Insular

A weird post about the band The National that assigns some consequences to the band's success that I don't think there is any evidence for. For example:

...the ability of rock to comment on youthful experiences on the world, and the frustration, anger, confusion and emotional toll that come with it—areas rock has generally been one of the only vocal outlets for this demographic—is fading fast.

It is? Can the closing of such a large thematic door really be attributed to the modest success of such a self-regarding band? (To be clear, self-regard works for them.) More importantly, I'm pretty sure that listeners to all kinds of popular music have and will continue to relate to and interpret songs in ways never intended by the artists. Music is a niche business these days, and The National are a long way from leaving their niche despite all their merits. (Tynan's Anger)