Listen and download: The National's new single 'Bloodbuzz Ohio'

Being "carried / to Ohio in a swarm of bees" sounds much less pleasant than being "carried in the arms of cheerleaders," but the The National's new track "Bloodbuzz Ohio" is a winner all around. Listen and download below.

The track is the first single from the band's "High Violet," their fifth full-length out on May 11 on 4AD. Unlike "Terrible Love," the album's opener that they debuted on a public scale on "Jimmy Fallon" a couple weeks ago, there's no slow burn intro, no easing into this hot tub: it's power and volume from the first pound of drums.

Still, though, pay attention to the building of the cymbals at the end of the choruses, like warning sirens driving past your apartment -- you almost expect the Doppler Effect thereafter. Then, for example, at 1:01, toward the second half of the verse structures, the notes take that little step up then surrender to the inevitable diminish. See, even with the size of the sound there's still subtlety to be had. 

Berninger's sorrow-filled, dark voice seems to be waxing nostaligic on the places you're from, on knowing but not wanting to be known in the place you're from, perhaps wishing the opposite.

"Bloodbuzz Ohio" will be released as a 7" single is out May 4 and will also boast an exclusive B-side, "Sin-Eaters."

I got a gander originally of the song at the Brooklyn-by-way-of-Ohio band's tiny show at the Bell House a couple weeks ago; you can check out the review here.