A few words about The National and Langhorne Slim

The National has a new album called "Alligator" coming out next Tuesday, April 12. I've heard it all the way through about 13 times now and it is a masterpiece. If you are in the NYC area you should definitely stop by their CD release party at Supreme Trading in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on the 12th. The party starts around 8:00 and the band will play a short set at 9:00. See them live NOW. The albums are great, but the band live is something to behold. They'll be touring in Europe for the rest of April and May and will be on the West Coast in June.

It took me quite a while to decide whether I loved or hated Langhorne Slim. Not because he isn't an extraordinarily gifted musician and performer, he is that and more, but because I didn't know whether to classify him as a purist or an opportunist. It wasn't until I met him briefly in person, bought an album off him and listened to it that my mind was made up. First, despite the ever-present Fedora, spiffy/scruffy attire and almost blasphemously downhome singing style, the man is not the cagey, alt-country weirdo I expected. Honestly, I don't know if I've ever had a nicer guy accidentally steal my seat and start reading my copy of the Village Voice, only to give them up moments later without my even having to ask. That Langhorne is a sweet kid. So I seized the opportunity to buy a copy of his album and listened to it the next day. It was so good it made me want to cry and shake my butt at the same time. I had only seen him play a few songs live with his guitar so I had no idea what to expect from a full album with additional instrumentation and production, but he pulls it off to marvelous effect. The songs are short, soulful, exquisitely composed, goofy and lovely all at once. And most of all, a pure love of music rises to the surface, so giddy and true that he makes a believer of you. So check Langhorne Slim out, cause this pup's got the goods...and the blues.