? Which is your favorite album by the group? Share your thoughts in the comments

Monthly links from the blogosphere: May

Bonjour Tristesse kicks off his coverage of the Cannes Film Festival

Shala debriefs Tribeca Film Festival, which she attended

Lisa Thatcher is going to Sydney Film Festival, and talks about 21 films from the program. (I hope she finds the time to review some of them)



Steph's Mother's Day piece om 12 Memorable Movie Moms



Mette, Nikhat, and Sofia launch Across the Universe: The Chicks With Accents Podcast.




(I won't link to all the Gatsby reviews, as the LAMBScores already provides that service)

Steven's latest Auteurs piece is about director Baz Luhrmann.

Josh's Top 10 Leonardo DiCaprio Performances

Andina shares Soundtrack Pick : The Great Gatsby



Ruth from Flixchatter picks her Desert Island Films for a guest post at Head In A Vice.

Michael C lists his favorite films of this decade (so far).



Dan lists Top 10 Films to Look Out For in 2013

Jon shares his Favorite Films of 2012

blahblahblah Toby shares 2013 So Far (Jan - Apr) Top 10

Murtaza compiled his All-Time Best 100 movies

Cinema Fanatic wrote an in-depth review on The Last Picture Show (1971)



Sati's Movie of the Month is Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive

Squasher88 as part of his list of shame reviewed The Dirty Dozen, and agrees with me that while the film is pretty good, the ending is flawed.



3guys1movie review To The Wonder

Alex Withrow reveals his Top 10 film scores of all time



Robert's Favorite Scene Friday! The Shining: An Ominous Beginning

Jessica's musings about blogs and advertising

Michaël Parent decides to also have music posts on his film blog



Harrison Ford confronts Chewbacca On 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'

ckckred at Cinematic asks, What Do You Do For Long Movies?

Pete Turner answers questions about Found Footage in an interesting video interview.



Eric, Nick Prigge, and Alex review Mud (2013)

Tyson Carter's Question Time XVII - Community Building

Flickfilosopher's question of the week: What one sequel would you erase from cinematic history?

Fogs asks, Who’s YOUR Favorite Director?

Nostra's Monday Question: Cinema annoyances!

MONSTER1711 shares Top 10 Foreign Horror Films

The Kid in The Front Row on The Fading Importance Of Movies

Va-Voom Vintage on How Loss of Google Reader Will Impact Your Blog

Andrea talks about Things I still haven’t mastered by the age of 29

Yoko Ono tweets controversial image of John Lennon's bloody glasses as she protests against gun violence




Congratulations to the winners of 2013 LAMMY awards!
Check out the full list of winners here

Guest post: Top 10 songs by The National

In anticipation of The National's new album Trouble Will Find Me, out May 20, Eric from The Warning Sign was nice enough to step in this week and share his Top 10 songs by The National. Fun to get a different perspective, thanks a lot for putting this together!


Honorable mentions:
Exile Vilify (from the Portal 2 soundtrack)
Baby We'll Be Fine (Alligator)
Apartment Story (Boxer)
Slipping Husband (Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers)

10) So Far Around the Bend (Dark Was the Night)
One of the highlights from the 2009 charity album, Dark Was the Night, that also featured the likes of Spoon, Arcade Fire and Grizzly Bear. I also imagine this is the best song ever made with a line about getting high through an apple.

9) Available (Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers)
Frontman Matt Berninger doesn't scream too often these days, so it's always fun to go back to "Available", an early cut that is one of the band's best rockers.

8) Abel (Alligator)
Another track where Berninger gets the chance to let loose. I feel for his vocal cords on this one.

7) Terrible Love [Alternate Version] (High Violet expanded edition)
This is the most polished and cleaned up version of the song, and it probably should have been released on the main album. A real treat to hear live.

6) Mistaken for Strangers (Boxer)
The first single from Boxer. Gloomy, but upbeat. Also serves as the title for the upcoming documentary about the band, which I am eagerly looking forward to seeing.

5) Bloodbuzz Ohio (High Violet)
An ode to the band's Ohio roots, perhaps (they are now in Brooklyn), this is an immensely catchy track. The best from High Violet.

4) All the Wine (Alligator)
It's no secret that Berninger likes to drink -- he seems to always have a bottle of wine on hand during concerts -- and this song is the perfect encapsulation of that feeling of invulnerability while drunk.

3) About Today (Cherry Tree EP)
Arguably the most depressing song in their catalog, but also among their most beautiful. Used to perfection in the 2011 film, Warrior.

2) Fake Empire (Boxer)
One of the great album openers, this is a slow burn that goes to a whole different level once the horns kick in. Probably the band's most popular song (it was used during Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign), and for good reason.

1) Mr. November (Alligator)
A popular live set closer, this is the song that is most fun to sing along to. A real fist pumper that became something of a rallying cry during the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election.




Thoughts on the guest post, readers? As always, share your opinions in the comments below.

Expect more The National the next few weekends, when I (Chris) will be sharing my favorites from each album, and obviously conclude with a look at their new album, Trouble Will Find Me.

By the way, if you want to contribute a guest post here on the blog, feel free to contact me, and we'll sort something out. My e-mail can be found in the About Me section above.

Favorite music from 2013 (6 of 6)

Another soundtrack special, enjoy! If you missed the soundtrack post I did in January, here's the link.




Album: Oblivion - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - M83



Overall, I found the album a bit samey. I loved the track below.

Favorite track:
Oblivion (feat. Susanne Sundfor)





Album: The Place Beyond the Pines (Original score by Mike Patton)



So so haunting.

Favorite tracks:
Che - Suicide (music from the trailer)
Snow Angel
Ninna Nanna Per Adulteri - Ennio Morricone





Album: The Great Gatsby soundtrack



You can currently stream The Great Gatsby soundtrack on NPR first listen. The album didn't quite live up to my expectations, a couple of tracks I'm enjoying.

Favorite tracks:
Young and Beautiful - Lana Del Rey
Love is Blindness - Jack White
No Church in the Wild - Kanye West and Jay-Z (trailer music)




Album: Secondhand Rapture – MS MR




From the Season 3 trailer of Game of Thrones. The track will feature on the new MS MR album, out May 14.

Bones - MS MR





Album: Trance soundtrack



Favorite tracks:
Sandman - Kirsty McGee
Hold My Hand - Unkle
Here It Comes - Emeli Sandé & Rick Smith





Album: Sound City: Real To Reel



Favorite track:
If I Were Me - Dave Grohl, Jessy Greene, Rami Jaffee & Jim Keltner






Album: Upstream Color (Original Motion Picture Score)



I love ambient.

Favorite tracks:
Leaves expanded may be prevailing blue mixed with yellow of the sand
Fearing That They Would Be Light-headed for Want of Food and Also Sleep
After soaking two years and then lying high six
The rays that stream through the shutter will be no longer available
A Low and Distant Sound Gradually Swelling and Increasing





Album: Warm Bodies soundtrack



Favorite tracks:
Shell Suite - Chad Valley
Patience - Guns N' Roses
Midnight City - M83
Runaway - The National
Be The Song - Foy Vance
Missing You - John Waite



Agree with the selections, or do you have other favorite tracks? Which new music are you listening to at the moment?
Next week, in anticipation for The National's new album out May 20, Eric shares his, Top 10 songs by The National, so be sure to stop by for that guest post.