Trouble will find me. The National

You can listen to 'Sea of love' here.

And it has, dear reader. Last week on Monday I travelled abroad and played Trouble will find me three times straight on my iPod on route in transit, in the hotel room. At times mesmerised. And still, nearly two weeks later, I do not know what to write about this new album of The National. Trouble has found me indeed, as this is the first time I'm in doubt of what to write after I decided an album is worth writing about.

So, let me start telling you about my relationship with The National. I didn't like its previous album at all. I just could not make chocolate of 'High violet'. Nothing stuck, nothing that excited me or repelled. Nothing of the sort. Just this music that went in one and left the other ear without making a true impression. Trouble will find me does, but what is it that makes me prick up my ears? That is very hard to explain. (And I had missed all that went on before. So not much of a relationship, I'll admit.)

Most songs are mid-tempoish. Nothing really screams for attention there. The rhythms are complex-like. Most do not really endear, as there is something to wring itself inside out or at least scratching itself like it needs to by pure necessity. While at the same time Matt Berninger is able to come up with some heavenly melodies for the vocals. A lot of songs are more like impressions of music than straightforward songs, but hold these intermezzo's within them that make a song interesting to listen to, if not to say special. 'Don't swallow the cap' is faster, but has all these elements that repel and endear at the same time and guess who's winning? Ask me again while listening to 'Heavenfaced' or 'Humiliation'. There are ballads to die for on Trouble will find me without having to listen to 'I wannna to know what love is'. These ballads are so far beyond MOR.

After many more listenings I decide to succumb to Trouble will find me and deal with the mood I'm in that decides whether I'm in the mood for the album or not. It's a very thin line The National is balancing on. 'Fireproof' is the best example. At this very moment of writing I'm surfing on every turn the song takes, this afternoon on the train I switched the album off because of this song. Trouble will find me is a love or hate album for me at the same time. That is the only conclusion I can present you with at this place in time. And the love is winning. If you're intrigued, be my guest, but do not expect an up-beat album. Let me warn you there. The mood is dark and darker if not darkest, but even in the darkest, beauty is sometimes hid. Take your time to discover it.

Wo.


You can order Trouble will find me here


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