mind your music: the national

Hello, everyone! It's Jenna finally! i started a new job and applied to several graduates schools, so i hope you'll excuse my absence. Stacie has been patient with my tardiness and so now i will reward you all with a post to die for! ... i'm kidding of course. However, i am excited to share one of my absolutely favoritest bands - The National.

Who Are They: Originally hailing from Ohio, the five guy ensemble has been around for some time, often writing and playing around regular day jobs. The National's years and maturity show, with incredibly powerful and intelligent lyrics. They have a familiar yet unique sound, and there's something poetic and touching about every note.

Favorite Songs: i love all of The National's albums, each one perfect on its' own and yet somehow increasingly better as the years go by. Their lyrics are so much more than what may come at first listen, and the aesthetic is something weighty and extravagant. The music has a very large and lonely sound ... It's beautiful. i especially love Alligator's "City Middle" and "Mr. November" and their new album High Violet's "England".

Mr. November

Makes Me Think Of/ Feels Like: Anything that leaves you feeling open and abandoned - driving down highways at sunset, empty starry nights over quietly humming cities, the cool cut of the ocean on your lungs, love, sorrow.

Photographic Genius By: Cool Hand Luke,David Wallace, Damien Rayuela, and Tony Katai i highly recommend them. i rarely hear music that leaves me as wistful and aware of the world about me as The National . And i always appreciate things that make me pause and just breathe.

England

And i'm especially excited because i will get to see The National as well as about a dozen other bands live at Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL this August! My friend and i went last year and there were over 200,000 people. It was such a fun experience! i'll be sure to feature more bands i'm actually going to see in the coming week and take lots of wonderful photos while i'm there ... even if i do have to smuggle my D90 in past the front gate (there's no "professional equipment" allowed). i leave you with happy Lolla photos from 2009 ... if you're in the area, you should definitely go! Until next week!

- Jenna -