Skip to main content

So, That New National Podcast!

As you may know - if you are as big of a National fan as I am -  that there is a new podcast dedicated to dissecting each song the band has ever done. It's called "Coffee and Flowers" per the line in "Conversation 16" and I became aware of the podcast last year when they followed me (and my equally National-enthralled sister) on Instagram. Egads! They just went live with their first season, covering the band's masterpiece, "Boxer." 


At first the idea seemed a bit odd to me, but as we know, there are podcasts that serve every purpose now. So why shouldn't this be a thing? The National are a good enough band! Not just good enough - they are AMAZING and probably one of the best mainstream rock bands at the moment (as if you needed me to say this.) 

I listened to the majority of Season 1 last night and I have to share - it's pretty great. Despite I often differ from the hosts in my interpretations of the songs (isn't that the beauty of art?) the interviews with Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, Jonathan Ames (FIONA APPLE ALERT), and Carin Bessner as well as the shared experiences of appreciating an insanely talented band and their music ... it's special! I, for example, didn't realize that "Boxer" came from a place of desperation. But apparently the band was not in a fantastic place when they were putting together the album. Which seems kind of "duh" now, especially after analyzing the lyrics more closely. 

I'm extremely grateful for the hosts to putting together this podcast, for The National for being rad enough to participate, and recommend giving it a listen. It's pretty easy to get through and the hosts tend to talk fast - but I find this Karmic reparation for my lifelong history of talking like an auction dealer. :D 

Now, my favorite song off "Boxer" -






Comments

Popular posts from this blog

"Mon Soleil" - Ashley Park

If there's anything people take away from my piss-poor legacy, I hope it's what a huge, unabashed fan of "Emily in Paris" I am and will continue to be. People love "90 Day Fiancee," "The Bachelor," and other garbage - allow me "Emily," which is at least harmless, kind of goofy fluff (which does, unfortunately, lean into some stereotypes, as the country of Ukraine knows ). I have already watched Season 2 twice. And honestly my favorite part of this show (despite my crush on Camille Razart and Lily Collins channeling Audrey Hepburn hardcore ) is Ashley Park. This woman has superstar written all over her. She's a bona fide Broadway star, and "Emily in Paris" has served as her pivot into the zeitgeist.  "Emily in Paris" is also showcasing her vocal prowess front and center this season, with her covering BTS, "All By Myself," "Sympathtique," and Marilyn Monroe. But the real standout performance is th

"Anchors" - AM Higgins

Here's a nice breezy, almost sensual song from AM Higgins (the solo project of musician Annie Toth) to start your Tuesday off right.  Her debut album "Hymning" will be out November 5th on Victorialand Records. The album was mixed by Casey Foubert, a frequent collaborator of Sufjan Stevens. The album "captures the first years of moving from an American city to rural France." Sounds like "Hymning" will be a welcome escape from the world we live in right now, especially considering that Annie Toth counts poets Mary Oliver and Thomas Merton as influences.

Summer Playlist - 2022 Edition!

 It's truly the little things in life that make a world of difference. And for me, that means my summer playlist! Behold, I have put together 2022's edition. It includes cuts from artists like: - Mitski - Uffie - Johnny Orlando - Kylie Minogue + Jessie Ware - Florence and the Machine (who put out a fantastic album this year after a long dry spell of kind of "meh" records. Her pairing with Jack Antonoff worked out quite well!)  - Bilal - Harry Styles (he has some catchy music!)  - KATE BUSH DUH - And of course, Lana. It's also available on Apple Music, but since I recognize a lot of folks use Spotify, here's that link. Enjoy!