The National

[Banana Co]

Not so much for me...

Slow Show, Apartment Story, About Today, Abel, Mr November, Vandlerlyle Cry Baby

[Vanderlyle]

Those are just as amazing but I thought that Bloodbuzz Ohio is a good one to get started. The others are a few off a huge list.

[Banana Co]

Yeah. Bloodbuzz is a good summary of them. I tend to prefer the even more slower, melancholic songs. Ones that Matt clearly wrote after a few bottles of brandy. Daughters of the Soho Riots, Afraid of Everyone... love em.

[Vanderlyle]

So how many people have become converted fans in the last two weeks?

[JT436]

So how many people have become converted fans in the last two weeks?

[therefused]

Me, massively.

220 or so plays on my LastFm now, absolutely LOVING them! Especially Alligator... I've still not got round to listening to their first 2 albums though, 'cos they're not on spotify :S. Think I'll just go and buy them instead... How would you say they compare to the others? And do they still play anything from them live?

[kaosmark2]

Me, massively.

220 or so plays on my LastFm now, absolutely LOVING them! Especially Alligator... I've still not got round to listening to their first 2 albums though, 'cos they're not on spotify :S. Think I'll just go and buy them instead... How would you say they compare to the others? And do they still play anything from them live?

[Banana Co]

Not as good as their last 3, decent, but not particularly special.

They play some songs from them live, but not many. I would be quite surprised if they played more than 1, maybe 2 pre-Alligator songs at their relatively short non-headlining festival set.

[kaytee...]

I'm actually more excited to see these now more than anyone else. Been wanting to see them for ages now so they better not let me down, although judging by their previous performances its looks as though they're gonna be fecking immense

[MEGABOWL]

Absolutely superb at Glastonbury last year, especially as the mid-afternoon scorching sunshine didn't seem the obvious environment for them. Got no doubts about them pulling it off at Reading. One of the main reasons I've decided to get tickets.

[kaosmark2]

They should get an hour. They are technically subbing.

[Vanderlyle]

Me, massively.

220 or so plays on my LastFm now, absolutely LOVING them! Especially Alligator... I've still not got round to listening to their first 2 albums though, 'cos they're not on spotify :S. Think I'll just go and buy them instead... How would you say they compare to the others? And do they still play anything from them live?

[Straight_Outta_Trumpton]

My favourite song by the National:

So full of angst

[PaulDavis]

I've been listening to one of their songs 'England', i'm beggining to fall in love with the band (well that song) can anyone else recommend anyother of their songs for me to check out too?

They seem like a proper chill out band just before the Strokes

[Banana Co]

I've been listening to one of their songs 'England', i'm beggining to fall in love with the band (well that song) can anyone else recommend anyother of their songs for me to check out too?

They seem like a proper chill out band just before the Strokes

[Vanderlyle]

I've been listening to one of their songs 'England', i'm beggining to fall in love with the band (well that song) can anyone else recommend anyother of their songs for me to check out too?

They seem like a proper chill out band just before the Strokes

[Banana Co]

It goes like this for me;

Alligator

High Violet

Boxer

Songs For Dirty Lovers

Cherry Tree

The National

To be honest they are all f**king amazing.

[rexclark]

The more I'm listening to them, the more I can't wait to see them again. They were a real surprise at Glastonbury last year and I can't wait to see them again.

[sjp_121]

These are gonna be my band of the weekend. I can tell. God they are so bloody good

[sweet and tender hooligan]

Have seen them multiple times in the last year and never dissapointed. It's a pity the BBC version of Squalor Victoria isn't on youtube (although some other footage may be) i.e the song in which Matt made it to the sound desk. He likes to go walkabout and I'd be suprised if he stayed on the stage at Reading/Leeds. I love that they still won't give him a radio mike though...

Their set lists are pretty static even for their own shows. Have only seen them do a couple from Sad Songs in the last year (Lucky You and Available/Cardinal Song both of which were absolutely stunning) and they only tend to do a couple from Alligator (Abel and Mr November). Would be very suprised if the Reading/Leeds setlist wasn't very similar to the one you get a glimpse of in the Mr November video above i.e very heavy on High Violet with Fake Empire, Slow Show, Squalor Victoria, Mistaken For Strangers from Boxer.

Given that they've toured High Violet to death for the last 18 months I'd be very suprised to see them play in the UK after this for a couple of years (by their own admittance they're very slow at making albums and have multiple side projects going on) so I'm quite tempted to get a ticket for Saturday even though I'm seeing the Edinburgh warm up show a couple of days before.

[mrtourette]

Given that they've toured High Violet to death for the last 18 months I'd be very suprised to see them play in the UK after this for a couple of years (by their own admittance they're very slow at making albums and have multiple side projects going on) so I'm quite tempted to get a ticket for Saturday even though I'm seeing the Edinburgh warm up show a couple of days before.

[Bradders]

I'd say Alligator was their best, by a whisker from Boxer and High Violet, which I can't seperate. Not many bands have released 3 consinstently loved albums without any coming out a clear favourite.

[robsadler]

I can't really believe that so many music fans have not heard of the national.

great, great band which will pull off 3rd with absolute ease.

i also can't believe someone mentioned magnetic man as an alternative. are you 15 or just deaf? give them more than 30 seconds of your time or maybe wait 10 years and then listen to them. you probably find the beatles, david bowie and bob dylan boring too. right......i'm going to listen to some dubstep in my bedroom.

i do love reading and leeds and there are always loads of bands and artists of various genres for me to have a blast to all weekend but what is it with kids and their inability to listen to music that is not fast/heavy/bassy without being bored?! variety is the spice of life!

[Banana Co]

I can't really believe that so many music fans have not heard of the national.

great, great band which will pull off 3rd with absolute ease.

i also can't believe someone mentioned magnetic man as an alternative. are you 15 or just deaf? give them more than 30 seconds of your time or maybe wait 10 years and then listen to them. you probably find the beatles, david bowie and bob dylan boring too. right......i'm going to listen to some dubstep in my bedroom.

i do love reading and leeds and there are always loads of bands and artists of various genres for me to have a blast to all weekend but what is it with kids and their inability to listen to music that is not fast/heavy/bassy without being bored?! variety is the spice of life!

[Banana Co]

The National could do an Arcade Fire (but not on that scale) and they could become pretty big after this year of festivals.