A beautiful well-made thing. That's how I'd describe The National's "Trouble Will Find Me." It's the followup to their great "High Violet," which I wrote about here (it's still in the top ten of blog posts!).
I purchased this CD on Record Store Day. I bought a pristine copy of the CD for $6.99. I'm guessing someone else bought this new, opened it, burned it, and then sold it back to Reckless Records. It almost feels like stealing! I mean, what a steal! Such a beautiful package - the cover art, the booklet inside with cool photos and lyrics. And the music is just so gorgeous. Sad, and wise, and catchy. Every song just hits the mark. The National seems committed to something extraordinary - attention to quality, beauty and the well-made.
If you don't own the CD or the Vinyl you are really missing out.
I'd have to say that The National is my favorite band of the moment. They seem serious about making extraordinary music. They make sophisticated, layered, powerful songs that really hold together as an exquisite suite of music. Matt Berninger's voice is a unique, insistent thing, he burrows into your consciousness. And his lyrics are always a little off-kilter, surprising, odd, never the standard or cliche.
And the sound of the band is superb. Check out the guitars, the symphonic arrangements, and the powerful extraordinary drumming throughout. Nothing is missed. Beauty, doom, exhilaration. I don't exactly know how they do it, but they are a beautiful, life-enriching thing to hear, to let into your being. Highly, highly recommended!