Featured on The National-curated Dark Was the Night AIDS benefit compilation is the lovely “So Far Around the Bend”. We haven’t heard much from The National since their incredible Boxer LP in 2007, but “So Far” is the perfect place to catch up.
Matt Berninger’s token baritone hums like before, bright piano and light horns instantly gratify in their familiarity, and as always (my favorite indie-rock drummer) Bryan Devendorf beats along like a heartbeat giving the track its life. Berninger shows his mastery of poetics as he weaves peculiar imagery and blunt statements into one another seamlessly. The song is about a “serious lady living off a teacup full of cherries,” she’s “praying for Pavement to get back together.” She’s supposed to go somewhere, but will not be leaving New York City. This perfectly serene song makes me miss this woman I never knew, and Berninger’s nostalgic undertone makes me miss a place I’ve never been.
The National – “So Far Around The Bend”
