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Thomas Smith of ''[[NME]]'' rated ''Laugh Track'' 4 out of 5 stars, characterizing it as "a surprise companion record that’s louder, more immediate and rawer than its predecessor" and in comparison to ''First Two Pages of Frankenstein'', this album has "the looser structures and [the] decision to allow the songs room to grow, melodically and lyrically pays off".<ref name="nmerev" /> Writing for [[Pitchfork Media]], Evan Rytlewski scored this release a 6.8 out of 10, writing that it "extends its predecessor’s subdued mood and reclusive purview" and that both "albums over-relied on programmed drums", but this release lacks the "blissful, easy groove" of ''First Two Pages of Frankenstein''.<ref name="pmrev" /> |
Thomas Smith of ''[[NME]]'' rated ''Laugh Track'' 4 out of 5 stars, characterizing it as "a surprise companion record that’s louder, more immediate and rawer than its predecessor" and in comparison to ''First Two Pages of Frankenstein'', this album has "the looser structures and [the] decision to allow the songs room to grow, melodically and lyrically pays off".<ref name="nmerev" /> Writing for [[Pitchfork Media]], Evan Rytlewski scored this release a 6.8 out of 10, writing that it "extends its predecessor’s subdued mood and reclusive purview" and that both "albums over-relied on programmed drums", but this release lacks the "blissful, easy groove" of ''First Two Pages of Frankenstein''.<ref name="pmrev" /> |
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==Track listing==<!--Per [[MOS:RETAIN]], [[MOS:VAR]], and [[WP:ALBUMSTYLE]], do not add the track listing template to this page--> |
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==Track listing== |
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All lyrics by [[Matt Berninger]], except where indicated. |
All lyrics by [[Matt Berninger]], except where indicated. |
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#"Alphabet City" (music: Bryce Dessner) – 3:44 |
#"Alphabet City" (music: Bryce Dessner) – 3:44 |
Revision as of 04:53, 18 September 2023
Laugh Track | ||||
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Released | September 18, 2023 | |||
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Genre | Rock[1] | |||
Label | 4AD | |||
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The National chronology | ||||
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Singles from Laugh Track | ||||
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Laugh Track is the tenth studio album from American indie rock band The National. It is a surprise album and is set for release on September 18, 2023.[2] The recordings were made alongside material from the band's earlier 2023 album First Two Pages of Frankenstein.[3]
Recording and release
After taking a break during the COVID-19 pandemic, the band reunited and began working on a ninth studio album. Initially going through a difficult period of writers block, Berninger and the band eventually produced enough material to fill two albums.[4] Their first music release from the sessions was "Weird Goodbyes" on August 22, 2022, featuring Bon Iver.[5]
They released their ninth studio album First Two Pages of Frankenstein on April 28, 2023. The album did not contain "Weird Goodbyes," with bandmate Aaron Dessner hinting at a different "future home" for the song.[6]
Prior to the album's release, the singles "Alphabet City" and "Space Invader" were released on streaming services in August 2023 with artwork matching the single artwork for "Weird Goodbyes".[7] In September, at the band's Homecoming 2023 festival in Cincinnati, the band publicly announced a second album called Laugh Track would be coming out digitally the same weekend. At the performance where the album was announced, 1,000 early vinyl LP copies of the album were sold, signed by each band member, with Berninger saying the full vinyl release would be sometime in November.[7][8][9]
Reception
Thomas Smith of NME rated Laugh Track 4 out of 5 stars, characterizing it as "a surprise companion record that’s louder, more immediate and rawer than its predecessor" and in comparison to First Two Pages of Frankenstein, this album has "the looser structures and [the] decision to allow the songs room to grow, melodically and lyrically pays off".[10] Writing for Pitchfork Media, Evan Rytlewski scored this release a 6.8 out of 10, writing that it "extends its predecessor’s subdued mood and reclusive purview" and that both "albums over-relied on programmed drums", but this release lacks the "blissful, easy groove" of First Two Pages of Frankenstein.[1]
Track listing
All lyrics by Matt Berninger, except where indicated.
- "Alphabet City" (music: Bryce Dessner) – 3:44
- "Deep End (Paul's in Pieces)" (music: Aaron Dessner) – 4:29
- "Weird Goodbyes" (music: A. Dessner) – 5:03
- "Turn Off the House" (music: B. Dessner) – 4:35
- "Dreaming" (music: A. Dessner) – 3:46
- "Laugh Track" (music: A. Dessner) – 4:24
- "Space Invader" (music: A. Dessner and B. Dessner) – 6:58
- "Hornets" (music: A. Dessner) – 4:35
- "Coat on a Hook" (music: A. Dessner) – 4:58
- "Tour Manager" (lyrics: Carin Besser and Berninger, music: B. Dessner) – 4:26
- "Crumble" (music: A. Dessner) – 4:35
- "Smoke Detector" (music: A. Dessner and B. Dessner) – 7:47
Personnel
The National
- Matt Berninger – lead vocals, production
- Aaron Dessner – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, production
- Bryce Dessner – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, production
- Bryan Devendorf – drums, percussion, programming, backing vocals, production
- Scott Devendorf – bass, backing vocals, production
Additional personnel
- Tony Berg – production on "Laugh Track"
- John Leventhal – production on "Crumble"
- Phoebe Bridgers – vocals on "Laugh Track"
- Rosanne Cash – vocals on "Crumble"
- Tucker Martine – production on "Deep End (Paul's in Pieces"), "Turn Off the House", "Dreaming", "Space Invader", "Hornets", "Coat on a Hook" and "Crumble"
- Justin Vernon – vocals on "Weird Goodbyes"
See also
References
- ^ a b Rytlewski, Evan (September 18, 2023). "The National: Laugh Track". Albums. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
- ^ Harrison, Scoop (September 15, 2023). "The National Announce Surprise New Album Laugh Track". Music. Consequence of Sound. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan (September 15, 2023). "The National Reveals Surprise New LP, Duets With Patti Smith In Cincinnati". News. Spin. ISSN 0886-3032. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ Trendell, Andrew (April 12, 2023). "The National's Matt Berninger talks battling depression and writer's block". News > Music News. NME. ISSN 0028-6362. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Bloom, Madison (August 22, 2022). "The National and Bon Iver Share New Song "Weird Goodbyes"". News. Pitchfork. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Hudson, Alex (January 19, 2023). "Are the National Hinting at Another New Album?". Music. Exclaim!. ISSN 1207-6600.
- ^ a b DeVille, Chris (September 15, 2023). "The National Announce Laugh Track, Second Album Of 2023, Onstage At Homecoming Fest". News. Stereogum. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ Hussey, Allison (September 16, 2023). "The National Announce New Album Laugh Track". News. Pitchfork. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel (September 16, 2023). "The National Reveal Surprise New Album 'Laugh Track' at Homecoming Festival". Really Excited. Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Smith, Thomas (September 18, 2023). "The National – 'Laugh Track' review: a heavier companion record". Reviews > Album Reviews. NME. ISSN 0028-6362. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
External links
- Laugh Track at Discogs (list of releases)
- Laugh Track at MusicBrainz (list of releases)