The National: Last News

Aaron Dessner has opened up about his experience of working with Ed Sheeran on the latter’s upcoming fifth album, ‘-‘ (‘Subtract’).Sheeran announced the 14-track record earlier this week, saying that it reflects his “deepest darkest thoughts” against a backdrop of personal turmoil.“It’s opening the trapdoor into my soul,” the singer-songwriter explained. “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.”The National’s Dessner teamed up with Sheeran on writing and production for the LP.

The National have shared a second preview of their new album ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’ – listen to the moving ‘New Order T-Shirt’ below.The band’s ninth album, and first since 2019’s ‘I Am Easy To Find’, will be released on April 28 via 4AD and feature cameos from Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens. Swift will appear on ‘The Allcott’ while Bridgers is set to feature on ‘This Isn’t Helping’ and ‘Your Mind Is Not Your Friend’.

Bruce Springsteen and The National‘s Bryce Dessner have collaborated on a new song for Rebecca Miller’s film She Came To Me called ‘Addicted To Romance’.The romantic comedy starring Peter Dinklage as a moody classical composer is due to have its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival this week.‘Addicted To Romance’, which was written and performed by Springsteen and orchestrated by Dessner, who also worked on the film’s score, will be heard for the first time during the screening on February 16.Speaking of Springsteen’s contribution to the film, Miller said (via Variety): “I really love Bruce’s music. For the end of ‘She Came to Me,’ we wanted an original song.

Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National, have announced details of their self-titled debut album and shared its lead single.‘Complete Mountain Almanac’ was formed after Karijord set out to make an album “about climate change in 12 suites, representing the 12 months of the year,” and approached her friend of 15 years, Jessica – who works as a poet, dancer and multimedia artist based in Italy – to contribute “poetic and lyrical” elements to the project.The band and album’s title came from a book of poetry written by Jessica in the wake of her breast cancer diagnosis, as well as coming to reflect the environmental themes on the record. Watch the video for ‘May’, featuring a video directed by Olof Grind, below.The album was recorded at Paris’ St. Germain studios, and features instrumentation and co-production from both Aaron and Bryce Dessner.

The National have shared a remix of Neu!‘s 1972 track ‘Im Glück’ – you can listen to it below.Matt Berninger and co’s new interpretation of the song will feature as part of Neu!’s 50th anniversary boxset, which is due for release on September 23 via British-German label Grönland Records (pre-order here).The atmospheric eight-minute spin on ‘Im Glück’ will serve as the opening track on the 10-song ‘Tribute’ album. Other contributors include Idles, Mogwai, Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip, and Stephen Morris of New Order.Morris and Gabe Gurnsey shared their take on ‘Hallogallo’ back in June.

The National played a surprise, secret acoustic set at Edinburgh’s Connect Festival in memory of Frightened Rabbit‘s Scott Hutchison – see footage below.Yesterday (August 28) festival-goers were alerted to the message, “Secret set added – 7.45pm at the Tiny Changes x Gardeners Cottage”, and soon discovered that The National’s Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner were performing at the Scottish festival’s new stage to pay tribute to their late friend.The band, who were headlining the festival, played ‘Sorrow’ and ‘About Today’, telling the crowd for the latter track, “Whenever we play this one we think of Scott,” and singing the words, “Today…You were far away…and I… Didn’t ask you why“.The Tiny Changes x Gardeners Cottage was set up at the festival in association with Tiny Changes, the charity for supporting young people’s mental health that was set up in memory of Hutchison who died by suicide in 2018.It’s Scotland’s first national children and young people’s mental health charity and raised more than £4,500 during the course of the festival weekend.Scott performed at the original Connect Festival in 2006 on a similar stage.Aaron Dessner of The National said: “Thank you so much, it’s a pleasure to support Tiny Changes. Scott was a really close friend of ours, and like you guys, we were huge fans of Frightened Rabbit.“We were devastated when he left.

