This love runs deep.

Just when you thought you loved The National more than life, you learn to love them more.

How?

First things first: Matt Berninger is sporting a golden beard that puts all other beards to shame. It's undeniably mysterious and magnificent. What? It is. Shave your faces, men ... you cannot compete with this.


Second: High Violet dropping May 11.

The just released High Violet track list:

01 Terrible Love
02 Sorrow
03 Anyone’s Ghost
04 Little Faith
05 Afraid of Everyone
06 Bloodbuzz Ohio
07 Lemonworld
08 Runaway
09 Conversation 16
10 England
11 Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

You can pop over to Stereogum and piece together the new album here.*

And finally: touring, touring, touring. It's hard to truly LOVE a band if you can't see them live. The National is gracing the West Coast with a few shows -- if you can find one that is not sold out.

This love runs deep. Real deep.


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* While you are there, get a sneak peak of The Hold Steady's new album and watch a video of Spoon covering Wolf Parade's "Modern World." And then be VERY, VERY jealous that I am going to see Spoon and Deerhunter in Salt Lake City tonight.