Sixeyes continues on his tear of fine postings with an interview with my current musical fixations, The National. Singer Matt Berninger talks to Alan about the band’s creative process and admits The National is a pretty bad band name.

I’ve griped at length about how I’m missing their September 18 show at the Horseshoe but just to rub salt in the wound, I just realized that I could have seen tham at SxSW back in March – I was maybe two blocks away from where they were playing and didn’t have anything else going on at that time… Curses. Anyone and everyone who’s in town that weekend – go see them. Yeah, you’ll have to hoof it from Exhibition Place to the Horseshoe (’cause you WILL be at Ear To The Ground, right? C’mon – Sleater-Kinney!) and maybe there’s a little less hipster draw now that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah aren’t on the bill, but I am betting the show will own, regardless.

Additional National content I’ve come across since my last National post – the video for “Abel”, off of Alligator, and a a couple of MP3s, again courtesy of Sixeyes – there’s more at the end of the interview:

MP3: The National – “All The Wine”

MP3: The National – “Murder Me Rachael”

Video: The National – “Abel” (Quicktime)

More good shows coming our way in October and November – I saw 18 shows in those two months last year. I don’t think I could go for a repeat, it’s not humanly possible. Anyway – Rob Dickinson, ex of Catherine Wheel, will be at the Horseshoe October 7 in support of his solo debut Fresh Wine For The Horses, out September 13 – Torr has a couple tracks available to download. CW were always abnormally popular in Toronto – and have been known to hang out in Hernando’s Hideaway, just up the street from my building, enjoying a big-as-your-head burrito or Mexican flag enchiladas. True. Tickets are $15.50, expect this one to be sold out lickety split.

Austin-via-Brooklyn’s Calla are at the ‘Shoe on November 2 ($10) to pimp Collisions, which is out September 27. I’ve always thought I should like Calla more than I seem to, on paper their hazy atmospheric rock would seem to be right up my alley. I had a copy of their last one, Televise, and it just never got played. The one track I’ve heard off Collisions sounded good – maybe I’ll have to give them another shot.

The American Analog Set will be at the Horseshoe on November 13. Their latest, Set Free, comes out September 20 on local uber-label Arts & Crafts. AmAnSet’s last Toronto show back in 2003 was one of the best I saw that year, for reasons I can’t fully articulate. It just FELT amazing. Attendance at this one is highly recommended, tickets are $12.

The UK’s Athlete are at the Opera House on September 19. They have the honour of possessing one of the lowest Metacritic scores for 2005. Impressive.

Finally, some tickets footnotes – ducats for The Posies’ October 3 show at Lee’s go on sale today for $15 and the October 10 Fiery Furnaces will go on sale Saturday for $16.50.

PopMatters. Sufjan.

Fountains Of Wayne give Paste five tips on how to choose a successful song to cover.

And speaking of covers, this shoegaze tribute album (see np) is pretty good. Andrew Kenney’s Spiritualized track is lovely.

np – various artists / Never Lose That Feeling Volume 1