The National - Boxer (gray) (rock)

Melancholic, commanding, and bittersweet — Boxer captures The National at a turning point: more layered, more emotionally raw, and more expansive than ever. The album unfolds slowly, letting dark introspection surge into orchestral heights, anchored by stoic lyricism and a visceral tension between vulnerability and detachment.

This version is the 10th Anniversary Special Edition from Vinyl Me, Please (cat. E111 variant), pressed on gray vinyl and includes a bonus clear 7" single (featuring two tracks previewing Sleep Well Beast), plus an art-print insert and lyric sheet. The sound is lush, the packaging deluxe—designed for both longtime fans and vinyl lovers who appreciate nuance and craftsmanship. Discogs

Label / Edition: Beggars Banquet / Vinyl Me, Please (10th Anniversary reissue, club/retail exclusive) Discogs
Released: Originally 2007; this special reissue released in 2017 as part of VMP’s monthly club series Discogs

Track Highlights:

• “Fake Empire” — iconic opening; minimal chords swell into grand emotional reveal. Discogs

• “Mistaken for Strangers” — a plea wrapped in urgency, with resonant guitar lines that ache. Discogs

• “Slow Show” — perhaps the album’s emotional center: tender, raw, built on tension and release.