The National "First Two Pages of Frankenstein" (2023)

First Two Pages of Frankenstein

release date: Apr. 28, 2023

format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]

producer: The National

label: 4AD - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Once Upon a Poolside" (feat. Sufjan Stevens) - 2. "Eucalyptus" - 3. "New Order T-Shirt" - 4. "This Isn’t Helping" (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) - 5. "Tropic Morning News" - 6. "Alien" - 8. "Grease in Your Hair" - 10. "Your Mind Is Not Your Friend" (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) - 11. "Send for Me"

9th studio album by The National follows four years after I Am Easy to Find (Apr. 2019), and it's the band's first of two full-length studio albums in 2023. The album feature a long list of guest appearances, notably counting Sufjan Stevens (track #1), Phoebe Bridgers (tracks #4 & #10), and Taylor Swift (track #7), alongside an extensive number of performing artists.

The National don't stray much from their unique sound but still manage to turn out as a revitalised band, who has managed to incorporate small stylistic variations to their trademark of chamber riden melancholy.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Clash, Uncut 4 / 5, NME 5 / 5, 👍Pitchfork 6,6 / 10 stars ]

The National "I Am Easy to Find" (2019)

I Am Easy to Find

release date: May 17, 2019
format: cd (4AD0154CD)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: The National, Mike Mills
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "You Had Your Soul With You" - 2. "Quiet Light" - 5. "The Pull of You" - 10. "Not In Kansas" - 11. "So Far So Fast" - 14. "Rylan"
[ a short film "I Am Easy to Find" directed by producer Mike Mills ]

8th studio album by The National following the acclaimed Sleep Well Beast from 2017 follows closely with the same formula as the successor.
What appears as the most poignant new change to a rather strict soundscape is an inclusion of several featuring (female) vocalists including Gail Ann Dorsey (5 tracks), Lisa Hannigan (4 tracks), Kate Stables (3 tracks), Mina Tindle (1 track), and Sharon Van Etten (1 track). The album contains 17 tracks and has a running time just above 63 mins.
The National sounds like no other act around, and they play as a strong and well-balanced entity without adding much new to an already established sound and compositions, primarily by lyricist(s) Matt Berninger and / or Carin Besser together with composer(s) Aaron Dessner and / or Bryce Dessner that touch on the usual subjects about identity and (love) relations.
It's not bad. It's quite fine, and really not surprising in any way.
[ 👍allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, The Guardian, Mojo, NME, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

The National "Sleep Well Beast" (2017)

Sleep Well Beast
release date: Sep. 8, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,67]
producer: Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Nobody Else Will Be There" - 2. "Day I Die" - 4. "The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness" - 8. "I'll Still Destroy You" - 9. "Guilty Party" - 10. "Carin at the Liquor Store" - 12. "Sleep Well Beast"

7th studio album by The National, produced by the Dessner brothers follows nearly 4½ years after the fine Trouble Will Find Me (May 2013). Apparently, the album doesn't add much new to the band's well-known formula of a softer version of post-punk revival in combination with chamber pop, and it does start much like what could sound as a collection of left-overs from the 2013 album. But it only appears that way, 'cause it also reveals a slight twist / a new dimension to their sound, adding layers of synths, electronic sound effects, and drum programming to their familiar soundscape. It's done in a highly sophisticated manner, where the overall impression of a change of style isn't disrupted by obvious additions. The long list of additional brass and strings musicians also suggest a bolder chamber pop direction than the end result actually reveals, all because of intelligent layering and arrangements that support an idea - or: the whole picture.
The album may not contain a new "Bloodbuzz Ohio" or "I Need My Girl" but less will do, and I think, that the notion of 'less is more' really frames this album pretty neatly.
The quintet remains the same as The National has established from its second album out, but a few adjustments have seen the daylight since then, e.g. the entire band often used to be credited the various songs on their early albums, or the individual compositions had various songwriters from band members - mostly with vocalist Matt Berninger as songwriter, but with this, the majority of the songs have lyrics by Berninger and his wife Carin Besser [the 'Carin at the Liquor Store'?], and the music is mostly composed by the Dessner brothers, or just Aaron Dessner.
The album was generally met by positive reviews and it has become the band's internationally best-charting album to date topping the chart lists in countries such as Canada, Ireland, and the UK despite not performing as well as the band's former albums in the US. No less than five singles were released from this album with track #4 as first single - followed in order by tracks #9, #10, #2, and #8 with the first and the second as the best charting single releases.
What may appear as the grey and dull replica of former material has definitely turned out as a grower, imho. Recommended.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Q Magazine, Mojo, NME, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

