THE NATIONAL
First Two Pages Of Frankenstein (4AD)
Since the release of their Boxer album in 2007, The National have steadily built a fanbase – with critical praise and awards to boot – with each follow-up. So far so good for the five Cincinnati friends, whose insightful songs of heartache, love and dilemma steer clear from falling back on a default indie/rock setting, tapping into that sense of sonic adventure REM and Radiohead often displayed.
After 2019’s I Am Easy To Find, lockdowns isolated each band member from the others, working on soundtracks, production and other extra-National projects in different corners of the globe. When it was time to regroup and start work on a new National album, frontman Matt Berninger was struggling with writer’s block and depression. At this point in time, it could have been the end of the road for the band – but Berninger’s four bandmates, the Dessner and Devendorf brothers, sympathetically rallied together to help their vocalist. Slowly but surely, a renewed creative spark developed, and First Two Pages Of Frankenstein was created, with songs recalling disassociation, reconnection and vivid memories that lie somewhere in between.
One could pinpoint Your Mind Is Not Your Friend, Send For Me and lastly New Order T-Shirt as tracks that follow that pattern. Taylor Swift guests on The Alcott and Phoebe Bridgers on This isn’t Helping, with their vocal contributions subtly enhancing the songs. First Two Pages Of Frankenstein is a masterful work of emotional beauty.
words DAVID NOBAKHT
