The National: Last News

The National have unveiled details of a surprise new album, ‘Laugh Track’.The album will be the follow up to their ninth studio album, ‘First Two Pages of Frankenstein‘, which NME described in a five-star review was “their best record in a decade.”During a concert at their Homecoming Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Friday (September 15), the band revealed that the album will arrive on September 18 at midnight ET. They also announced that some fans attending the gig could obtain a vinyl copy of the album ahead of its official release in November.

The National have released two new singles, ‘Space Invader’ and ‘Alphabet City – listen to them below.The band announced the new releases on social media today (August 17) and shared the visualiser for ‘Alphabet City’.The new tracks come four months after the release of their ninth studio album ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’, which NME said in a five-star review was “their best record in a decade“.“Sometimes I wanna drive around and find you / And act like it’s a random thing,” frontman Matt Berninger sings on the ruminative ‘Alphabet City’ atop poignant instrumentals that gradually build in intensity. “I always wonder if you ever feel / Like I blew all chances of this happening.”A post shared by The National (@thenational)‘Space Invader’, meanwhile, is a sprawling seven-minute reflection on all the ‘what ifs?’ that swells to a climactic instrumental crescendo.

BottleRock, one of the biggest genre-hopping music festivals of the year at the Napa Valley Expo.Just a few of the huge names set to grace the stages at the three-day extravaganza from May 26-28 include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lizzo, Post Malone, Duran Duran and Smashing Pumpkins.That’s not all though.Wu-Tang Clan, Sheryl Crow, Lil Nas X, The National and Carly Rae Jepsen will headline as well.Plus, Billy Strings, Leon Bridges, Nile Rodgers with Chic, Bastille and Lupe Fiasco are on the bill too.Heck, even classic rock icons War are dropping in for a set.It truly is a star-studded affair.And if you need last-minute passes for the annual celebration of music, we’re here to help.At the time of publication, our team found three-day passes going for as low as $497 before fees on Vivid Seats.Single-day passes start at $230 before fees.Act fast though — there are very few tickets left so you really should buy sooner rather than later if you want to go.And as an added bonus for on the fence fans, Vivid Seats will have a dedicated ticket pick-up team at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Napa Valley (1075 California Blvd.) to ensure last minute BottleRock ticket pick-up is a breeze. Then, on top of that, you can enjoy their free festival swag while supplies last.Still need more information?We’ve got all the BottleRock Festival details to get you through the weekend below.A complete calendar including all multi-day and single-day pass options can be found right here.(Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time.

Boston is calling your name.From May 26-28, the annual Boston Calling Music Festival is dropping into the Harvard Athletic Complex for three days of music, incredible culinary treats, craft beverages, fun and more.Just a few of the headliners on the bill this year include big names like Foo Fighters, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The National, Niall Horan and Chelsea Cutler.And that’s just day one of the fest.On Saturday, May 27, The Lumineers, Alanis Morissette, Noah Kahan, The Flaming Lips and Mt. Joy will take the stage.Finally, the Memorial Day weekend extravaganza comes to a close with Paramore, Queens of the Stone Age, Bleachers, Maren Morris and The Walkmen on Sunday, May 28.Need last-minute tickets?We’re happy to report that some single-day general admission passes are going for as low as $100 before fees on Vivid Seats.Three-day passes start at a very reasonable $205 before fees.Sound intriguing but not enough information?Keep reading.

The National in their hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, has announced the line-up for its 2023 edition.The two-day event returns to Smale Park on September 15 and 16 and will, as ever, be headlined by the band themselves, who will play two unique headline sets. It will also play host to the likes of Patti Smith, Pavement and The Walkmen.Weyes Blood, Snail Mail, Bartees Strange, Arooj Aftab, Julia Jacklin, The Drin, Leo Pastel, Carriers, and Ballard all complete the line-up.“When we launched Homecoming in 2018, we were overwhelmed by the response from the community and by our renewed sense of connection to our hometown,” The National said in a statement [via Consequence of Sound].

Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner debuted ‘Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve’ live in Nashville last night (May 8).Bringing out The National’s Dessner, who she described as a “kind, wonderful, genius”, they suprised fans by playing the ‘Midnights‘ track for the first time live.You can check out some fan footage of the moment here:

The National, and claimed that he wishes he “could be Matt Berninger”.He made the comments in a new YouTube video this week (May 3), which saw him share his views on the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame class with longtime colleagues Barbara Gaines and Mary Barclay.While sharing his thoughts on this year’s inductees — which include George Michael, Rage Against The Machine and Kate Bush — Letterman also expressed his “disappointment” at singer-songwriter Warren Zevon being snubbed.It was here that the conversation shifted to the former television host’s fondness for Matt Berninger-fronted band, The National. “Oh, I love the National,” he explained, going on to label them as “your saddest friend’s favourite band.”He also expressed his admiration for one of their songs, which wasn’t featured on their latest LP, ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’: “They had this song called ‘Weird Goodbyes,’ which is not on the new album,” he said, going on to recite some of the song’s lyrics.

