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The Virginia EP is the latest offering from Brooklyn based band The National. However before you get too excited, this isn’t so much a release of new material, but instead a re-packaging of b-sides, rarities and live performances from the past few years.
The good news... the 12 tracks give you an insight into the band and the songwriting that delivered one of 2007’s finest albums, Boxer. The first three studio tracks belie their b-side status, all could have been singles in their own right. Opener 'You’ve Done It Again, Virginia' barely misses a step from Boxer, Matt Berninger’s vocals as baritone as ever and working in perfectly with the accompanying strings and horns.
The demo of ‘Slow Show’ is fascinating. This presents the track in a darker guise than the final studio version. It also demonstrates the bands mastery of their craft - the ‘Slow Show’ demo on offer here was fused with the track ‘29’ from their debut to make the version that eventually appeared on Boxer.
The crowning moment however is the live performance of ‘About Today’. The sense of loss that this track evokes is only heightened on the live stage, providing a truly moving 8 minute epic.
I’m going to finish with the not so good news... the EP comes with an hour long movie by Vincent Moon which tracks The National prior to the release of Boxer. The cinematography is stunning and the few fragments from their live shows are interesting... however as a friend said to me recently, in real life The National may be one of the most boring bunch of chaps you’ll ever meet. This movie confirms that.
Stick to the music lads. That’s what makes this release essential.
Essential Tracks
You’ve Done It Again, Virginia
Blank Slate
About Today (live)
Full Track Listing
1. You've Done it Again, Virginia (3:09)
2. Santa Clara (4:05)
3. Blank Slate (3:15)
4. Tall Saint (3:44)
5. Without Permission (3:37)
6. Forever After Days (3:01)
7. Rest of Years (3:40)
8. Slow Show (3:28)
9. Lucky You (3:56)
10. Mansion on the Hill (live) (4:38)
11. Fake Empire (live) (3:41)
12. About Today (live) (8:25)
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