WeallknowtheBoxer.Thefighterwhorememberseveryglovebutstillremains.Thatgrisly,bruisedAmericanallegorywhosomehowgetsupmoretimesthanhe’sknockeddown.ThisisthefightthatnearlybrokeTheNational.Theonethatallowedthemtobecomechampions.Releasedin2007,TheNational’sfourthfull-lengthalbumistheonethatsavedthem.Forfans,Boxerisaprofoundpersonalmeditationontheunmagnificentlivesofadults,anelegantculminationoftheirsophisticatedsongwriting,andthefirstNationalalbummanyfellinlovewith.Fortheband,Boxersymbolizesanobsession,ayears-longstruggle,alovestory,afinalgive-it-everything-you’ve-gotefforttokeeptheirfantasyofbeingarealrockbandalive.Basedonextensiveoriginalinterviewswiththefighterswhowereintheringandthespectatorswhowitnesseditunfold,RyanPinkardobsessivelyreconstructsatransformativechapterinTheNational’sstory,revealinghowtheOhio-via-Brooklynfive-piecefoundthesound,success,andspiritualgrowthtoevolveintooneofthemostcriticallyacclaimedbandsoftheirtime.