The National have shared their ninth studio LP, First Two Pages of Frankenstein. At the center of the 11-track project is a cut featuring twin band members Aaron and Bryce Dessner’s frequent collaborator, Taylor Swift.

The National’s Aaron Dessner has defended working with Ed Sheeran on his upcoming album ‘–’, saying he’s “tired of the ‘what’s cool?’ debate.”Dessner co-wrote and co-produced Sheeran’s ‘-’ (‘Subtract’), which is due out May 5.“For the first time I’m not trying to craft an album people will like, I’m merely putting something out that’s honest and true to where I am in my adult life,” Sheeran said when he announced his sixth album. It was written when the musician was “spiralling through fear, depression and anxiety”.In a new interview with The Guardian, Dessner said that he wanted to bring out “the vulnerability and emotion in [Sheeran] to make music that would not normally be his inclination”.“I didn’t feel the need to try to make pop music,” Dessner added.The pair worked on 32 songs together in a studio in Kent, with 14 of them making it onto the album.

The National have shared a lyric video for their new song with Taylor Swift, ‘The Alcott’.READ MORE: The National on pulling back from the brink: “It’s felt fragile before, but this time was different”The single is taken from their newly-debuted album, ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’, which was released today (April 28), and sees the indie five-piece team up with pop icon Taylor Swift.Now, the band have shared an official lyric video for the emotional track, which also features in-studio footage of the band and Swift. Check it out below.Ahead of the release of their ninth studio album, The National spoke to NME about the inspiration behind the LP, and their long-running relationship with the ‘Anti-Hero’ singer — which first formed over a decade ago.According to the members, Aaron Dessner sent Swift the song shortly after it was written, and she responded within half an hour, making it into the track it is today.

The National‘s Aaron Dessner has praised Taylor Swift‘s ‘Eras Tour’, calling it “the greatest show I’ve ever seen”.Dessner co-wrote and co-produced Swift’s surprise 2020 albums ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’ alongside Jack Antonoff. He went on to work with the singer on the 2021 re-recorded versions of ‘Fearless’ and ‘Red’.Earlier this month, Dessner joined Swift onstage in Tampa, Florida to perform collaborative renditions of ‘The Great War’ (a track he produced for the ‘3am Edition’ of ‘Midnights’) and ‘Mad Woman’ from ‘Folklore’.During a new interview with NME, Dessner opened up about reuniting with Swift on The National’s ninth studio album ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’, which is released this Friday (April 28).The pop star will feature on ‘The Alcott’, a song NME‘s Thomas Smith described as a “subtle duet” and “a back-and-forth conversation between frontman [Matt] Berninger and [Swift]”.After praising the singer’s work ethic and creative process, Dessner spoke about her current ‘Eras Tour’ in North America.“It’s just kind of… the greatest show I’ve ever seen,” the musician told NME.

Taylor Swift’s songs were originally intended to be released by The National.The news was revealed by The National’s own Aaron Dessner and Matt Berninger in a new interview yesterday (April 20). According to the members, the Taylor Swift songs ‘Willow’ and ‘Cardigan’ were handed over to the pop star after they struggled to make them come together.The first track, ‘Willow’, was released on Swift’s ninth studio album, ‘Evermore’, whereas the second, ‘Cardigan’ was released on 2020 LP, ‘Folklore’.“I’d taken a swing at [‘Cardigan’] and ‘Willow’ and a couple of others, and I wasn’t having a lot of luck, so Aaron sent them to Taylor,” Berninger recalled to The Telegraph.He also explained that the opposite has happened in the past, where the band have released tracks that were initially intended for Swift.

Taylor Swift welcomed special guest Aaron Dessner to the ‘Eras’ tour in Florida last night (April 14) – watch them give a live debut to ‘The Great War’ below.Dessner, who produced Swift’s lockdown albums ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’, joined Swift for a song in the ‘surprise’ section of the set, where Swift plays a different track each night, often giving songs live debuts or dusting off rarities.On Thursday night in Tampa, Dessner joined her to play ‘The Great War’, a track he produced from the ‘3am Edition’ of Swift’s 2022 album ‘Midnights’.For the second surprise song, Swift gave another live debut to a track from ‘Midnights’, ‘You’re On Your Own, Kid’.See footage of both performances below.Taylor Swift com Aaron Dessner cantando "The Great War", bônus track do "Midnights"

Phoebe Bridgers has spoken out on her love for The National – as well as her collaboration on their upcoming album, ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’.Bridgers had previously joined The National on stage numerous times in 2019 to perform songs from their previous album ‘I Am Easy To Find‘, with the singer-songwriter and Boygenius member also collaborating with frontman Matt Berninger on the single ‘Walking On A String’ ahead of his 2020 debut solo album ‘Serpentine Prison‘.As part of an exclusive cover interview with The National and their collaborators for the latest issue of Uncut, Bridgers discussed her admiration for the indie veterans.“My friends and I have this joke about The National,” started Bridgers. “Obviously they’re hugely popular, but we still feel this ownership over them.”Adopting a ‘stroppy and possessive’ tone, she mimicked an argument with her friends,”‘No but you don’t like them in the right way! Do you even understand how profound this band is?'” before adding: “Because they are profoundly fucking amazing.”On the band’s new album ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’, Bridgers features on two tracks – the new single ‘Your Mind Is Not Your Friend’ and ‘This Isn’t Helping’.

