New York-via-Ohio quintet, The National, have announced the release of their new album, Boxer, out worldwide May 21st and in the US May 22nd (BBQ CD252/DL252/LP252).

Boxer:
1. Fake Empire
2. Mistaken For Strangers
3. Brainy
4. Squalor Victoria
5. Green Gloves
6. Slow Show
7. Apartment Story
8. Start A War
9. Guest Room
10. Racing Like A Pro
11. Ada
12. Gospel

A single precedes the album: ‘Mistaken For Strangers’ (BBQ 405/CD/DL) is out in the UK 30th April on CD, download and 7”, backed with ‘Blank Slate’ and ‘Santa Clara’.

The band take to the road for the following dates:

May 22 LONDON Astoria
May 23 PARIS La Maroquinerie
May 25 BERLIN Magnet
May 28 NEW YORK Bowery Ballroom (with The Broken West)
May 29 NEW YORK Bowery Ballroom (with Doveman)
May 30 NEW YORK Bowery Ballroom (with My Brightest Diamond)
May 31 NEW YORK Bowery Ballroom (with Elysian Fields)
Jun 02 PHILADELPHIA Johnny Brendas
Jun 04 MONTREAL Cabaret
Jun 05 TORONTO Opera House
Jun 06 DETROIT Magic Stick
Jun 07 CHICAGO Metro
Jun 08 MINNEAPOLIS 400 Bar
Jun 09 MADISON TBA
Jun 11 ST LOUIS Duck Room
Jun 12 LOUISVILLE Headliners
Jun 13 ATLANTA The Earl
Jun 14 MANCHESTER (US) Bonnaroo Music Festival
Jun 15 CINCINNATI 20th Century Theater
Jun 16 COLUMBUS The Basement
Jun 18 CLEVELAND Beachland Ballroom
Jun 19 PITTSBURGH Rex Theater
Jun 20 WASHINGTON DC 9:30 Club
Jun 21 BOSTON Middle East Downstairs
Jun 25 SAN DIEGO Casbah
Jun 26 LOS ANGELES El Rey Theater
Jun 27 SAN FRANCISCO Bimbos 365 Club
Jun 28 PORTLAND Berbatis Pan
Jun 29 VANCOUVER Richards On Richard
Jun 30 SEATTLE Neumos

The National‘s Matt Berninger recently spoke to Pitchfork about “the year past and the near future”. Click here to read more.

Visit the official site here.

The National played a handful of live dates in the U.S. in October to showcase new material and are now hard at work recording their second album for Beggars Banquet, the follow up to 'Alligator'. The new album is expected in Spring 2007.

The National make a brief return to the UK in May... playing shows with Editors and their own show at Koko in London, supported by new signings, Devastations.

As a little taster we've also got a couple of live videos from their last tour to show you, so head on over to our video page.

Click here to Listen to tracks from Alligator, Watch the videos and download Bonus material!

The National have confirmed the following UK dates:

Sun 28 May - Glasgow Academy*
Mon 29 May - Manchester Apollo*
Tue 30 May - London Brixton Academy*
Wed 31 May - London Koko

* supporting the Editors

The National have been voted the 2nd best band in America by 20 top music bloggers. Coming in just behind Sufjan Stevens, The National won the judges over with their superb album "Alligator":

There is no better band in the US today than these five (and sometimes six) boys from Columbus, OH. Alligator is --start to finish-- the best, most complete album of the year. - Music for Robots

Seeing this act live will convert even the uninitiated. Watching so much pathos on display is almost draining, but then the chorus of "Mr. November" kicks in and the only thing you can do is bang your head. - 5500

Perhaps the most underrated band in America. - Central Village

See full top 40 on Information Leafblower

To coincide with The National's forthcoming UK and European tour with Film School a new version of 'Lit Up' will be available on CD Single and to Download on the 14th November.

The dates are:

To coincide with The National's appearance at Reading and Leeds festivals last weekend, the band have remixed 'Secret Meeting' from the recent album 'Alligator, for release exclusively as a download single from Mon 29th August. Also included is a stunning live version of 'The Geese Of Beverly Road' taken from the Black Session recorded by Radio Inter in France.

BUY THE SINGLE HERE

If that isn't enough to keep fans of The National happy until the band return to the UK and Europe for further live dates in November/December, we also have a unique video for 'Daughters Of The Soho Riots', shot in Paris by longstanding band associate, Mathieu Saura.

WATCH THE VIDEO

The National's new single 'Secret Meeting'/'The Geese Of Beverly Road (Live)' will be available for download via www.beggars.com on Monday the 29th of August 2005, following the band's performance at the Reading and Leeds festivals on the 26th and 27th of August.

Lead track 'Secret Meeting' is a new remixed version of the 'Alligator' album favourite, while other album gem 'The Geese Of Beverly Road' was recorded live at a recent Black Session for Radio France Inter in Paris.

The National are currently playing a series of sold out shows in mainland Europe and will be headlining the following shows in the UK and Ireland in November:

Hurrah! The National are back in Europe in July and August for an incredible run of major festival action, plus they'll be doing some club shows in Italy.

July
2 - Belfort, France : Les Eurockeennes Festival
6 - Ravenna, Italy : Hana-Bi - Marina di Ravenna
7 - Varese, Italy : Ponderosa Music Club - Castelsepro
8 - Rome, Italy : ZooBar
9 - Lecce, Italy : Sound Res Festival
10 - Salerno, Italy : La Volpe e L'uva
11 - L'Aquila, Italy : Festa del Unita - Zona Farfinello
12 - Vasto, Italy : Luna Plena
13 - Izola, Slovenia : TBA
15 - Vienna, Austria : Forestglade Festival
16 - Dornstadt, Germany : Obstwiesenfestival
17 - Salzburg, Austria : Rockhouse
23 - Correze, France : Chateau de Sedieres

August
12 - Saint-Malo, France : La Route du Rock Festival
19 - Hasselt, Belgium : Pukkelpop Festival
26 - Reading Festival, UK
27 - Leeds Festival, UK