Me: The National, I think because they released Alligator at the time I was obsessed with Pitchfork and they only gave it a 7.9. I also got the impression that they were ultimately just a pop band with delusions of grandeur, trying to do the whole Arcade Fire thing like everyone else at the time. This may or may not have been an idea put in my head by the slightly ropey album cover. Now, although I like a lot of what they do, there's still a slight reluctance to really embrace them.

Also, because Spoon had featured on the OC soundtrack, I assumed they were just another indie-lite boy band a la Death Cab. Plus, "My Mathematical Mind", which was the song from Gimme Fiction that everyone was going on about, really isn't that great. I'm giving them another chance now though, firstly on the basis that everyone's raving about Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, and secondly to see if I can get into them by the time their London gig comes around next month.