Format
- HWY001CDCD £8.00
National
National
back in stock at a cheaper price the national make sturdy american music the sort of stuff that's built out of solid songs radioready hooks and tasteful efficient arrangements the cd's earnest straightahead material is often countryflavoured but it can also evoke '80's rock anthems matt berninger sings of the heart's travails in a sensitive manly way that recalls fellow romantics like nick cave and leonard cohen he's equally adept at packing a slew of words into a single vocal phrase or milking a single word for dramatic effect the guitarbassdrums lineup is nicely abetted by the occasional piano line or synth flourish there isn't room for surprise or eccentricity on this album everything here is completely worked out and professionally crafted but that's one reason this disc will appeal to people with a taste for wellmade rock