If you missed The National at Berbati's Pan this past summer, trust us on this: you really missed them. The by-way-of-Ohio Brooklynites put on what is for them a typically impassioned live show to a sold-out house. But here's the good part: The National returns to Portland tomorrow night, playing the Crystal Ballroom as part of a seemingly never-ending tour in support of this year's Boxer release, an effort marked by its literate edge and quiet intensity. Sure, it's a Monday night (and it looks to be a rainy one at that), but its no stretch when we tell you that your life needs this band. Oh, and when you go, you'll want to get there early so as not to miss opener Annie Clark, the one-woman band known as St. Vincent. After graduating from ensemble casts in the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens' collective, Clark released her impressively-assured debut Marry Me this summer on the Beggar's label. After a string of solo dates opening for John Vanderslice earlier this year, she's assembled a band behind her to allow for more fleshed out, true to the recording live versions of her songs. Alternately coy and quirky, fiery and subdued, Clark's music delivers on complexity that is belied by her innocent looks. Also this week, Charles Thompson IV aka Frank Black has reverted to his Pixies incarnation for his latest, Bluefinger. The album is easily his most straight-forward rock effort since mid-90's output like Teenager of the Year and follows a string of rootsy, dusty road releases in recent years with his band The Catholics. Black Francis plays TWO nights at the Doug Fir in Portland beginning tomorrow night, before going on to Eugene's WOW Hall this coming Friday. Also this week: Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs with Sea Wolf (Doug Fir, Thursday); The Weakerthans (Hawthorne Theater, Thursday); John Butler Trio (Andina, Friday); Jose Gonzalez with Tiny Vipers (Aladdin Theater, Friday); and Nellie McKay (Shedd Institute in Eugene, Friday). Plus new releases this Tuesday from Bruce Springsteen, P.J. Harvey, J.J. Cale, The Sadies, and more. MP3: Rogue Wave, from Asleep at Heaven's Gate- "Lake Michigan" MP3: The National, from Boxer- "Fake Empire" MP3: St. Vincent, from Marry Me- "Now. Now" MP3: A.A. Bondy, from American Hearts- "There's a Reason" PLAYLIST

Posted by jpetersen on Sunday, September 30 at 9:06pm