The National are a Brooklyn-based indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger in a distinctive baritone. The rest of the band is composed of two pairs of brothers: Aaron and Bryce Dessner and Scott and Bryan Devendorf. Aaron plays guitar, bass and piano, Bryce plays guitar, Scott plays bass and guitar, and Bryan is the drummer. Padma Newsome, from sister band Clogs, often contributes strings, keyboards, and other arrangements and instrumental flourishes. The band's influences range from Bruce Springsteen to Joy Division.
In 1991, Matt Berninger and Scott Devendorf met while attending the University of Cincinnati. There they met Mike Brewer, Casey Reas, and Jeff Salem to make the lo-fi garage band Nancy, which was named after Matt's mother. The band was together for five years, but only released one album, titled 3429 Ruther, on Wife Records. The group slowly dissolved when Matt, Scott, Jeff and Casey moved to Brooklyn.
Bryan, Bryce and Aaron were childhood friends who played in several bands together over the years. When their last effort Project Nim broke up in 1998, they joined Matt and Scott in Brooklyn via the Devendorf relationship.
When the band was formed in 1999, it was called The National (although the domain name of the band's website is americanmary.com because, according to Matt Berninger in an interview with Better Propaganda, "[i]t's a song off our first record. We never thought of changing the (website) name, although we should have.") Several of the members continued to work day jobs throughout the early years, including being involved in New York's dot-com boom in the late 1990s.
Albums
* The National (Brassland Records, October 30, 2001)
* Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers (Brassland Records, September 2, 2003)
* Alligator (Beggars Banquet, April 12, 2005)
* Boxer (Beggars Banquet, May 22, 2007) U.S. #68[18]
* High Violet (4AD, May 10, 2010)
EPs
* Cherry Tree EP (Brassland Records, July 20, 2004)
* The Virginia EP (Beggars Banquet, May 20, 2008)
Singles
* "Abel" (Beggars Banquet, March 14, 2005)
* "Secret Meeting" (Beggars Banquet, August 29, 2005)
* "Lit Up" (Beggars Banquet, November 14, 2005)
* "Mistaken for Strangers" (Beggars Banquet, April 30, 2007)
* "Apartment Story" (Beggars Banquet, November 5, 2007)
* "Fake Empire" (Beggars Banquet, June 23, 2008)
* "Bloodbuzz Ohio" (4AD, May 3, 2010)
* "Anyone's Ghost" (4AD, June 28, 2010)
Film and home video
* A Skin, a Night, a film by Vincent Moon (Beggars Banquet, May 20, 2008)
Official band website
MySpace
