The National

The National is a veteran indie rock band that came out of the New York garage revival scene in the early '00s along with bands like The Strokes. They have been fairly consistent through the years in terms of the quality of their output, as well as their overall sound and feel, in a way that is similar to Spoon and Wilco. Their music can be characterized by their smart and effective songwriting as well as the tightness of their ensemble. The defining sound of the band is no doubt the dour baritone of the singer Matt Berninger and his exceptionally calm and in-control delivery. He can be a force of nature as a vocalist and may be single-handedly responsible for the overall sense of gloom that permeates the band's music, which is surprisingly not that easy to glean once one listens past the vocals to the extent that it is possible to do so.