The National "Trouble Will Find Me" (2013)

Trouble Will Find Me
release date: May 17, 2013
format: cd (CAD3315CD)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Aaron & Bryce Dessner; Marcus Paquin (assoc. pro.)
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "I Should Live in Salt" (4 / 5) (live) - 2. "Demons" - 3. "Don't Swallow the Cap" - 5. "Sea of Love" - 7. "This Is the Last Time" - 8. "Graceless" - 10. "I Need My Girl" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 12. "Pink Rabbits"

6th studio album by The National released three years after the fine High Violet now with the brothers Dessner in charge of production flanked by Marcus Paquin. The band follows an interval of a three-year period in between studio albums it appears, which may seem like a releatively long time but is perfectly acceptable when they come up with material like this.
The album is like a visit from an old friend. It's the collection of nice, energetic and heartfelt compositions, and it's a familiar blend of their pleasant well-known indie pop / chamber pop-style in the segment of alt. rock, and as always with the dark laid-back narrating voice of Matt Berninger, who (still) reminds me somewhat of Stuart Staples of Tindersticks. He has also been compared with Nick Cave, which I don't quite understand aside from somewhat similar narratives.
Yes, this is another fine album by The National, although, it may not be quite as high flying as High Violet (2010), imho, their so far best album, but it's definitely a recommended release, as well as a contender to their second best album overall.
[ allmusic.com, Spin 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, NME 4 / 5, The Guardian 5 / 5 stars ]

The National "High Violet" (2010)

High Violet
release date: May 10, 2010
format: 2lp vinyl (heavyweight repress) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: The National
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: A) 1. "Terrible Love" (live) - 2. "Sorrow" (5 / 5) - 3. "Anyone's Ghost" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - - B) 1. "Little Faith" - 3. "Bloodbuzz Ohio" (5 / 5) - - C) 1. "Lemonworld" - 3. "Conversation 16" - - D) 1. "England" - 2. "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks"

5th full-length studio album by The National follows three years after their acclaimed Boxer (May 2007) and it's the first to be produced exclusively by the band, as well as being their first album on the Beggars Banquet parent label, 4AD.
At first, I was a bit lukewarm about this. Obviously, the giant single "Buzzbomb Ohio" stole much of the attention together with "Sorrow", but slowly, and over time, I think it's more than just an ordinarily decent good album, and eventually, I have come to consider this as the band's absolute best. The sound quality, the arrangements, and the production as such are much as on Boxer, only this one comes with several truly fine songs.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, 👍NME, 👍The Guardian, Spin 4 / 5 stars ]

The National "Boxer" (2007)

Boxer
release date: May 22, 2007
format: cd (BBQCD 252)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Peter Katis, The National
label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Fake Empire" (4 / 5) - 2. "Mistaken for Strangers" - 3. "Brainy" - 6. "Slow Show" - 7. "Apartment Story" - 9. "Guest Room" - 11. "Ada"

4th full-length studio album by The National continues where Alligator (2005) ended, and thankfully so. Some critics suggest that the band has turned out as a mere copy of Tindersticks, but the style is not the similar quiet art pop chamber pop of Tindersticks. Also, The National has a fine wild energy that may be restricted but also released from time to time, or in small doses, and they have an underlying tone of post-punk revival hanging on to their own blend of styles, which cannot be said about the British band.
This is like a puzzle falling into place, and everything is almost right here. Perhaps the album lacks more great songs like "Fake Empire", but the quality of the compositions is really fine, the production sound is top notch, and the balance between sweet and sour - a play with loud and quiet... it all fits so well in their alt. rock and chamber pop combo of American melancholy.
So far, this is my favourite album by the band.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Mojo, Spin 4 / 5, NME 3,5 / 5, Slant 5 / 5 stars ]

The National "Alligator" (2005)

