Interview with + story on The National
I talked to Scott Devendorf of The National and wrote a preview piece for their Oct. 3 show at The Ryman in Nashville. An excerpt:
As most National fans will tell you, falling in love with their catalog is not unlike committing to a long-term relationship. There’s drama. There’s frustration. There’s compromise, uncertainty and moments of starry-eyed infatuation. On your first date, you just see this tall, rakish, strawberry-blond poet and his Ivy League friends, all of whom seem to be blood-related one way or another. They’re smart and they’re impressive, but you can’t quite get comfortable around them yet, and you feel like you might end up disappointed. Maybe you were pretty heartbroken when Silver Jews broke up, and, truth be told, you never really got over Guided by Voices. Your friends tried to set you up with Interpol, but we all know that didn’t go well at all. Well, I’m here to tell you something: If you haven’t already, go home with The National. They’re the real deal. You’ll be moving in with ‘em before you know it.
