Their last record was better, but this year’s The Boxer earned the National their place as band of choice for the rueful, aging
rocker set. Soaked in bourbon and melancholy, the songs on
The Boxer are about avoidance: avoiding adulthood, avoiding
isolation, avoiding the real world and its wars between nations and
between lovers. With his distinctive, haunting baritone, singer Matt
Berninger leads what’s essentially an intellectual bar band that
even your coworkers who shop at Pottery Barn would like. (Showbox at
the Market, 1426 First Ave, 628-3151. 8 pm, $15 adv/$18 DOS, all
ages.)