Just listened to Alligator and Boxer back to back and there is simply no denying this. High Violet may make me spooge.

i completely agree. pretty much my favorite band right now, and has been for the past 4 years.

i need high violet like i need my next meal

it feels like their progression from decent indie band to a fucking beast of a band was so quick...

i don't really get them. mr. november is a good song though.

Best American band at the moment.

Deny. But they are certainly in the conversation.

They aren't bad, but the voice of their lead singer,Matt Berninger, starts to bother me a bit after a while.
I wouldn't travel long distance to see these guys, but I'd certainly make an effort to see them if they made a stop in my area.

I'll deny it.

They're boring.

Yes, I've listened to them.

Its interesting how this mantle gets thrown around. On this board we've anointed Wilco, DBT, and Hold Steady the same.

They're pretty damn good, but lack sometimes fire.

But sure, that's what they're going for: subdued.

THOUGH, if you lack fire, for me, you can only be so good.

That said, they are the best modern Obner-appreciated band going (off the top of my head).

The National are far, far superior to all of the above. Not even in the same universe.

Who would you choose Yail?

You like to say silly things. The National is pretty much in exactly the same league as those bands.

What about the Wreeeeeeens!?!?!

pretty sure y'all were saying this about spoon just a little while ago. and my morning jacket a while before that.

and Drinky is right, they are all in exactly the same league. it's a good league though, so hey.

personally I place the national and wilco up at the top. DBT are just below and hold steady, although I love that band, aren't as elite as the rest in this bunch.

And spoon? While I love me some spoon, I never did understand all the "best band everrr!!" hype that spoon gets around here.

But as I say, this is IMO. No 2 of us are going to feel the same way about every band. For example, I place Destroyer up there with the national and wilco, and I doubt there are many other obners that would rank destroyer the same.

well, destroyer is CANAGDIGANIAN...so they can't be best american band...unless you're talking North America...

Best American Band: Grand Funk Railroad motherfucker!

It's makes every bit as much sense as making the same claim about The National. They're a good band, don't get me wrong, but how in the holy hell does anybody ever get this excited about them?

And I don't really like the DBTs or The Hold Steady very much (or at all, in the case of the latter), but I still consider them to be on the same "level" as Wilco, The National, and Spoon. And you could throw My Morning Jacket, Modest Mouse, and Built to Spill up there, too, I think. Good, current bands with established careers and fanbases, some degree of mainstream appeal, and at least arguable artistic merit even if they aren't doing anything groundbreaking. There are more, too. I'm not trying to limit it to just those. They're all in more or less the same "league".

Drinky, I'm agreeing with you way too much these days. I think we both may need to take a break from the internet.

nice way to casually lump bands into some stupid league.

The League of Extraordinary American Bands?

Spoon/Wilco/Flaming Lips/The National/MMJ

The Walkmen aren't that far behind.

Rads, I'm agreeing with you way too much these days. I think I may need to go off into the woods for a while.

Look out, he's got a graph!

I'm pretty sure Jim James has more awesomeness than The National, but that's just my opinion.

I'm also in the Drinky/Rads camp on this one, that viewpoint actually features some common sense.