The National Tiny Desk Concert - NPR

I am not sure if I have posted before about the wonderful series of Tiny Desk Concerts over at NPR (National Public Radio). A very simple idea, get a band or artist to turn up in their offices and perform a short gig behind a desk! It's like MTV Unplugged without the staging and rehearsals.

In the promo blitz that The National are currently undertaking they have recorded a session which is now live on the NPR website.

The band played a short four song set of tunes from the new LP:

• This Is The Last Time
• I Need My Girl
• Pink Rabbits
• Sea of Love 

They are great stripped down acoustic version with the band in fine form.

You can watch the whole thing here:

http://www.npr.org/event/music/190382702/the-national-tiny-desk-concert?autoplay=true

You can download the audio directly here:

http://pd.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/asc/2013/06/20130610_asc_thenational.mp3?dl=1

Terrible Love Live - The National

The National performing Terrible Love on the Jimmy Fallon show. The band are looking lean and focussed and the guitars are wired and I love the brass.

The National New LP - High Violet

More details have been released about the new National LP High Violet which is released in the UK on the 11th May via 4AD records. I can't wait!

I have heard live versions of Bloodbuzz Ohio and Terrible Love and they both sound like classic brooding National masterpieces.

The track listing below:

High Violet

1. Terrible Love
2. Sorrow
3. Anyone’s Ghost
4. Little Faith
5. Afraid of Everyone
6. Bloodbuzz Ohio
7. Lemonworld
8. Runaway
9. Conversation 16
10. England
11. Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

The National - The Runway (Live on Q TV)

Wonderful new National tracked titled The Runway has arrived on youtube via Q TV. It's graceful, aching, hushed, whisky bruised and deep rooted in melancholy. I can’t wait for the new LP on the back of this. The fragile beauty of the track looks like it’s going to be a classic!