Music
Born from a soundcheck in Vancouver, the tenth studio record from The National has arrived. The second half and closing chapter of a double album starting with ‘First Two Pages of Frankenstein’ in April, ‘Laugh Track’ has been a surprise that is still sinking in for many, especially those at their Cincinnati homecoming shows over the weekend, and what better backdrop for this unexpected unveiling?
Happy accidents formed through the group freestyling and playing around, assisted by lines of songs buried deep in pockets for years with a fresh outlook to prompt them to sing it aloud, ‘Laugh Track’ was workshopped in June. From an intimate moment of gathering came an investigative and spirited set of songs signalling an end and a beginning. Tracks that have been treated with such delicacy that it seems shocking they were made in such a short time and largely untouched since their conception. Striking live drums and bright electric guitar lines make ‘Laugh Track’ a defining indie rock record in its most natural and untamed form, a sound that could only ever belong to The National.
Promises are made in the lyrics of ‘First Two Pages of Frankenstein’, noted in the closer ‘Send For Me.’ And by the time we arrive at its sibling, ‘Laugh Track’, Matt Berninger lives up to each one as the ultimate protector. From its compelling opener, ‘Alphabet City’, we’re attuned to the lower depths of Berninger’s vocals as the song reassures with the loud whisper “baby you got this.” Forged fate and orchestrated destiny are explored as Matt repeats, “Sometimes I wanna drive around and find you / And act like it’s a random thing.”
The warmness of the past also creeps in on ‘Weird Goodbyes’ featuring Bon Iver. A vivid song released in the summer of 2022 when ‘Laugh Track’ was merely lyrics on scraps of paper and dreamed-up ideas in the chaos of other projects, it is now a capsule for where the band are, with their live performances preserved.
Masters of their craft, the group’s storytelling comes in images and vignettes, and ‘Turn Off The House’ is at the wheel with hazy snapshots of Berninger nearing the end of an emotional inventory. The sweet acoustics sound under a propelling ticking clock, with time moving forward beneath reckless tendencies. And as the band navigates the disorientation, “When your mind leaves your body,” they reassure listeners not to worry about how others perceive you. Let go of that internal shame, “Turn off the house.”
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There is an irony that comes with the album title, but it fully lives up to it, speaking to the duality of human emotion. The title track, ‘Laugh Track’, featuring Phoebe Bridgers, has a uniquely familiar intro, echoing Taylor Swift’s ‘invisible string‘, a song carefully crafted with Aaron Dessner for ‘folklore.’ Transforming the melody with haunting piano chords, soaring harmonies, and a faint fanfare in likeness to Bridgers’ ‘I Know the End,’ the song traces a breakdown and fall out – the ones that happen so quickly you don’t quite believe time is real. Confessional and innocent, the pair admit, “All I am is shreds of doubt,” but they continue to soften the blow with each listen, “Turn on the laugh track / Everyone knows you’re a wreck”. Bridgers and Berninger are a beautiful duo, able to turn a difficult subject matter almost lighthearted, like a friend who can make you laugh when you’re sobbing.
On ‘Crumble’ with Rosanne Cash, lyrics continue to cut to the core of human vulnerability, offering a poignant exploration of the fragility of relationships. With its more subdued country instrumentation, the band’s intricate arrangements strike a balance between restraint and emotional intensity. Rosanne Cash and Matt Berninger’s complimenting vocals are entangled in bright, twangy sounds full of courage and earnestness, as they want to love and trust.
The final song embraces all that ‘Laugh Track’ has come to be – words that run wild effortlessly through spoken lyrics and elongated vocals. Like in ‘Tour Manager’, The National so cooly “Play it like it’s nothing.”
There’s an air of finality noted in ‘Smoke Detector,’ a kind of book-closing, defining moment revealed after extreme darkness and disconnect. Filled with driving drums and terse guitars, it flows with mesmerising cosmic chaos.
Mourning an uncertain period in the band and liberating themselves from the inhibitions that once held them back, The National are closer than ever, the type of closeness that allows individual growth, and this organic coming together is reflected in the collection of songs on ‘Laugh Track.’ Music that will no doubt stand the test of time, the echoes of reassurance from its title track lingers, “Turn on the laugh track / We’ll see if it changes the scene / Maybe this is just the funniest version of us that we’ve ever been.”
9/10
Words: Sahar Ghadirian