The National returned to London last night (August 26) to headline All Points East 2022 – watch them perform new single ‘Weird Goodbyes’ with Fleet Foxes‘ Robin Pecknold below.‘Weird Goodbyes’ was released last week and features Bon Iver‘s Justin Vernon on vocals. While introducing Pecknold, The National’s Aaron Dessner said that their friend and collaborator had never sung the song before.Elsewhere in the set, The National played another new song – ‘Tropic Morning News (Haversham)’ – and hits from across their back catalogue.Watch them play ‘Weird Goodbyes’ with Robin Pecknold and see the full setlist below.The National have been performing ‘Weird Goodbyes’ live since late May. They played it for the first time in Pamplona, Spain on May 28 – the first National show in three years – where it was billed on the setlist as ‘Bathwater (Mount Auburn)’.Speaking in a statement about ‘Weird Goodbyes’, The National’s Matt Berninger said: “It’s about letting go of the past and moving on, then later being overwhelmed by second thoughts.”On the process of making the single, the band’s Aaron Dessner added: “‘Weird Goodbyes’ was one of the first new songs we made.

The National will return to London on Friday (August 26) to headline All Points East 2022 – check out the full stage and performance times below.It will mark the band’s first show in the city since 2019, where they will be joined by a stellar cast of support acts including Mogwai, Fleet Foxes, Lucy Dacus, Kurt Vile and more.Across seven stages, the day also sees performances from Parcels, Tune-Yards, Perfume Genius and Rae Morris.The performance comes just a few days after The National unveiled their new single ‘Weird Goodbyes’, which features Bon Iver.Speaking in a statement about ‘Weird Goodbyes’, The National’s Matt Berninger said: “It’s about letting go of the past and moving on, then later being overwhelmed by second thoughts.”See the full stage times for The National at All Points East below, and buy your tickets here.Fleet Foxes: 8:00pm – 9:15pm Perfume Genius: 6:20pm – 7:00pm Lucy Dacus: 5:10pm – 5:50pm Valerie June: 4:00pm – 4:40pm Cassandra Jenkins: 3:00pm – 3:30pmNathan Fake: 5:45pm – 6:45pm Plaid: 4:30pm – 5:45pm Afrodeutsche: 3:15pm – 4:30pm Tasha: 2:00pm – 3:15pmParcels: 7:55pm – 8:55pm Public Service Broadcasting: 6:25pm – 7:25pm Balthazar: 5:15pm – 5:55pm DEHD: 4:10pm – 4:45pm Bess Atwell: 3:05 – 3:40pmMoa Moa: 8:10pm – 8:40pm Lewis Ofman: 6:30pm – 7:00pm Jana: 5:15pm – 5:45pm Mid Nite Life: 4:05pm – 4:35pmDWEAMS: 7:30pm – 8:00pm Phoebe Hall: 5:55pm – 6:25pm Honey Mooncie: 4:45pm – 5:15pm The Deep Blue: 3:40pm – 4:05pmRaw Silk: 7:00pm – 8:00pm Demae: 5:50pm – 6:20pm Lynda Dawn: 4:40pm – 5:10pm Lavender: 2:30pm – 3:00pm and 3:30pm – 4:00pmAll Points East 2022 began last weekend (August 19) with Gorillaz supported by IDLES, Turnstile, Yves Tumor, Self Esteem, Femi Kuti, Obongjayar, NewDad, Remi

The National have today (August 22) released their emotive new single ‘Weird Goodbyes’, which features Bon Iver – you can listen to the song below.The track has been teased for some time, with the two artists finally confirming their collaboration last week.Speaking in a statement about ‘Weird Goodbyes’, The National’s Matt Berninger said: “It’s about letting go of the past and moving on, then later being overwhelmed by second thoughts.”On the process of making the single, the band’s Aaron Dessner added: “‘Weird Goodbyes’ was one of the first new songs we made. I was misusing drum machines, as usual, and stumbled onto this beat that got stuck in my head – it felt like something only Bryan could naturally play.

