November 2010
55 posts
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Blank Slate
The National
“Blank Slate” by The National
(image via last.fm)
“Blank Slate” is another track off The National’s collection of b-sides and rarities, The Virginia EP. This one’s more in the style of something like “Mistaken for Strangers”, with a quicker tempo.
The whole song is sort of monotonous, but the speed of the beat drives the song into a state of an internal crisis. It’s like there’s a frantic scene and you are standing there. You try to remain calm, but you’re not fixing anything by that.
And the lyrics have a weird stalker vibe: “Gonna tackle young girls off their beautiful bikes”, “I go out looking in parked cars/ For somebody famous to kidnap and love”. It’s like all these delusions are swimming around in his mind (“My head is a buzzing three-star hotel”), but he’s trying to circumvent them.
This one’s definitely one of my favourite non-LP track. The b-side to “Blank Slate” is “Keep It Upstairs”, and I’ll be sure to put it up soon too. That one has got a more layered sound, but it’s much less urgent-sounding, making it sound a tad more creepy.
You might recognize that image from the Boxer cover. I can’t remember where from, but I read a long time ago that this photo was taken at their producer’s actual wedding. So it looks old school, but it’s actually completely unstaged. Oh and the other thing I remember from the article was that that producer’s favourite National song was “Geese of Beverly”. Good man.
The Differences in Wing Tips/Brogues Styles
Styles
Short Wing
The classic design, with a pointed, perforated toe cap that runs along the sides, ending at the ball of the foot. Most other seams feature serrated edges and perforations as well.
Punched Cap Toe
First designed by John Lobb in 1937, the plain oxford lace-up has decorative perforations in the center of the toe cap and along the cap’s edge. Also known as half or semi-brogues.
Long Wing
The wings of the toe cap extend the full length of the shoe along the side. At times, known in the US as “English” brogues and in England as “American” brogues
