On their new album First Two Pages of Frankenstein, The National decide to go with their safest and most predictable album in their entire career. It's the same cut and dry depressed, slogged, sad-eyed balladry. If you want something more, then I suggest you may want to read the first two pages of the actual Frankenstein book instead.
The Cincinnati-based band The National have certainly created not just an entire avenue for themselves but a whole highway. Depressed, slogged, sad-eyed balladry for the dads at their BBQ's (which is not a bad thing) is what The National have typically brought to the table consistently throughout their career. Matt Berninger's signature baritone and Aaron Dessner's unique production stylings definitely make the band one of the biggest names in indie rock since the 2000's. They've created this style of indie rock in such a certain way that it's honestly a genre in it of itself, culminating many off-shoots of bands that want to be the next National. My descriptions of the band may seem a bit negative but I don't really mean to be. I've appreciated, often loved a National record here and there. Take the band's cultural peak High Violet or even the late-career expansive record Sleep Well Beast, a personal favorite of mine. The albums don't just have absolute bangers on them like fan favorite "Bloodbuzz Ohio" or "The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness" but as a whole they're quite fantastic art rock records with a surprising amount of pop appeal.
After the excellent Sleep Well Beast came I Am Easy to Find, a record that I just found to be uninterested in simply because the songs didn't grab me nor was the colorful production there that was all over the previous record. It's been four years since that album and a lot has gone on in the National-verse. Aaron Dessner now produces records of high profile artists including Taylor Swift. The National even collaborate numerous times with Swift and the highly buzzed about singer songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. Big Red Machine, the project from Dessner and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, had a big record a few years ago with some featured spots from none other than Taylor Swift. Being late into the band's career, there's been a surprising advancement in popularity and attention for The National.
So with all this noise bubbling, where do they go on their next album? Goofily titled First Two Pages of Frankenstein, The National decide to go with their safest album in their entire career. To some this may not be a bad thing. Fans love this band's signature style so why not give them more of it? To my ears, it sounds like the band completely giving up on trying anything new, adventurous, or exciting and instead go for what sounds like an AI-generated album of National songs... and in this day and age, that isn't a surprise anymore. It is not only wash, rinse, repeat throughout every single song in the track listing but the instrumentation lacks any sort of bite. When there is, such as the electronic drum machines on lead single "Tropic Morning News," there is just no real sense of urgency or passion in the performance. Everything here is sooooo safe, to the point where The National sound like they're parodying themselves. I was pretty repelled when I heard "New Order T-Shirt." Not just because of its basic title but the pristine instrumental and performance sounds that what the band would sound like if they signed to a Starbucks record label. The redundancy couldn't be any more clear than on "Eucalyptus," where the repeated lyrics of "you should take it, cause I'm not gonna take it" is so mind numbingly dull that my skull hurts after hearing it just once.
The only noticeable difference in this record are the added guests in the feature credits, which include Sufjan Stevens, Phoebe Bridgers, and Taylor Swift. I gotta say though on paper it's noticeable but on record the guests don't add much to the plain cut and dry mix The National have presented to us. I wouldn't have even guessed Stevens and Bridgers were on the record because their voices were so unnoticeable and buried in the mix while Taylor Swift's doesn't add a whole lot on "The Alcott." I'll give credit to Swift for being the massively successful singer songwriter she is but sadly even she can't help The National when they're wallowing in their own self indulgences. There is also no sense of urgency here. Usually you get some explosiveness on a National album. The closest we get to this may be "Tropic Morning News" but it's not even in the same realm as a "Sea of Love." The production itself and the performances aren't exactly bad but since it's the most predictable wash, rinse, repeat sounding National record of all time, I just would rather listen to their other, greater stuff. If you want a classic National record where the band is just giving you more of the same old thing, then you'll like First Two Pages of Frankenstein. If you want something more, then I suggest you may want to read the first two pages of the actual Frankenstein book instead.
My Rating: 4 / 10
Favorite Songs: ...
Comments