Among critics and fans, The National has quietly and steadily built up a large, avid listenership over the years. The band’s music is unpretentiously poetic – their songs reveal themselves gradually but surely, building to the inevitable moment when they hit you in the gut. The albums Alligator and Boxer are just brilliant works of art. With High Violet, The National release their third masterpiece in a row. The National are giving faith to anyone who has become disillusioned with indie music. High Violet is another batch of cement to further supplement The National’s already unshakable concrete career. Their songs are exceptionally crafted, gorgeously composed and live on stage they are remarkably rendered by a band that might just be among the very best in the US nowadays.