Trouble Will Find Me | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 17, 2013 | |||
Recorded | September 2012 – February 2013 | |||
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Genre | ||||
Length | 55:06 | |||
Label | 4AD | |||
Producer |
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The National chronology | ||||
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Singles from Trouble Will Find Me | ||||
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Trouble Will Find Me is the sixth studio album by American indie rock band the National, released on May 17, 2013, on 4AD. [1]
Produced by band members Aaron and Bryce Dessner, the album features appearances from St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten, Doveman, Sufjan Stevens, Nona Marie Invie of Dark Dark Dark fame, and Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire. [2]
The album received widespread critical acclaim upon its release. Trouble Will Find Me reached number three on both the Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart. The album was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.
The National began writing Trouble Will Find Me towards the end of the band's tour in support of previous album, High Violet (2010). Regarding the tour's completion, and the collective mental state of the band at this time, lead vocalist Matt Berninger noted, "[We] felt satisfied at the end of touring High Violet. It was the first time ever, or at least in the past ten years, where we felt like we could put the band on the shelf for a little while, put a record out in three, four years. There wasn’t any sense of, 'what now?'" [3]
Berninger, however, became inspired by guitarists Aaron and Bryce Dessner's recent demo recordings, and subsequently completed his writing contributions to the album's opening track, "I Should Live in Salt", a day after initially hearing it. Bass guitarist Scott Devendorf noted, "Our typical way of working was to send stuff to Matt, then wait a while to get some mumbles back. He seemed really motivated and engaged with the new stuff." [3]
The band began recording Trouble Will Find Me in late September 2012 at Clubhouse Recording Studios, which was modeled after the late 19th century barn-turned-inn that the band stayed in. Bass guitarist Scott Devendorf stated that Clubhouse was chosen primarily to establish camaraderie amongst the band, noting: "The impetus to record upstate-- cooking, eating, working, hanging out together - was to achieve this music-camp feel." [3] The first four days of recording were interrupted by heavy tornado-like winds which subsequently led to a power outage. Guitarist, keyboardist and co-producer Aaron Dessner noted, "That night, by candlelight in the total darkness, we got really drunk and played the songs acoustically. It was the kind of scene that has never happened in the history of our band — and will never happen again." [3]
The band subsequently relocated to Dreamland Recording Studios - located within a converted 19th century church, in West Hurley, New York - to record the track, "Fireproof", entirely live. [3] Inspired by the session, the band returned to Clubhouse and recorded both "Sea of Love" and "Heavenfaced" as one-take live performances. Recording at Clubhouse, however, was once again derailed by Hurricane Sandy, with Aaron Dessner stating, "I drove back into the city because I was worried about my family and the potential flooding, and got stuck there for four days." [3]
Dessner, who co-produced Trouble Will Find Me alongside his brother Bryce, noted that his experiences producing both Sharon Van Etten's Tramp (2012) and Local Natives' Hummingbird (2013) led him to understand the importance of "constructive, positive dialogue" in the recording studio, whereas before he and his bandmates would often argue throughout the process. [3] While recording for Trouble Will Find Me, the song, "Rylan" was unfinished, and was later played on-and-off during their live sets. [4] "Rylan" has since been re-recorded and made its way onto I Am Easy to Find .
Inspired by the recent birth of his daughter, Ingrid Stella Dessner, guitarist, keyboardist and co-producer Aaron Dessner began writing music with his child in mind. Vocalist Matt Berninger noted that he "react[ed] to it in a very visceral, immediate, infantile way". [3]
The lyrics to the album's opening track, "I Should Live in Salt", are directed towards Matt Berninger's brother, Tom, who directed the forthcoming band documentary, Mistaken for Strangers (2013). [3] Berninger stated that he enjoyed the writing process for Trouble Will Find Me noting, "In the past, it’s been hard to enjoy writing - like getting drops of blood from your forehead - but I loved the process for this record. I think a lot of it was because I wasn't worried - I didn't care what the songs were going to be about, or if they were going to seem depressing, or cool, or whatever." [3]
On December 8, 2011, the band performed on CBC Radio show Q in front of a live audience. Two new songs were performed for the first time: "Rylan" and "I Need My Girl". "I Need My Girl" is featured on the album. [5] The band embarked on a tour with the Dirty Projectors to support the album. [6] When asked about the album, Aaron Dessner, the guitarist, said "our ideas would immediately click with each other. It's free-wheeling again. The songs on one level are our most complex, and on another they're our most simple and human. It just feels like we've embraced the chemistry we have." [1]
On April 25, 2013, the band performed album track "Sea of Love" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon . [7] A music video for "Sea of Love", which alludes to Russian punk rock band Zvuki Mu's music video for their 1995 single "Grubiy Zakat (Грубый Закат)", [8] was released on the band's official YouTube account on May 8, 2013. [9]
On April 11, 2020, the band uploaded a music video for the album closer "Hard to Find" made from rediscovered footage. The video was filmed off the coast of a nature reserve in Perth, Australia in February 2014, right before the end of the Trouble Will Find Me tour, and shows Matt Berninger swimming and playing with a group of fur seals.
