The National - A Skin, A Night (DVD) / The Virginia EP

Fans of The National will think all their birthdays have come at once with the band’s latest delivery: a double disc set comprising a collection of demos, live cuts and b-sides, and Vincent Moon’s acclaimed documentary on the band. The latter is the one that will pull you under the water. Few other films have so effectively captured the loneliness and sense of detachment of life on the road. As disconnected, largely monochrome images flitter across the screen, band members answer questions in voiceover rather than appearing on camera. The effect produced by the coupling of the band’s songs and oblique, strangely angled shots of blurred buildings and empty dressing rooms is as hypnotic as a strobe light; half the time you feel as if you are floating through someone else’s dreams. On the other side of the box, there is plenty to explore on The Virginia EP. Matt Derringer has a voice as rich and dark as treacle dripping off a spoon, most notably on the brilliant ‘Blank Slate’ and a cover of Springsteen’s ‘Mansion On The Hill’. Excellent. Ross Thompson

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Like this? Why not check out these other documentaries? Rockumentaries, if you will…

Pixies - loudQUIETloud
Oddly depressing film of the band’s reunion tour lifted out of the mire by belter live performances.

Sigur Rós – Heima
Beautiful footage of an otherworldly Iceland perfectly complements the band’s epic, inspirational sound. As much a piece of visual art as it is a music video.

Radiohead – Meeting People Is Easy
By turns moving, frightening and funny, Grant Gee’s startling documentary caught the band on the verge of implosion just as their career was exploding.

Issue #50 - The Power To Know

Featuring The Top 50 NI Songs of Our Lifetime, The Streets, Deerhoof, Seasick Steve, Fucked Up, Garth Ennis and more.