Last spring, I had the joy of seeing the National open for the Arcade Fire in Washington DC. I've been to enough concerts in my life to have low expectations for opening bands. I'd heard of the National, but I had no idea that they were one of the best bands in America until I saw this show and later bought Alligator and Boxer.
The first song they played that night was "Start A War", which immediately got me thinking this band was a great replacement for Wilco. I'm not saying that Wilco's Sky Blue Sky is a bad album, I'm just saying Boxer is the album they would have done if they continued down the experimental path that gave us Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is Born. I see Sky Blue Sky as a pleasent listen for a Sunday afternoon once in a while; I see Boxer as a masterpiece I'll be playing for my kids in 30 years.
If you love albums about urban alienation that are equally beautiful and terrifying, its tough to beat this one. They've got a singer who sounds like a cross between Ian Curtis and Tom Waits, they have understated guitarists who can also write rock hooks, they have a drummer who even pounds on piano ballads, and they aren't afraid to use orchestral instruments. What else can you ask for?
Please, enjoy this band before they start playing Volkswagon commercials too...
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