The National‘s Aaron Dessner says he has “picked up a focus” in his songwriting and production since working with Taylor Swift.Dessner co-produced and wrote on Swift’s 2020 albums ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’, and also worked on numerous “From the Vault” tracks that appear on Swift’s re-recorded versions of ‘Fearless’ and ‘Red’ that arrived last year.Last March, after ‘Folklore’ won a Grammy for Album of the Year, Dessner credited Swift with “restoring [his] faith in music,” and has opened up again on the influence she has had on him in a new interview.Speaking to The i, Dessner said: “Even just working with Taylor, she’s a brilliant musician and so experienced in terms of making records, so I was learning from her – I picked up a focus, and also just the joy that she has.”Of working in the pandemic, he added: “It was almost like I was in some crazy boot camp for making a tonne of music really fast and fully producing it and then it would be released quickly.”Though he has said in the past that “this story, this era, has concluded” with ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’, Dessner has confirmed that he anticipates that he and Swift “will continue to be in each other’s artistic and personal lives. I don’t know exactly what the next form that will take, but certainly, it will continue.”After his work with Swift and a host of other artists including King Princess, Dessner is now working on a new album with The National.Ahead of their headline show at London’s All Points East next week (August 26), Aaron’s twin brother Bryce Dessner has spoken to NME about the new material, and whether Aaron’s work with Swift will have attracted new fans to the band.

The National‘s Bryce Dessner has spoken to NME about what to expect from the band’s new material, as well as looking ahead to their remaining summer shows.During their run of 2022 festival dates, the indie veterans have been playing a number of brand new songs. Among them is ‘Weird Goodbyes’, a collaboration with Bon Iver which is due to be released imminently.Speaking to NME about the new batch of tracks, Dessner said: “We wanted to road-test songs.

The National appear to be on the precipice of a new single release, as posters for a song titled ‘Weird Goodbyes’ (featuring Bon Iver) have begun to circulate.The band have been performing ‘Weird Goodbyes’ live, sans the guest spot from Bon Iver – which, presumably, will comprise some of its lyrics being sung by Justin Vernon – since late May. They played it for the first time in Pamplona, Spain on May 28 – the first National show to go down in three years – where it was billed on the setlist as ‘Bathwater (Mount Auburn)’. It’s been performed at seven show since, including this week’s headliner in Dillon, Colorado and at the Outlandia festival on Friday (August 12).

Bartees Strange joined The National onstage at two of the band’s recent shows, contributing guest vocals to a rendition of ‘Mistaken For Strangers’.Strange, who is supporting The National on four of their North American shows this month, performed the ‘Boxer’ standout with the band at concerts in Calgary and Missoula this week.“Special thanks to [Strange] for playing a better version of Lemonworld than ours and joining us on Mistaken For Strangers,” The National wrote on Instagram following the Calgary show.

Gracie Abrams spoke to NME backstage at Lollapalooza 2022 and told us her songwriting process, what it’s like to work with The National‘s Aaron Dessner, and the potential name of an unreleased track she just performed live. Watch our interview above.Hours before taking on the festival’s Discord stage Saturday (July 30), one of her first performances since going on tour with Olivia Rodrigo, Abrams told us Chicago was one of her “favourite cities to play in.”“Having been here a couple of times on tour, they’re just the greatest people,” Abrams said.

The National have debuted a new song at this year’s Newport Folk Festival – check out the moment below.The new song is called ‘Space Invaders (Threaded Gold)’ and comes after the band performed three other new songs in Spain back in May. At that gig, the National aired ‘Tropic Morning News (Haversham)’, ‘Grease In Your Hair (Birdie)’, and ‘Bathwater (Mount Auburn)’.Check out the latest new song below:In a social media post shared in May, The National revealed that they have been working on new material. “Rehearsals are underway,” they wrote on Instagram.

Bleachers‘ set at Newport Folk Festival on Saturday (July 23), Jack Antonoff and band were joined onstage by Clairo and Lucy Dacus to perform a cover of The National‘s ‘High Violet’ standout ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’.The National had performed at the festival the following evening, while Clairo and Dacus were also on the line-up. The National guitarist Bryce Dessner commented on Antonoff’s Instagram shortly after the performance, writing: “Thank you for singing bloodbuzz! I wish we could have done it with you all.”Watch fan-shot footage of the rendition below:@bleachersmusic joined by @lucydacus and @clairo for some Bloodbuzz Ohio at @Newportfolkfest pic.twitter.com/QIpf7Tq17d— α.

The National returning to London for a huge headline slot at All Points East in August, the band have shared exclusive footage of them performing fan favourite ‘I Should Live In Salt’ from their summer 2022 tour. See it first on NME above.The band will headline the festival in the capital’s Victoria Park once again on August 26.