Alligator
release date: Apr. 12, 2005
format: cd (BBQCD 241)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,65]
producer: Peter Katis and Paul Mahajan
label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Secret Meeting" (4 / 5) - 2. "Karen" - 4. "Looking for Astronauts" - 7. "Friend of Mine" - 8. "Val Jester" (4 / 5) - 9. "All the Wine" - 10. "Abel" - 11. "The Geese of Beverly Road" - 13. "Mr. November"

3rd full-length studio album by The National, who keeps to the same five-piece line-up and the band has signed with major label, Beggars Banquet. Peter Katis, who worked as co-producer on a few songs on the predecessor is here put in charge of production together with Paul Mahajan.
This is the first really fine album by a band, who seems to be a more confident band, and it's an album that brought them a sudden international fame, and "Alligator" is also enlisted in NME's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (ranked as number #162). Again, the album marks a change of style within their combination of alt. rock and chamber pop. This is the first album where I think the post-punk influence really comes through, and The National was one of a series of bands (which include Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand and Interpol) on both sides of the Atlantic who were all of a sudden labelled post-punk revival bands - and with this combo of styles, The National seems to have found their own special path that they will continue to investigate on the following albums to come.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Mojo, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Uncut 5 / 5, Rolling Stone, NME 3 / 5 stars ]

The National "Cherry Tree" (2004) (ep)

Cherry Tree, ep
release date: Jul. 20, 2004
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]
producer: Peter Katis, Nick Lloyd, Padma Newsome, The National
label: Brassland Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Wasp Nest" - 2. "All the Wine" - 4. "Cherry Tree" - 5. "About Today"

3rd studio release by The National is an ep once again released on Brassland and made with producer Nick Lloyd and now also with Peter Katis and Padma Newsome.
Stylistically, the band has changed a bit to be more rock-oriented as indie rock / indie pop and made the arrangements more simple with the addition of a bolder use of strings, which adds elements of chamber pop to the picture, thus making this the band's most interesting release so far, and also solidifying the band as an original sounding act.

The National "Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers" (2003)

Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers
release date: Sep. 2, 2003
format: cd (HWY-003)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Nick Lloyd; Paul Heck and Peter Katis (as co-producers)
label: Brassland - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Slipping Husband" - 4. "It Never Happened" - 5. "Murder Me Rachael" - 6. "Thirsty" - 7. "Available" - 9. "Trophy Wife"

2nd studio album by The National, again released on independent label Brassland. Prior to this, the band has been expanded by bassist Aaron Dessner's brother Bryce on guitar, who also contributed as additional musician on the debut. This means that, aside from now being a quintet, the band is constituted by two brother-pairs, the Devendorff brothers, Scott and Bryan, and the brothers Dessner, Aaron and Bryce together with vocalist Matt Berninger - a line-up that would prove to be a lasting one.
Without being great, this still betters the somewhat grey debut, which had a folk thing going on that didn't come out as something extremely original, whereas this is more of a rock thing trying to combine the inner-felt melancholy of Leonard Cohen with the strict tensions à la Joy Division. Still, I find that the end result sound much closer to American Music Club / Mark Eitzel, and the band still has a hard time sounding like a truly original band.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]

The National "The National" (2001)

The National [debut]
release date: Jul. 3, 2001
format: digital (12 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: The National & Nick Lloyd
label: Brassland Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Cold Girl Fever" - 3. "The Perfect Song" - 4. "American Mary" - 9. "Watching You Well"

Studio album debut by Ohio-founded band The National consisting of lead vocalist Matt Berninger, lead guitarist Scott Devendorf, also backing vocals, bassist & rhythm guitarist Aaron Dessner, and drummer Bryan Devendorf [who fronts the album cover]. The album is released on newly-founded label Brassland, which amongst others include the band's bassist Aaron and his brother, Bryce Dessner as co-founders.
Musically, the album is labelled as alt. rock, americana, and indie rock. I have only come across this after listening to the band's fine third album Alligator (2005), and compared to that, this is more quieter and alt. folk-shaped making me think of American Music Club cloned with music from British jangle pop of the early to mid-1980s and perhaps early R.E.M. and a more recent American band like Grant Lee Buffalo. This isn't all bad, although, I don't find it as great as their later works and initially rejected it as a poor debut - which it's not. It's just not all that originally sounding.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]