First Two Pages of Frankenstein
by The National
  • Record Label: 4AD
  • Release Date: Apr 28, 2023
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 37 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 37
  3. Negative: 0 out of 37
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  1. BeeAche
    Apr 28, 2023
    5
    A collection of songs that would be gems on a post-career retrospective box set of outtakes and unreleased songs, maybe, but as a current album it's "meh." It's more thought out and better written than their last effort, mind you. Their new material suffers from their process, imo. Gone are the days of writing a lot, and in the same room, and now the songs (mostly) sound like exactly likeA collection of songs that would be gems on a post-career retrospective box set of outtakes and unreleased songs, maybe, but as a current album it's "meh." It's more thought out and better written than their last effort, mind you. Their new material suffers from their process, imo. Gone are the days of writing a lot, and in the same room, and now the songs (mostly) sound like exactly like what they are -- Matt mumbling over bits of music sent to him by the twins. The things that work on Frankenstein work because they are refried ideas from Boxer > High Violet > Trouble Will Find Me. That makes them better than some other bands, but this one falls flat. And the recording is decidedly no-fi for the most part -- you'd think they fired Bryan in favor of off-the-shelf electronic drum loops. Sorry, dudes, love ya as I do, hard pass on (most of) this one. But, they've now "arrived" in the mainstream, and people are sh***ing themselves over it, so fair play to them and their new friend Taylor.… Expand
  2. Kremyy
    May 14, 2023
    4
    I’ve been a fan since the beginning but this record is just a huge disappointment. Listened to it 4 times but I still can’t recall more than 2 songs and even those I don’t like. Yes yes the production is nice but where’s the emotion? The force they used to have? It’s okay as background music but it’s just that.
  3. ohwhocares
    Apr 28, 2023
    6
    Meh. I don't get the love. I also don't get why people say this is a comeback. Sleep Well and I Am Easy to Find were better, even great,. Well, really good. This is just blah. Honestly, their worst since Sad Songs.
  4. StevenX
    May 5, 2023
    6
    I admit I'd never listened to The National before, despite being intrigued by their album covers and their acclaim. It turns out that nothing I thought was correct. I expected either some real art stuff or country-tinged ragged glory a la Wilco; what I got was Coldplay with a lazier singer. You'd think seeing "with Taylor Swift" in the credits would have clued me in to theI admit I'd never listened to The National before, despite being intrigued by their album covers and their acclaim. It turns out that nothing I thought was correct. I expected either some real art stuff or country-tinged ragged glory a la Wilco; what I got was Coldplay with a lazier singer. You'd think seeing "with Taylor Swift" in the credits would have clued me in to the pedestrian-as-pretension level here, so earnest that you feel like they're expecting you to tip them in the hopes of relaxing their collective furrowed brow. Other influences wander in: The Beloved meets U2's guitarist on "Tropic Morning" and a couple others, the universal chord structure of opener "Once Upon A Poolside" with the tempo changed so you don't sing the lyrics to Miley's "Wrecking Ball". By the time you get to "Ice Machines", vocalist Matt Berninger thinks he's Chocolate Genius Inc., the difference being that Berninger sounds more stoned than world-weary, like it almost hurts to sing. It certainly doesn't hurt to listen to this album of well-played, mostly sparse downer ballads, but the band is standing in the shadows of giants at best. I'll probably skim their back catalog to see whether they were always this coma-inducing or if some big event brought them down a few levels. "I cannot believe what you get away with," Berninger sings with awkward phrasing at the start of "This Isn't Helping". My sentiments exactly.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

32
#32 Most Discussed Album of 2023

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Dusted Magazine
    Jun 1, 2023
    80
    After dancing through all these keys of fear, loss, and distress, the record ends with “Send for Me,” a simple and moving pledge to come pick you up, whatever happens. The slow bloom of warmth feels hard won, but not even remotely fragile.
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  2. Uncut
    May 15, 2023
    80
    Even without the backstory or an understanding of how difficult this record was to make, …Frankenstein is a skilful portrait of what it means to feel disconnected from the joy and urgency of life.
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  3. The Skinny
    May 3, 2023
    80
    There are hints of the band's more dynamic past on Eucalyptus, Tropic Morning News and Grease In Your Hair. But on the whole, First Two Pages of Frankenstein is an excellent exploration into recovery from depression, passion and addiction and is one of the finest records The National have released in quite some time.
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