I wasn’t incredibly quick to latch on to The National, but I wasn’t painfully slow either. It was the third album, Alligator (2005) that got me to sit up and pay attention. The next few years, as far as I’m concerned, they were damn near untouchable and could merit a mention as being the best and most significant alt-rock act on the planet. Boxer (2007) and High Violet (2010) are exceptional listens.
I’ve not been fully on board with any of the five albums since then, but strangely enough, all of them have brought greater sales and much bigger audiences than from the days when I would go and seem them in mid-sized concert venues in Glasgow.
The 2010 tour for High Violet saw them at the Academy, a 2,500 capacity venue on the south side of the city, one that had previously served time as a cinema and bingo hall. The 2023 tour for The First Two Pages of Frankenstein was held at the 14,300 capacity and purpose-built Hydro in the heart of the city’s entertainment/exhibition area. Being a great live band, I can guess that the latter show was exceptional, but having caught them playing in Manchester the previous year when it turned into a mass sing-a-long for the most part, I preferred to sit at home with my memories of when the audience primarily went along to watch and listen….unless requested to join in by the band during the near a cappella encore.
This growth in popularity over the years means that I could get a reasonable amount of money if I was to look to sell a copy of a 7″single, on purple vinyl, from the High Violet era. Not a huge amount, but certainly, even allowing for inflation, an increase on what I paid for it over the counter at the time
mp3: The National – Terrible Love (alternative version)
Ah….a different recording from that which is on the album. Still don’t think it was an obvious choice for a single. It didn’t trouble the charts.
The b-side was an otherwise unavailable song
mp3: The National – You Were A Kindness
It’s the sort of slow, languid number the band had been increasingly edging towards at the time. If you like Matt Berninger‘s voice (and I do!!) then it will appeal. There’s not too much of a tune driving it on.
JC
PS : Come back later on today for a Bonus Post featuring a chance to win some vinyl.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
High Violet was such a …erm… high point that I doubt they are ever going to top it, however hard they try.
I generally try to avoid joining in with the “I prefer their earlier stuff” debates, but I’m with you on The National, JC. I’m glad they continue to enjoy the success they do, but I also feel like I’m missing something when I listen to their more recent offerings.