If you just happen to be glancing through this blog for the first time you might begin to wonder why I always write about The National. You might even think that you should stop reading because this person is crazy and only talks about one band when the blog itself pretends to be about music as a whole. For these reasons, I'd like to explain why I write so much about one band.
It's very difficult for me to be critical. I started this blog because I wanted to have some writing tucked away somewhere in case one day I apply to Rolling Stone and they ask me how often I write. I wanted to be able to tell them that I write nearly everyday - and here's the proof! Initially I thought it would be fantastic to literally be a music critic and review albums, concerts, etc. Lately, I realize that I am not equipped to do that (actually I think I am much more than others but emotionally I'm not good at it). The only things that really makes me passionate enough to sit down and write entire articles or posts are those songs or artists that I absolutely love. I'm rather young - or at least still a novice - so I'm trying to get over the gushing phase of writing about an artist I admantly admire but I do all my research before I brace a topic and go from there. To be honest, I'm probably not the greatest music writer in the universe because I never think objectively. I'm biased and a gigantic, loving fan of what I write about. I'm much better at writing about other things but that's also why music writing is so much more fun - it's the challenge added to the passion that equals the only thing I ever really feel like writing about (or talking about for that matter).
The National, of course, is the personification of everything I just said. They are the ultimate band that is so perfect it's almost as if the particles of everything I love in my brain came together and created them specifically for me to listen to. When I'm at work and put on a Youtube video of one of their recent performances, I get so riled up I immediately run over here and write a rambling, bumbling essay about how incredible they are and how I can't stop listening to Matt Berninger's voice. I work alone in a very large building so the companionship I get from music and video while at work is even more important. With The National, I never have to be critical or insensitive to someone's art - I always know I'll love it and I want anyone reading or passing by my blog to be a part of the greatness. To be honest as well, I like championing other people's artistic endeavors much more than my own. I'm able to write here, what I love doing more than anything, and yet also have the comfort of knowing it's the music people are coming to find, it's not my writing specifically, so the pressure is slightly off me.
ANYWAY, this was all brought on from this video:
Watching it just now brought memories of Radio City Music Hall to the front of my mind and this song particularly was a highlight for me that night. It's my favorite off High Violet and so incredibly different and emotionally charged that I have yet to get even a little tired of it. Every time I listen I expect the eerie feeling to finally wear off and it never does - the sign of a great song.
After watching that video I thought to myself, why do I suddenly feel like writing now when I had planned to write a Todd Rundgren post that I haven't had the energy to finish? Why do I always have to write about the same thing? It was driving me crazy so I figured I'd just get it out of my system and write about my feelings instead of trying to sound professional.
Thanks for reading.
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