Summary:The sixth studio release for the Brooklyn indie rock quintet features guest appearances from Annie Clark of St. Vincent, Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens, and Sharon Van Ette.
Record Label:4AD
Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
The National are such a powerfully gifted band, they need no theatrics to deliver an absolutely stone-cold beast of an album. With the music that is on here there is yet another thirteen songs to savor and salivate over until the next batch of songs comes about.
While The National don't progress or indeed offer anything new to outstanding cynics, they instead rejoice in their strengths of detailing life and all its sorry baggage in the most beautiful of ways.
Trouble Will Find Me is impeccably sequenced, even at thirteen songs the rare National record that doesn’t contain “the one song they should have obviously left off.”
On a superficial level, Trouble Will Find Me, the National’s latest full-length LP, probably won’t convert any listeners who’ve written off the band’s music as boring.... Of course, the power’s in the poetics, and Berninger concocts some truly heart-wrenching images this time around.
The guests on Trouble Will Find Me are equally impressive (Sufjan Stevens, Sharon Van Etten), but the National, no question, are the real stars of the show.
For a band who sing so often about matters of the heart and emotional connection, much of Trouble Will Find Me sounds oddly on autopilot. [Jun 2013, p.106]
The National isn't changing their sound much. There are some differences, but their signature style is still in tact. That mans, of course,The National isn't changing their sound much. There are some differences, but their signature style is still in tact. That mans, of course, that this is also just as good as any album from The National. It's poignant, darkly humorous, sometimes just really bleak, and it's never afraid to totally rock your face clean off. While I can't say where this lies in The National's discography (arguably better than Boxer, maybe even High Violet), this is easily one of the best releases of 2013.…Collapse
All I can say is, The National are still maintaining their solemn lyrics, but Trouble Will Find Me is just their brilliance being perfectedAll I can say is, The National are still maintaining their solemn lyrics, but Trouble Will Find Me is just their brilliance being perfected from head to toe. It's sad, gloomy and nice. It is definitely a must-buy.…Expand
The way I know I love a National record is when I hear it for the first time and I either find it dull or lacking in some form, but withThe way I know I love a National record is when I hear it for the first time and I either find it dull or lacking in some form, but with repeated listens opens up a completely different alternative view on it. A National record always takes time to fully grasp, but when it hits you, it hits you with fluttering emotions that you won't be able to escape for awhile. Trouble Will Find Me is no different. It's The National's most heart wrenching record, one that exposes Matt Berninger for who he truly is.
All In All, Trouble Will Find Me is an excellent record and The National have done what only a few bands have accomplished in their careers: crafted three consecutive masterpieces of albums. A…Expand
I'm still waiting on Matt and company to make a bad album. And just like everything in their discography, I discover something new with eachI'm still waiting on Matt and company to make a bad album. And just like everything in their discography, I discover something new with each listen. All their albums are growers and this one has already started out really high for me.…Expand
The National produce consistently solid music. This is a very nice follow up to High Violet an album which still holds a place among my allThe National produce consistently solid music. This is a very nice follow up to High Violet an album which still holds a place among my all time favorites. As I listen to Trouble Will Find Me, I feel like a passenger on a train that is making its way across a desolate landscape in the dead of night. I will gladly be a passenger on that train time and again. There is a familiar warmth that is infused in these haunting, rhythmic songs. Love it.…Expand
The National have become one of my favorite new bands. All their albums are great, not a bad one in the bunch. Watching their sound progressThe National have become one of my favorite new bands. All their albums are great, not a bad one in the bunch. Watching their sound progress has been fun too, from the confused Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers & Alligator, to the focused and brilliant Boxer, to the heavy produced indie masterpiece High Violet, and now we come to Trouble Will Find Me. This is a great album, pure and simple, I honestly can I say I only dislike one song, Heavenfaced (it's just bad). But the problem here isn't the one song, it's the idea they haven't grown, like with every previous album. It's like they took the best aspects of Boxer and High Violet, yet somehow failed to create something that felt new at all. It has a punchier feeling like Boxer and it has the emotion of High Violet, but as a whole it's lacking. When you take a look at each individual song, it seems like an amazing album, with an almost perfect score. I Should Live in Salt is a beautiful, and amazing opening track, which quickly become one of my favorite songs by them. Deep cuts This is the Last Time, I Need My Girl, and Humiliation are also standouts. But the problem is some of the songs I feel like i've heard before. Don't Swallow the Cap, Sea of Love, and Gracless; yes all fantastic songs, but sound like songs off Alligator and Boxer. Yes the album can stand alone great, but the bands past discography cannot be completely ignored when reviewing. Also my complaint for this album is the lyrics. It really seems like Matt has backed off a bit, there a many overly repeated phrases, which has always been his thing, but it seemed like verses weren't as important. And there is just a whole lack of depth to most the songs. Musically the album is strong, and the songs are great, but being a National fan, this isn't the step in the right direction, it's just a great album that's what we have now come to expect.
Another album full of laments of the most cliche parts of life, don't listen to this unless you love pitch-dropped pop songs (for you whoAnother album full of laments of the most cliche parts of life, don't listen to this unless you love pitch-dropped pop songs (for you who don't understand metaphors: pop songs that have alternative music talking about depression) or a teenager desperate for love. If anything that is real critique on this album, this could've been easily called High Violet 2. I give it a 3 for the poor members remaining in the alcohol drenched grip of the manipulative singer.…Expand