The National

The National are an American indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and based in Brooklyn, New York. The band is built around vocalist Matt Berninger and two pairs of brothers — guitarists Aaron and Bryce Dessner, and bassist Scott Devendorf and drummer Bryan Devendorf. Their music is characterised by Berninger's baritone voice and literary lyrics — often concerning adult anxiety, alcohol, failure, and longing — set against increasingly sophisticated arrangements that draw from chamber music, post-punk, and minimalist composition. Their 2005 album Alligator and 2007's Boxer established them as one of the most critically respected American bands of their generation. High Violet (2010) brought commercial success alongside the critical praise, debuting at number three in the US and producing the widely celebrated single Bloodbuzz Ohio. Trouble Will Find Me (2013) and Sleep Well Beast (2017), which won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album, further cemented their position. I Am Easy To Find (2019), an ambitious collaboration with director Mike Mills featuring vocalists including Sharon Van Etten and Lisa Hannigan, was accompanied by a short film of the same name. Beyond their own recordings, the Dessner brothers have been extraordinarily prolific collaborators — producing records for Taylor Swift (Folklore, Evermore), Bon Iver, and many others, and co-founding the Eaux Claires and Big Red Machine projects. The National remain one of the most consistently acclaimed and influential bands of their era.