"Demons" was released as the first single from Trouble Will Find Me. [10] The song peaked at number thirteen on the Belgian Ultratip singles chart for the Flanders region [11] and at number sixty-four on the Irish Singles Chart. [12] Its music video, released on August 8, 2013, features a time-lapse video depicting the creation of a Trouble Will Find Me mural. [13]
"Don't Swallow the Cap" was released to American modern rock radio on April 22 as the album's second single. [14] The single peaked at number seven on the Flanders Ultratip chart. [15]
"Graceless" impacted triple A radio on August 26, [16] with the music video being posted to the band's YouTube channel on August 27 [17] and a release to modern rock radio following on August 29. [18] "I Need My Girl" was released to modern rock radio on January 28, 2014, as the album's fourth single. [19]
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 8.1/10 [20] |
Metacritic | 84/100 [21] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The A.V. Club | A− [23] |
Entertainment Weekly | B [24] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Independent | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 8/10 [28] |
Pitchfork | 8.4/10 [29] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | 7/10 [31] |
Trouble Will Find Me received critical acclaim. On Metacritic, which assigns an average score out of 100 to reviews and ratings from mainstream music critics, the album received an average score of 84 based on 44 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [21] Consequence of Sound's Megan Ritt wrote that Trouble Will Find Me "outlines the confidence to expand and experiment with the formula, paired with the skills to do it justice." [32] At The Guardian , Maddy Costa concluded that "it's the subtlety, and the self-awareness, that make this album exquisite", [25] while at The Independent , Andy Gill proclaimed that the album "will surely cement their accession to the rock mainstream". [26] Andrew Burgess of musicOMH called Trouble Will Find Me "a collection of waves that never break" and stated that "catharsis never comes", but the album contains "glimpses of light coming through at the edges, and a sense of perfect order among the chaos." [33] David Fricke of Rolling Stone wrote that the band "are letting light and air into their shadows". [30]
Ian Cohen of Pitchfork called Trouble Will Find Me "both relatable and fantastical" and found it to be "their most self-referential album". [29] At Now , Samantha Burgess wrote that "on Trouble Will Find Me, they’ve perfected it, knowing when a hook should explode and when to hold back and let Berninger’s signature, sombre baritone take over." [34] Paul Mardles of The Observer affirmed that The National "have perfected their ruminative rock, the beauty of their intricate arrangements ensuring the end product never sounds pedestrian", and called them "the real stars of the show." [35] In Uncut , Louis Pattison stated the album's songs "suggest an uncertain soundtrack can still be a source of comfort" and as a result, "for the first time, The National sound relaxed in their skin." [36] Ryan E.C. Hamm of Under the Radar called the album a "cohesive experience" and "another accomplished entry". [37]
In American Songwriter , Jim Beviglia wrote that "progress may not be the right word", but "sustained brilliance is a pretty good alternative." [21] James Christopher Monger of AllMusic stated that "for better or for worse, they perfected their sound the last time around, so it’s hard to fault them for sticking so close to the fire." [22] In a mixed review, Q stated that "for a band who sing so often about matters of the heart and emotional connection, much of Trouble Will Find Me sounds oddly on autopilot." [38] Jesse Cataldo of Slant Magazine found that while the album "remains well crafted and satisfying, there's something inherently stultifying about it as well." [39]
Trouble Will Find Me made numerous "albums of the year" lists including Pitchfork, [40] Rolling Stone [41] and Paste. [42]
Trouble Will Find Me debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 with 74,722 copies sold in its first week. [43] The album made top-ten debuts in fourteen countries other than the US. In 2014 it was awarded a double gold certification from the Independent Music Companies Association, [44] which indicated sales of at least 150,000 copies throughout Europe. [45]
All tracks are written by Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner, except where noted
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "I Should Live in Salt" | 4:08 |
2. | "Demons" | 3:32 |
3. | "Don't Swallow the Cap" (Berninger, A. Dessner, Bryce Dessner) | 4:46 |
4. | "Fireproof" | 2:58 |
5. | "Sea of Love" | 3:41 |
6. | "Heavenfaced" (Berninger, B. Dessner) | 4:23 |
7. | "This Is the Last Time" (Berninger, A. Dessner, B. Dessner) | 4:43 |
8. | "Graceless" | 4:35 |
9. | "Slipped" | 4:25 |
10. | "I Need My Girl" | 4:05 |
11. | "Humiliation" (Berninger, A. Dessner, B. Dessner) | 5:01 |
12. | "Pink Rabbits" (Berninger, A. Dessner, Zoë Randell of Luluc [46] ) | 4:36 |
13. | "Hard to Find" (Berninger, B. Dessner) | 4:13 |
Total length: | 55:06 |
No. | Title | Length |
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14. | "Learning" (Mike Hadreas) | 2:59 |
Total length: | 58:05 |
The National
Additional musicians
| Recording personnel
Artwork
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Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA) [79] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada) [80] | Gold | 40,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [81] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [82] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format | Label |
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Australia | May 17, 2013 | Digital download, CD, LP | 4AD |
Germany | |||
Ireland | |||
United Kingdom | May 20, 2013 | ||
France | |||
Canada | May 21, 2013 | ||
United States | |||
Japan | May 22, 2013 |
The Tallest Man on Earth recorded a version of "Pink Rabbits" for his 2022 album of cover songs, Too Late for Edelweiss. [83]
The National is an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, formed in Brooklyn, New York City in 1999. The band consists of Matt Berninger (vocals), twin brothers Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner, as well as brothers Scott Devendorf (bass) and Bryan Devendorf (drums). Carin Besser, the wife of Matt Berninger, is not a band member but has written lyrics for the band alongside her husband since its 2007 album Boxer.
