Concertwire.com

The National create darkly serious, literate and lush music. Formed in Brooklyn by friends from Ohio, the band is vocalist Matt Berninger; guitarist Scott Devendorf and his drummer brother Bryan; bassist Aaron Dessner and his guitarist brother Bryce. The band has recruited a number of horn, strings and keyboard players for its albums including regular keyboardist and strings arranger Padma Newsome (Clogs). The National’s music is not easy to describe, but it’s very easy to listen to. They find ways to combine the expressive depth of composed music with the urgency of pop. A product of dedicated labor, happenstance, and alchemical reactions, the music reveals new layers with each successive listen. The National sound like no one so much as themselves: a meditative rumble that starts in the heart, gets caught in the brain, and resonates outward. For many of us, it’s an ideal soundtrack to get lost in. With the highly anticipated release of the follow up to their highly acclaimed record, Boxer, due this May, the National will present their first performance of 2010 at Big Ears, debuting material from the new record and more.