With the limelight focused on the over-analyzed (guilty am I) and (some say) undeserving Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, it's easy to overlook that other New York band, the National. It's easy to forget that CYHSY is opening for the National on an upcoming U.S. tour, and not the reverse.

But for some who don't get CYHSY and see a Pitchfork power play in all of the attention dedicated to an unsigned band, the National have become heroes. For an example of this, I'd recommend reading Deviated Septum's passionate "The National vs. The Clap."

The gist of Marnie's argument: The people who are driving the buzz surrounding CYHSY, namely Pitchfork, are doing so just for the glory of breaking a band. It happened with Broken Social Scene, then the Arcade Fire, and now it's CYHSY. In the rush to claim responsibility for sold out shows and mainstream media praise, the fact that the National are a better band (at this stage) with a better album (Alligator) has been lost.

I agree that Pitchfork has become obsessed with itself and its star-making influence. I also agree that the National are a better band *currently* and Alligator is a much more pleasing album. But it's my opinion that the majority of love given to CYHSY is genuine. I am baffled by the intensity of praise for CYHSY, but I can't question the motivation behind it.

More on the National & CYHSY:

- Read Deviated Septum's review of Alligator
- Download the National live on KEXP, ripped by Welcome to the M!dwest.
- Alternate Tuning on the CYHSY hype and backlash.