The National

Here is the second video from hipster megastars The National's really great album High Violet. The Tom Berninger directed video is actually for the alternate version of "Terrible Love" and gives off a pretty strong stars-are-just-like-us vibe that would make US Weekly jealous. Not only do we see frontman Matt Berninger taking part in the common man's patented air hump, but we also see the entire group getting frisked by security. The National try on racoon hats, use escalators, get all existential on a banana and practice karate chops in the mirror just like us. As for their bowling careers? Thankfully there are sold out shows and critically acclaimed albums to fall back on.   [via pitchfork]

The National certainly don't seem to be skimping on their promotional duties. Just a couple days after releasing their insanely great new album High Violet, and the subsequent Berninger heavy music video for Bloodbuzz Ohio, the band made a pit stop over at The Late Show with David Letterman where they performed the track Afraid Of Everyone. Always ones for authenticity, the band brought their friend Sufjan Stevens along to replicate his backup vocals from the album version. The tune itself is another nice brooding song that builds into a frenetic climax, or as other people call it "every National song ever".   [via the audio perv]

I don't think this footage of The National is meant to serve as any sort of official video or anything but it should borderline be entered in short film contests because it really is just beautiful. The video is part of a new special presentation being done by Pitchfork.tv featuring the Brooklyn based band playing some tunes off their awesome new album High Violet in an abandoned castle overlooking the Hudson River. In fact this same castle was used in Gus Van Sant's painfully dull Last Days. 

Anyhoo, the special presentation is being billed as a multi-part series so it only makes sense that they kick off the awesome with Terrible Love, the opening track on the new album. The video was directed by Pitchfork.tv's own RJ Bentler, with mixing and engineering from David Tolomei and cinematography by Ray Concepcion. I felt that was worth mentioning considering the high quality product in front of you.

We'll definitely be posting the other parts to this special presentation as they are made available, especially if they are all this awesome. High Violet will be released May 11th.