Video: The National – “Eucalyptus”

Directed by Chris Sgroi. From First Two Pages Of Frankenstein, out April 28 on 4AD.

At this point every time the National releases something new, we have to ask if it would’ve made a better Taylor Swift song, right? In this case, I think it was the correct decision to keep it for themselves. If Taylor’s going to write a divorce anthem she’s not going to argue about divvying up the Cowboy Junkies and Afghan Whigs records.

Matt Berninger says, “Throughout the record there’s a lot of looking into the abyss and wondering if a relationship has run its course. ‘Eucalyptus’ is about a couple splitting up their possessions after a breakup — like, ‘What are we going to do with the spring water we get delivered, what’s going to happen to all these plants?’ It’s about all those little things you end up having to think about when you’ve become so connected to someone.”

It’s still weird to me that this band is as famous as they are. I like them fine, and I think “Bloodbuzz Ohio” is one of the great songs of its era, but what I like is rarely a good barometer of determining whether or not something will be popular. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