Formed in 1999, Aaron and Bryce Dessner, Bryan and Scott Devendorf and Matt Berninger met in Cincinnati, but are currently based in Brooklyn, NY. Their 2005 release Alligator first brought them critical acclaim, while their latest album, High Violet, was just released in May 2010, and has been met with widespread acclaim as well. One of the more politically active bands, the Dressner brothers produced the recently released Dark Was the Night compilation featuring 31 tracks from various artists, with proceeds from the sale used by the Red Hot Organization, dedicated to helping those living with AIDS and HIV. Their most recent release, High Violet, has received universal acclaim and entered the billboard top 10 on it's release week. The National is currently on tour with international tour dates through the end of the year.