The National (album)
The National is the debut studio album by American indie rock band the National, released on October 30, 2001, on Brassland Records. Recorded prior to guitarist Bryce Dessner's full arrival into the band, The National was produced by both Nick Lloyd and the band itself. Now-bass guitarist Scott Devendorf performs both guitar and backing vocals on this album, with guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Aaron Dessner on bass guitar and guitar duties.
| The National | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 30, 2001 | |||
| Recorded | Gretchen's Kitchen, Brooklyn; Gretchen's Pantry, New Haven | |||
| Length | 43:51 | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Label | Brassland | |||
| Producer | The National, Nick Lloyd | |||
| The National chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Pitchfork | 6.6/10[2] |
The album features a more country-tinged sound in comparison to future albums. Lyrics from "29 Years" would later be used in "Slow Show" from the band's 2007 album, Boxer.
Background and recording
The album features guest contributions from then forthcoming member Bryce Dessner, with his brother Aaron noting, "When we recorded [the album], my brother wasn't even in the band. We made the record before we ever played a show. We did it just to do it."[3]
Artwork
The album's front cover features drummer Bryan Devendorf in a swimming pool.
Track listing
All tracks are written by the National
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Beautiful Head" | 3:08 |
| 2. | "Cold Girl Fever" | 4:06 |
| 3. | "The Perfect Song" | 3:15 |
| 4. | "American Mary" | 4:03 |
| 5. | "Son" | 5:20 |
| 6. | "Pay for Me" | 3:23 |
| 7. | "Bitters & Absolut" | 4:00 |
| 8. | "John's Star" | 3:05 |
| 9. | "Watching You Well" | 3:02 |
| 10. | "Theory of the Crows" | 4:37 |
| 11. | "29 Years" | 2:50 |
| 12. | "Anna Freud" | 3:09 |
Personnel
The National
- Matt Berninger - lead vocals
- Scott Devendorf - guitar, backing vocals
- Aaron Dessner - bass guitar, guitar
- Bryan Devendorf - drums
Additional musicians
- Mike Brewer
- Nathalie Jonas
- Nick Lloyd
- Jeff Salem
Recording personnel
- Nick Lloyd - producer, recording, mixing
- Mike Brewer - pre-production
- Jeff Salem - pre-production
- Ue Nastasi - mastering
Artwork
- Mauricio Carey - photography
- Pope Rathman - photography
Charts
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[4] | 133 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[5] | 65 |
References
- MacNeil, Jason. "The National – The National". AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- Nickey, Jason (October 14, 2001). "The National: The National". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- "30 Bands Joining Van's Warped Tour Lineup in 2014". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 2018-07-31.
- "Ultratop.be – The National – The National" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
- "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 6, 2021.