The National have shared a new single featuring Phoebe Bridgers – listen to ‘Your Mind Is Not Your Friend’ below.The melancholic piano-led song serves as the fourth and final preview of the band’s ninth album ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’, which is due for release on April 28 (pre-order here).“Don’t you understand?/ Your mind is not your friend again/ It takes you by the hand/ And leaves you nowhere,” frontman Matt Berninger croons as Bridgers delivers a haunting backing vocal in unison.Per a press release, the single “confronts the entanglements of the habitual mind and the overwhelming nature of scrutiny”, and emerged during a period of writer’s block for Berninger.‘Your Mind Is Not Your Friend’ is accompanied by a nostalgic official video, which was directed by Bridgers’ brother Jackson. Filmed in Los Angeles, the clip stars Berninger’s brother Tom – tune in above.Recently, Matt Berninger opened up about how the single’s title and lyrics had been inspired by the advice his wife Carin Besser had given him as he battled depression.

The National frontman Matt Berninger has spoken candidly about his battle with depression and writer’s block, and how he documented it on the band’s upcoming album, ‘First Pages Of Frankenstein’.Berninger was speaking in an exclusive cover interview for the latest issue of Uncut, where he revealed how the COVID period after The National’s last record ‘I Am Easy To Find‘ [2019] and his 2020 debut solo album ‘Serpentine Prison‘ saw him facing “burnout” and a depression he likened to “the train going off the tracks”. He explained said he found himself unable to write lyrics for a whole year.“Usually when I’m in a troubled place, I can make something out of it, and write a song about it, and that does a lot to solve it,” he said. “This time, I didn’t want to.

Aaron Dessner has taken to social media to pay tribute to Sharon Van Etten’s iconic album, ‘Tramp’, which he claims is the first record he ever produced. An anniversary edition of the album and a previously unreleased song have also been launched.The producer took to Facebook yesterday to celebrate 11-years since the release of Sharon Van Etten’s ‘Tramp’ album.Alongside sharing two images, Dessner also wrote a moving caption, explaining how the album impacted his career and stating that it still “remains so special” to him.“Tramp was the first record I produced,” he said.

Aaron Dessner of The National has announced a “special” New York show with Ed Sheeran.The pair will be playing at the King’s Theatre in Brooklyn on April 10 alongside a live band. They are set to perform Sheeran’s forthcoming album ‘-‘ in full, meaning the audience at that show will be the first to hear the unreleased songs on the record.

The National have shared a melancholy new song, ‘Eucalyptus’ – check it out below.The track’s release was announced yesterday and marks the third taster the band have shared, after ‘New Order T-Shirt’ and ‘Tropic Morning News’, to be taken from the band’s upcoming album ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’. The album is scheduled to drop on April 28 via 4AD and will feature collaborations with Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens. Per a press release, Bryce Dessner sent the song to Matt Berninger a long time ago, which he later added lyrics to after remembering the song.

The National will be releasing a new single, ‘Eucalyptus’, tomorrow (March 22).The track is set to the third single, after ‘New Order T-Shirt’ and ‘Tropic Morning News’, to be taken from the band’s upcoming album ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’. The album is scheduled to drop on April 28 via 4AD and will feature collaborations with Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens. ‘Eucalyptus’ might sound familiar to The National superfans, as the band previously played the song live last year on tour — check out footage below.Several other new songs have debuted in the same way, including ‘Tropic Morning News (Haversham)’ and Bon Iver collaboration ‘Weird Goodbyes’, as well as other as yet unreleased songs such as ‘Grease In Your Hair (Birdie)’, and ‘Bathwater (Mount Auburn)’.Speaking to NME about new music last year, The National’s guitarist Bryce Dessner said: “What I can say is that we’re at a high watermark in terms of our creativity as a band.

The National took to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to perform their new single ‘Tropic Morning News’ late last night (March 3) – check out the footage below.Earlier this year, The National confirmed details of their ninth studio album ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’.Set for release April 28, the album will feature collaborations with Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens.Alongside the album announce, the band also shared lead single ‘Tropic Morning News’ which they performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night. Check it out below:Co-written with frontman Matt Berninger’s wife Carin Besser, the track takes its title from a phrase Besser invented to describe the regrettably routine practice of doomscrolling.“The idea of referring to the darkness of the news in such a light way unlocked something in me,” said Berninger.