Flirting with magnificence by breaking down boundaries often turns out to be a May-December romance in the world of music. Some are content with accolades in the press for one or two records, only barely brushing against the brilliance that lies just beneath the surface. This curse of critical acclaim has been mysteriously whisked away from Cincinatti-natives The National whose monumental 5th album, Boxer is set to be released on Beggars Banquet next month.

On the heels of a cacophony of excellent reviews for their last effort, Alligator, one would almost expect future records to veer towards the mainstream, to potentially forego the refrains of their first four releases. Color me thrilled, then, that there appears to be no sign of artifice whatsoever in this collection of songs. This is the confident product of five young men who have found themselves in the people they had become along the way. Boxer’s songs. individually and collectively, demonstrate, as simply as possible, what I think it must feel like to be able to share a haunting, dark secret without fear of repercussion. The National have come into an indelible understanding of the gifts they have been presented. The rhythmatic post-punk canvas melds layers of simple acoustic guitars over direct and honest vocals, violins and keyboards effortlessly wandering their way into warm basslines and hypnotic undertones.

If nothing else, Boxer has proven to me the first truly earth-shattering release of 2007 and may well serve to be the recording that catapults them past the barriers of mere critical acclaim into a place of importance held by very few among American rock bands. If Alligator was the fuse, then Boxer is the explosion heard around the world. I cannot recommend this album to you enough.

Listen to The National – “Fake Empire”

The National will be opening for The Arcade Fire on select dates. Check out their official website for more information. Pre-ordering is available from Amazon by clicking here.

Confirmed Dates for The National:

01 MAY: Atlanta, GA / ATLANTA CIVIC CENTER supporting Arcade Fire // Tickets >>
02 MAY: Asheville, NC / THOMAS WOLFE AUDITORIUM supporting Arcade Fire // Tickets >>
04 MAY: Washington, DC / DAR CONSTITUTION HALL supporting Arcade Fire // SOLD OUT
05 MAY: Upper Darby, PA / TOWER THEATER supporting Arcade Fire // SOLD OUT
07 MAY: New York, NY / UNITED PALACE THEATER supporting Arcade Fire // SOLD OUT
08 MAY: New York, NY / UNITED PALACE THEATER supporting Arcade Fire // SOLD OUT
09 MAY: New York, NY / RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL supporting Arcade Fire // SOLD OUT

22 MAY: London, UK / ASTORIA w/ Annuals // Tickets >>
23 MAY: Paris, FRANCE / LA MAROQUINERIE // Tickets Here >> or Here >> or Here >>
25 MAY: Berlin, GERMANY / MAGNET w/ Locas In Love // Tickets >>

28 MAY: New York, NY / BOWERY BALLROOM w/ The Broken West // SOLD OUT
29 MAY: New York, NY / BOWERY BALLROOM w/ Doveman // SOLD OUT
30 MAY: New York, NY / BOWERY BALLROOM w/ My Brightest Diamond // SOLD OUT
31 MAY: New York, NY / BOWERY BALLROOM w/ Elysian Fields // SOLD OUT
01 JUN: New York, NY / BOWERY BALLROOM w/ The Philistines Jr. // SOLD OUT

02 JUN: PHILADELPHIA, PA / JOHNNY BRENDA’S w/ Shapes And Sizes
04 JUN: MONTREAL, CANADA / CABARET JUSTE POUR RIRE w/ Shapes And Sizes
05 JUN: TORONTO, CANADA / OPERA HOUSE w/ Shapes And Sizes
06 JUN: DETROIT, MI / MAGIC STICK w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic
07 JUN: CHICAGO, IL / METRO w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic
08 JUN: MINNEAPOLIS, MN / 400 BAR w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic
09 JUN: MADISON, WI / HIGH NOON SALOON w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic
11 JUN: ST LOUIS, MO / DUCK ROOM w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic
12 JUN: LOUISVILLE, KY / HEADLINERS w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic
13 JUN: ATLANTA, GA / THE EARL w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic
14 JUN: MANCHESTER, TN / BONNAROO MUSIC FESTIVAL // Tickets >>
15 JUN: CINCINNATI, OH / 20TH CENTURY THEATER w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic
16 JUN: COLUMBUS, OH / THE BASEMENT w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic
18 JUN: CLEVELAND, OH / BEACHLAND BALLROOM w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic
19 JUN: PITTSBURGH, PA / REX THEATER w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic
20 JUN: WASHINGTON DC / 9:30 CLUB w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic
21 JUN: BOSTON, MA / MIDDLE EAST DOWNSTAIRS w/ Shapes And Sizes + Talkdemonic

25 JUN: SAN DIEGO, CA / CASBAH w/ The Broken West
26 JUN: LOS ANGELES, CA / EL REY THEATER w/ The Broken West
27 JUN: SAN FRANCISCO, CA / BIMBO’S 365 CLUB w/ The Broken West
28 JUN: PORTLAND, OR / BERBATIS PAN w/ The Broken West
29 JUN: VANCOUVER, CANADA / RICHARDS ON RICHARDS w/ The Broken West
30 JUN: SEATTLE, WA / NEUMOS w/ The Broken West