Apartment Story
Encyclopedia
"Apartment Story" is a song by Brooklyn
-based indie rock band The National
from their fourth studio album, Boxer
. The song was released on November 5, 2007 as the album's second single. The single's B-side
is "Mansion on the Hill," originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen
on his 1982 album Nebraska
. The band's cover version was recorded live on January 14, 2006 at the opening night of that year's New York Guitar Festival.
The band performed "Apartment Story" at MTV
's Times Square
studio on May 19, 2007 as part of the channel's Human Giant
24-hour marathon special. The band also performed the song on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
on September 26, 2007.
In November 2007, Q
featured "Apartment Story" in their list of 50 Essential Downloads. A month later, the song ranked #5 on Gigwises "Top 50 Singles of 2007" list.
writer Rob Sheffield
said of the song, "[W]hen [Matt] Berninger murmurs, 'We'll stay inside till somebody finds us,' it's both romantic and terrifying, and the drums kick it all the way home." Jamie Harper of MusicOMH
described the song as "moody but beautiful. Laced with melody, but understated." Tom Milway of Drowned in Sound
said it "hits the listener with another distinctive and expertly performed drum line courtesy of Bryan Devendorf," and called the song "another radio-friendly slice of The National."
On the other hand, David Moore of Gigwise.com
said that "after about ten plays it creates a personality for itself and you start to get it, but ten times is a lot." He added that the song "works much better inside the album than it does a stand alone track." However, Moore did note that as an introduction to the band, "it's a perfect place to start."
for "Apartment Story" was directed by Banner Gwin, and was released in September 2007. Filmed in the basement of a church a few blocks from Berninger's Brooklyn apartment, the video features the band's friends and family as extras. Berninger said the band "wanted to capture the sweet but awkward vibe of a wedding reception or singles mixer." He described the video as "something between John Hughes and Krzysztof Kieslowski
."
The video is reminiscent of the Boxer
cover photo, which depicts the band performing at producer Peter Katis
's wedding. "Apartment Story" ranked #14 on Stereogum
's "50 Best Videos of 2007" list.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
-based indie rock band The National
The National (band)
The National is an indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger, a baritone...
from their fourth studio album, Boxer
Boxer (album)
Boxer is the fourth studio album by Brooklyn-based indie rock band The National. It was released on May 22, 2007 by Beggars Banquet Records, and has since sold over 300,000 copies worldwide. The album features a guest performance by Sufjan Stevens on "Ada" and "Racing Like a Pro" and backing vocals...
. The song was released on November 5, 2007 as the album's second single. The single's B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
is "Mansion on the Hill," originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
on his 1982 album Nebraska
Nebraska (album)
-Themes:The album begins with "Nebraska", a first-person narrative based on the true story of 19-year-old spree killer Charles Starkweather and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, and ends with "Reason to Believe", a complex narrative that renders its title phrase into contemptuous sarcasm...
. The band's cover version was recorded live on January 14, 2006 at the opening night of that year's New York Guitar Festival.
The band performed "Apartment Story" at MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
studio on May 19, 2007 as part of the channel's Human Giant
Human Giant
Human Giant is a sketch comedy show on MTV, starring writer/performers Aziz Ansari, Rob Huebel, Paul Scheer and directed primarily by Jason Woliner.The show has completed two seasons. The status of a third season is unknown...
24-hour marathon special. The band also performed the song on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is a Peabody Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson, the third regular host of the Late Late Show franchise, follows Late Show with David Letterman in the CBS late-night lineup...
on September 26, 2007.
In November 2007, Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
featured "Apartment Story" in their list of 50 Essential Downloads. A month later, the song ranked #5 on Gigwises "Top 50 Singles of 2007" list.
Reception
"Apartment Story" received generally positive reviews by music critics. Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
writer Rob Sheffield
Rob Sheffield
Rob Sheffield is an American music journalist and author. He is currently a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, writing music reviews and essays on pop culture. Prior to that, he was a contributing editor at Blender before the print version of the magazine folded in 2009, and at Spin...
said of the song, "[W]hen [Matt] Berninger murmurs, 'We'll stay inside till somebody finds us,' it's both romantic and terrifying, and the drums kick it all the way home." Jamie Harper of MusicOMH
MusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
described the song as "moody but beautiful. Laced with melody, but understated." Tom Milway of Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
said it "hits the listener with another distinctive and expertly performed drum line courtesy of Bryan Devendorf," and called the song "another radio-friendly slice of The National."
On the other hand, David Moore of Gigwise.com
Gigwise.com
Gigwise.com is an online music magazine that features music news, photos, album reviews, music festivals, concert tickets, and a community forum. Founded in 2001, the magazine is based in the United Kingdom....
said that "after about ten plays it creates a personality for itself and you start to get it, but ten times is a lot." He added that the song "works much better inside the album than it does a stand alone track." However, Moore did note that as an introduction to the band, "it's a perfect place to start."
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Apartment Story" was directed by Banner Gwin, and was released in September 2007. Filmed in the basement of a church a few blocks from Berninger's Brooklyn apartment, the video features the band's friends and family as extras. Berninger said the band "wanted to capture the sweet but awkward vibe of a wedding reception or singles mixer." He described the video as "something between John Hughes and Krzysztof Kieslowski
Krzysztof Kieslowski
Krzysztof Kieślowski was an Academy Award nominated influential Polish film director and screenwriter, known internationally for The Double Life of Veronique and his film cycles The Decalogue and Three Colors.-Early life:...
."
The video is reminiscent of the Boxer
Boxer (album)
Boxer is the fourth studio album by Brooklyn-based indie rock band The National. It was released on May 22, 2007 by Beggars Banquet Records, and has since sold over 300,000 copies worldwide. The album features a guest performance by Sufjan Stevens on "Ada" and "Racing Like a Pro" and backing vocals...
cover photo, which depicts the band performing at producer Peter Katis
Peter Katis
Peter Katis is an American record producer, engineer, mixer and musician.Working primarily out of his own residential studio in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Katis is best known for producing alternative and indie rock bands, especially for Fat Cat Records.-Biography:Katis attended New Canaan Country...
's wedding. "Apartment Story" ranked #14 on Stereogum
Stereogum
Stereogum was one of the first MP3 blogs. It was created by Scott Lapatine in January 2002 with a focus on independent and alternative music news, downloads, videos, and gossip. Stereogum has received several awards and citations, including the 2008 Plug Award for best music blog, Blender's...
's "50 Best Videos of 2007" list.
Track listing
UK 7" vinyl (BBQ 407)- "Apartment Story" – 3:44
- "Mansion on the Hill" (Live) – 4:36