The National have announced the full line-up for their All Points East show in London later this summer, with Parcels, Tune-Yards and more joining the bill.The band will headline Victoria Park on August 26, with the likes of Fleet Foxes, Lucy Dacus, Kurt Vile and more already confirmed to support them.Other APE headline sets across two weekends in August will come from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Tame Impala, Kraftwerk, The Chemical Brothers, Disclosure and Gorillaz.The full bill has now been confirmed for The National’s show, with Parcels and Tune-Yards being joined by Villagers, Valerie June, Balthazar and Dehd.Others also on the line-up include Perfume Genius, Low and Rae Morris.See the full line-up below and pick up tickets here.We are so pleased to be headlining such a brilliant lineup for @allpointseastuk at Victoria Park in London this August. Tickets are on sale now at https://t.co/hkOWVSGvIL pic.twitter.com/SQl2oZsj8Q— The National (@TheNational) June 29, 2022The National returned to touring last month, giving live debuts to three new songs at the tour-opening show in Pamplona, Spain on Saturday, May 28.Footage of those songs – ‘Tropic Morning News (Haversham)’, ‘Grease In Your Hair (Birdie)’, and ‘Bathwater (Mount Auburn)’ – then appeared from a later gig in Paris.In a social media post shared last month (May 26), The National said that they have been working on new material.

The National performed three new songs at their gig in Paris on Monday (May 30) – scroll down the page to watch fan-shot footage now.The tracks were previously given their live debuts at the tour-opening show in Pamplona, Spain on Saturday (May 28).During the first of two dates at Paris’ Salle Pleyel venue, The National once again aired ‘Tropic Morning News (Haversham)’, ‘Grease In Your Hair (Birdie)’, and ‘Bathwater (Mount Auburn)’. The first song elements of The Cure in its vocal melodies, with frontman Matt Berninger’s voice accompanied by a propulsive beat and bright guitar lines.“I was suffering more than I let on,” Berninger sings in the chorus.

The National have performed three new songs last night (May 28) as the band returned to live touring for the first time since 2019.Performing at Baluarte in Pamplona, Spain, Matt Berninger and co performed three new songs called ‘Grease In Your Hair (Birdie)’, ‘Tropic Morning News (Havisham)’ and ‘Bathwater (Mount Auburn)’ in the middle of a career-spanning set.You can see the full set-list and some footage and fan reaction from the gig below:The National en Pamplona pic.twitter.com/1wpWe6Rq7x— Iñigo Díaz de Cerio (@inigodcv) May 29, 2022El final del concierto de @thenational en ⁦#Pamplona no ha podido ser más bonito. pic.twitter.com/HPDPDYcdoX— Juan Ortiz Irache (@juanortizirache) May 28, 2022A post shared by Olatz Garmendia (@olatzgar)The National – Baluarte in Pamplona, Spain, Set List ‘Don’t Swallow the Cap’‘Mistaken for Strangers’‘I Should Live in Salt’‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’‘I Need My Girl’‘This Is the Last Time’‘The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness’‘Grease in Your Hair (Birdie)’ – new song‘Light Years’‘Slow Show’‘Guilty Party’‘Day I Die’‘Tropic Morning News (Haversham)’ – new song ‘Pink Rabbits’‘Rylan’‘England’‘Graceless’‘Fake Empire’‘About Today’Encore:‘Bathwater (Mount Auburn)’ – new song ‘Mr. November’‘Terrible Love’‘Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks’Recently, The National revealed that they’d been working on new music during rehearsals for their summer tour.In a new social media post, The National shared a photo from tour rehearsals while teasing the arrival of some new music.“Rehearsals are underway,” the band wrote yesterday (May 26).

The National have revealed that they’re working on new music during rehearsals for their upcoming tour.The band kick off their global tour next week with a pair of shows at Salle Pleyel in Paris, France on Monday (May 30) and Tuesday (May 31).They’ll then play a variety of festivals across Europe – including Spain’s Primavera Sound, Ireland’s Docklands Festival and Portugal’s Rock in Rio Lisboa – before heading home for a tour across North America.In a new social media post, The National have shared a photo from tour rehearsals while teasing the arrival of some new music.“Rehearsals are underway,” the band wrote yesterday (May 26). “It’s great for the seven of us to finally be back together in a room working on music both fresh and familiar.