One of the great bands of the 21 st century, The National have released their 9 th album “The First Two Pages of Frankenstein,” building on their already well-established core sound of poetic somberness. After a series of solo projects they have loaded these songs with an emotional landscape that likens a couple’s breakup with their own relationships within the band.
The title of the album refers to the way Matt Berninger, lead singer and songwriter was able to overcome a bout of writers block by perusing the historic novel. The album features background vocals from Phoebe Bridgers, Sufjan Stevens and Taylor Swift who has worked with guitarist Aaron Dressner on her last two albums.
A soft mixture of strings, chiming guitars and piano lay beneath the vocals and brings out the sadness of the lyrics. The carefully sculpted sound creates a perfect balance allowing the songs to hit home in dramatic fashion.
While many of the songs refer to a non-acrimonious divorce,”The First Two Pages of Frankenstein” is really about whether the band itself was spintering after years of accolades and triumphs. Fortunately The National has weatthered that storm and come out the other side with one of their best albums in a long and industrious career.
