PHOTO CREDIT
GUEST POST WRITTEN BY MATTHEW DEAN STEWART
There are too many overly written reviews that are weighed down with SAT hot words, euphoric realizations, and sophisticated ways of metaphorically throwing artists’ masterpieces into a burning fire - this review will not be like that. Here’s some light backstory on The National before we get into it. They are an American Rock/Indie Rock band formed in 1999. The band is led by a grumbly, heart-in-hand vocalist Matt Berninger and backed up by several other wonderful musicians. This album, I Am Easy to Find, is their newest work since Sleep Well Beast dropped in 2017.
Let’s get into it!
The opening track, “You Had Your Soul with You,” starts off by making you wonder if your speakers are malfunctioning. The clicky/patchy/glitchy electronic blips quickly resolve into Matt Berninger’s melodic drone and it simply draws you in. With a familiar vocal harmonies, the album feels like the National you’ve always known.
I Am Easy to Find is the National’s 8th album and was released back in May of 2019. Some call it a diversion, others call it alienating. But to my ears, this album is another step down the same path they have been following for a number of albums now. It picks up where Sleep Well Beast left off and pushes their creative envelope a bit further. Matt takes a step back and lets different members step into the vocal spotlight. The lyrics, as always, are a sea of emotions. They draw on under- and overwhelming waves of feeling we all grapple with as we float on through life. There are lots of sappy love moments, lots of questioning, some realizations, and always a focus on life and its grandeur. To be honest, I wouldn’t want The National to be anything but that.
Track 2, “Quiet Light,” reminds me of the sound of sorrow that the National embodies and, in a way, my emotional connection with the sound. Some of my favorite lines include: “I’m learning to lay here in the quiet light/While I watch the sky go from black to grey/There is nothing I wouldn’t do for a few more minutes.” The National isn’t your typical “play at party” music, it’s the “sit alone in your car after a long at work” kind of music. It both draws you in and pulls you away. The characters in the song are mirroring that feeling. The push and pull of the relationships between characters from both the lyrics and the song is tangible.
Tracks 3, 4, and 5 have a similar theme. “Oblivions” with the line “keeps my eye on you,” “The Pull of You” with the line “we’re connected by a thread,” and “Hey Rosey” with the lines “I know just what the feeling is.” If the intro wasn’t enough of a clue of what’s going on, the theme of the album shines through loud and clear in these songs: the pull, the connection, and the feeling of a weighted bond between two people.
I recently listened to The National during a few radio sessions, and there was one session where Matt said that he and his wife, Carin Besser, wrote a lot of the lyrics for this album together. I love that collaboration and the point of view that it brings to the lyrics. It gives the song an untold depth. Along with his wife and band mates, he also recruited numerous female vocalists to the albums which adds a velvety richness to the vocal tracks. It is not unlike him to have other band members sing harmonies or do intro verses, but to step aside completely introduces an entirely new sound for the band. I’m curious how this will translate to the live shows; I’ve never been a fan of backing tracks at live concerts.
The title track to the album, “I Am Easy to Find,” is an absolute masterpiece. The female vocal accompaniment, which is heavily layered throughout the album, shine the brightest. The song gives us the perspective from the other side of the coin. We can hear for the first time how this emotional draw feels from the other character’s side of the road. The song starts with birds chirping and simple whole note chords in the piano. The lyrics “I’m not going anywhere/who do I think I’m kidding/I’m still standing in the same place you left me standing...” all lend an ear to the underlying theme of this album. The one you long for is always easy to find. You know where you left them, and you know how to find them.
In that mix lies the inseparability of that connection between two souls. With acceptance comes reality. The chorus lyric: “There’s a million little battles I’m never gonna win anyway/I’m still waiting for you every night with ticker tape,” is an acceptance of reality. Side note, for those that don’t know, ticker tape is what they used to use for telegrams back in the day. The metaphor when translated to current day references: you could be sitting at home late at night for that text or call that never comes. Always waiting. Always waiting.
The album continues with the song “Not in Kansas” which has a great lyrical turn-around that is catchy in its own way. The next song “So Far So Fast,” reminds us that when we are lost, there is someone ready to find us. Even when we are running as fast as we can. The track “Hairpin Turns,” with its commanding piano in the chorus, conveys a palpable struggle of the characters in the track being tied so tight it doesn’t matter what happens between them, as they will always return. The track “Rylan” questions whether that feeling is one of love or one of being trapped.
Closing the album out is “Light Years.” It ends with a soft acceptance of the relationship between the two characters. Like the pull of the sun against the earth. It’s right in front of us in the daylight - fleeting and mysterious in the dark. The pull is obvious, strong, and meaningful but the two will always be light years apart.
All in all, I’d give this album a 10/10. It holds true to The National we all know and like a fine wine, with two more years in the bottle, the flavors get more complex, the taste becomes a little smoother, and if you pull cork and go on the journey it will be a familiar ride with an old friend. Thank you for reading this album review, keep an eye out for more articles like this by following on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for post updates!All opinions in this post belong to Matthew Stewart, pictures and videos are from The National's official sources unless stated.
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