The National, Yeasayer, Plants and Animals

A band transplanted from Cincinnati to New York after their formation in 1999, The National have spent the last several years touring behind their independent, critically acclaimed 2005 debut, Alligator. The album won them an ever-growing fan base as evidenced by hundreds of MySpace pages and frequent concert sing-along’s. Self-admittedly, The National’s music is not easy to describe but is easy to listen to, described as “an anecdote for uneasy times”.

An indie rock band with a string section (dubbed “Orch-Pop”) and self-deprecating lyrics, The National’s new album, Boxer, intertwines lyrics about love and war, money and office life. Gothic in it’s detailing but jaunty in it’s execution, Boxer finds ways to combine the expressive depth of composed music with the urgency of pop. We are glad to welcome The National to Rumsey Playfield in the heart of Central Park.

Channeling Talking Heads and Bryan Eno, Yeasayer pays homage to world music instincts and primitive sounds by creating gripping compositions, unusual instrumentation, and addictive chants. Touring throughout the US and Europe, the Brooklyn natives have shared the stage with MGMT and Man Man. Their debut album, All Hour Cymbals features singles, “Sunrise” and “2080.”

With haunting harmonies and intensity reminiscent of Queen, Plants and Animals hail from Montreal with their unique brand of folkish pop songs sprinkled with darkness. Their songs cogently depict the pain of being human. Their debut album, Parc Avenue features singles, “Bye, Bye, Bye,” “Faerie Dance” and “Feedback in the Field.” With an audience spanning Canada, Europe, America and Iceland, Plants and Animals, tamed their ravenous fans with with/avec EP which was released in Canada, while fans impatiently awaited the release of Parc Avenue.