The National – ‘Laugh Track’ album review: a bold manifestation of renewed faith
Earlier this year, when The National returned with First Two Pages of Frankenstein, it was clear their reign of mastery was far from over. The arrival of the surprise new album Laugh Track showcases two distinctive sides to the rock group: one looking for unity and another dancing in its glory.
Laugh Track unfolds much in the same vein as First Two Pages of Frankenstein, maintaining the subdued atmosphere and introspective perspective of its predecessor. Singer Matt Berninger continues to delve into themes of depressive isolation and the breakdown of relationships. The sound and feel of the LP include an overall refined appeal thanks to Bryan Devendorf performing on a physical drum kit as opposed to machines.
With ‘Alphabet City’ at the starting line, there’s immediately a musical tension reminiscent of the material found on their preceding records. The track wades through desperation with ease, landing somewhere in the middle of a hazy sentiment that continues into ‘Deep End (Paul’s In Pieces)’. One of the standouts, ‘Weird Goodbyes’, was released last year but left off First Two Pages of Frankenstein and features Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon delivering the perfect harmonic presence for a song which finally finds a suitable home within the album. This isn’t a coincidence, it would seem, as Aaron Dessner admitted, “part of the logic for making another record [was to] give ‘Weird Goodbyes’ its own home.”
Although much of Laugh Track exists ingeniously, placed within the band’s specific realm of introspection, ‘Crumble’ provides the perfect mix-up, with Rosanne Cash dishing out a stunning counter-vocal to Berninger’s soft and raspy crooning. Phoebe Bridgers also returns to the fold on the album’s title track, lending her vocals for a tender composition that feels like an ode to holding on to hope. Her voice perfectly adds to the song’s poignancy, once again complimenting Berninger’s signature lamentation.
While melancholy and sorrow are hallmarks of The National’s music, Laugh Track distinguishes itself by noticeably reducing some of the instruments prominent on First Two Pages of Frankenstein. This shift heralds the return of the Dessner twins’ intricate guitar interplay, which takes centre stage in tracks like ‘Turn Off The House’ and ‘Space Invader’, again imbuing the album with a sense of vitality reminiscent of their dynamic live shows. There are also a number of extended outros that enhance the overall listening experience.
Concluding the album is ‘Smoke Detector’, a track that extends to almost eight minutes in length. It’s characterised by Dessner’s evocative guitar melodies, Devendorf’s commanding drumming, and Berninger’s introspective, almost rambling lyrics — this is The National at their pinnacle. Marking a return to the indie rock sound that had been absent from their studio albums for a long while, ‘Smoke Detector’ emerges as the standout track from both records.
If First Two Pages of Frankenstein symbolised the gradual rebuilding within The National, Laugh Track emerges as the vibrant and exploratory manifestation of that renewed faith, presenting a bold statement of purpose. Each song finds itself inching the band closer in every conceivable way than they have been in years, yet they hold onto one another with a certain sense of fluidity, open to the potential for transformation.
For Berninger, Laugh Track “represents us coming out of this long mutation period,” he says. “I have no idea what’s going to happen next but it feels like the shedding of a skin, an exoskeleton. We all feel out of the chrysalis and ready to figure out what kind of creature we are now.”
Though, much like First Two Pages of Frankenstein, the new album seems a little lost at points, even clumsy, the tracks that emerge with renowned greatness still sink teeth into you like an unforgiving demon, and all you’re left wanting after the fact is more.
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