Damn near the top of my list of most anticipated records of 2007 is the fourth full-length from The National. Topping 2005’s amazing Alligator would be no mean feat but I’m confident it can be done. The band has been holed up in the studio working on the the record and are aiming to have it out in March of next year, but just took a little time off for a bit of touring to get back out amongst the living again.

Information Leafblower interviewed Matt Berninger for DCist last week and they discussed the new record, touring, day jobs and the band’s apocryphal vendetta against Washington DC. San Diego City Beat also took a few minutes to talk to the band’s frontman.

And if you’re jonesing for some new National material – even if it’s not all new – head over to So Much Silence, where Kevin has ripped the b-side from their 7″ single for “Abel” and posted it online to help sustain you until next year. Nerd Litter also offers some live video footage of some of the new material as well as some MP3s from a 2003 Black Session and for my part, here’s the song they contributed to the CD accompanying the June issue of The Believer.

MP3: The National – “Minor Star Of Rome”

Tangentially – Devastations are an Australian band often compared to The National and who are signed to Brassland, the label co-founded by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of the aforementioned band. Conrad Standish’s vocals do indeed dwell in that same low, smoky regions as Matt Berninger and he has a similar way with an evocative phrase but the trio is more about the smoldering slow burn than their sort-of labelmates (both bands are on Beggars in Europe and The National used to be on Brassland in the US).

Their sophomore album Coal was released back in July and they’re currently on tour in North America with countrymen The Drones and New York’s Favourite Sons. That bill stops at the El Mocambo in Toronto this Saturday night, November 4. Sixeyes, a big booster of this band and co-sponsor of the tour has an interview with guitarist Tom Carlyon, who chooses to describe their sound as “tropical goth”. Hero Hill also scored some words with Carlyon.

MP3: Devastations – “Sex & Mayhem”
MySpace: Devastations

Noel Gallagher and Gem Archer of Oasis are booked for an acoustic show at the Danforth Music Hall for November 7 though Ticketmaster also makes mention of a film. But if you didn’t know about it and cared, you’re probably SOL cause that business is sold right out. Console yourself with this session Gallagher did for AOL’s Interface.

What better way to celebrate Hallowe’en than to stream the whole of Sufjan Stevens’ entire Songs For Christmas box set? It’s out November 21 but you can preorder it for cheaps at Insound. Tis the season!

Harold & Kumar 2 confirmed – BEST NEWS EVER.