Indie rock band The National are reissuing their first three releases, The National, Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers and Cherry Tree. They were remastered at Abbey Road Studios and will be released on February 26, 2021 by 4AD. 

Members of The National’s Cherry Tree fan community can buy limited edition colored vinyls of those remasters, their latest album I Am Easy to Find and their recently remastered album High Violet (2010). There’s some Cherry Tree exclusive merch as well. CDs and black vinyls will also be sold there and made available to everyone through 4AD’s site. The reissues will also be available digitally.

This year, The National were planning on playing several festivals and a few other tour dates that all had to be cancelled due to COVID-19. They were able to release a cover of INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart” before lockdown, but have since been releasing music, collaborating with other artists and appearing separately for virtual concerts. Vocalist Matt Berninger put out his debut solo album in October, called Serpentine Prison. Aaron Dessner collaborated with R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe on Stipe’s latest song “No Time Fo Love Like Now” and both Dessner brothers contributed to Taylor Swift’s latest album, Folklore.

The National Track List:

1. Beautiful Head
2. Cold Girl Fever
3. The Perfect Song
4. American Mary
5. Son
6. Pay For Me
7. Bitters & Absolut
8. John’s Star
9. Watching You Well
10. Theory Of The Crows
11. 29 Years
12. Anna Freud

The National originally came out July 2, 2001 on band members Aaron and Bryce Dessner’s own Brassland record label. Part of the reason these albums are being reissued is in celebration of the album’s 20th anniversary. It’s a debut notedly influenced by groundbreaking indie bands Pavement and Silver Jews, but still has plenty of The National’s own sound already.

Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers Track List:

1. Cardinal Song
2. Slipping Husband
3. 90-Mile Water Wall
4. It Never Happened
5. Murder Me Rachael
6. Thirsty
7. Available
8. Sugar Wife
9. Trophy Wife
10. Fashion Coat
11. Patterns Of Fairytales
12. Lucky You

Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers was fairly similar stylistically but a more ambitious follow-up, originally released on September 2, 2003 via Brassland. It was more critically acclaimed, with Pitchfork calling it a “gorgeous train wreck” and Uncut calling it “a genuine treasure.”

Cherry Tree Track List:

1. Wasp Nest
2. All The Wine
3. All Dolled-Up In Straps
4. Cherry Tree
5. About Today
6. Murder Me Rachael (Live)
7. Reasonable Man (I Don’t Mind)
   

Cherry Tree, their first EP, was also originally released through Brassland on July 20, 2004. It shows the band transitioning from the Americana-tinged indie style of their first two albums to the lusher style they became known for starting with 2005’s breakout Alligator LP. 

Photo credit: Sharon Alagna