High Violet ~ CD ~ The National

High Violet, the new album from Brooklyn band The National, is their 1st for the famed 4AD label. As astonishingly powerful record, the music on High Violet is wide-ranging in its moods: by turns intimate & rough, expansive & spare, full of stark angles & atmosphere. A melodic, explosive & beautiful set of songs that finds The National at the height of their collaborative career. It features guest appearances from Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Sufjan Stevens & Richard Reed Parry (The Arcade Fire), amongst others. Biography The National formed in 1999 & are composed of 2 pairs of brothers: Aaron (guitar, bass, piano) & Bryce (guitar) Dessner & Scott (bass, guitar) & Bryan (drums) Devendorf, with lead singer Matt Berninger the man possessed of that distinctive, hauntingly deep baritone voice. High Violet is their 5th studio album, following their self-titled 2001 debut & it’s 2003 follow-up, Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers, both released on the band’s own Brassland Records. Among many other interesting things the band has been up to - touring with REM, for example - the Dessner brothers curated the brilliant Dark Was The Night compilation, benefitting the Red Hot Organization.