Laugh Track is the tenth studio album from American indie rock band The National. The surprise album was released on September 18, 2023, having been announced only days prior. The album's material was mostly written and recorded alongside the band's earlier 2023 album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein, with several songs being re-recorded at producer Tucker Martine's studio after honing their arrangements while on tour in 2023. Preceded by the singles, "Weird Goodbyes", "Alphabet City" and "Space Invader", the album features guest vocal appearances from Justin Vernon, Phoebe Bridgers and Rosanne Cash. Laugh Track has received positive reviews from critics.
The National is the debut studio album by American indie rock band the National, released on October 30, 2001, on Brassland Records. Recorded prior to guitarist Bryce Dessner's full arrival into the band, The National was produced by both Nick Lloyd and the band itself. Now-bass guitarist Scott Devendorf performs both guitar and backing vocals on this album, with guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Aaron Dessner on bass guitar and guitar duties.
Boxer is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band the National, released on May 22, 2007, on Beggars Banquet Records. Following its release, the album debuted at number 68 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 9,500 copies in its first week.
Aaron Brooking Dessner is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as a founding member of the rock band the National, with whom he has recorded nine studio albums; a co-founder of the indie rock duo Big Red Machine, teaming with Bon Iver's Justin Vernon; and a collaborator on Taylor Swift's studio albums Folklore and Evermore, both of which contended for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2021 and 2022, respectively, with the former winning the accolade.
Matthew Donald Berninger is an American singer-songwriter, primarily known as the frontman and lyricist of indie rock band The National, and being the only member who doesn't have a familial relation to any other band member. In 2014, he also formed the EL VY project with Brent Knopf of Ramona Falls and Menomena, They released the album Return to the Moon in November 2015. In May 2020, Berninger issued the title track from his solo debut album, Serpentine Prison, released in October 2020.
High Violet is the fifth studio album by The National, which was released on May 10, 2010, in Europe and on May 11, 2010, in North America via 4AD. The band produced the album themselves, assisted by Peter Katis with whom they worked on their previous albums Alligator and Boxer at their own studio in Brooklyn, New York, and at Katis' Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The sculpture on the album cover was created by artist Mark Fox, and is called The Binding Force.
The discography of American indie rock band the National consists of ten studio albums, two extended plays (EPs), thirteen singles and nine music videos. The band's first two albums, were released by Brassland Records. Their next two albums were released by Beggars Banquet Records, and their subsequent albums were released by 4AD.
"Demons" is a song by American indie rock band The National. Written by band members Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner, it appears as the second track on the band's sixth studio album Trouble Will Find Me and was released as the album's first single on April 15, 2013.
"Don't Swallow the Cap" is a song by American indie rock band The National. Written by band members Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, and Bryce Dessner, it appears as the third track on the band's sixth studio album Trouble Will Find Me. "Don't Swallow the Cap" was released to United States modern rock radio as the album's second overall single on April 22, 2013.
Day of the Dead is the twenty-fifth compilation release benefiting the Red Hot Organization, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. Featuring fifty-nine exclusive recordings of covers of Grateful Dead songs by a number of independent artists as a tribute to the band, the compilation was released on May 20, 2016, as five CDs, a limited edition vinyl LP box set, and as a digital download. John Carlin, the founder of the Red Hot Organization, was the executive producer for the album. The members of The National first performed with Bob Weir at his Bay Area studio in 2012 as part of the Headcount benefit The Bridge Session. The group's budding friendship with the Dead cofounder pushed them to record the massive Dead tribute.
Return to the Moon is the debut studio album by American indie rock band EL VY, released on October 30, 2015 on 4AD. A collaboration between Matt Berninger and Brent Knopf, the two musicians had befriended one another on tour and exchanged sketches of music and lyrics for years, before getting together in the winter of 2014 to formally record an album.
"Sea of Love" is a song by American indie rock band The National. Written by band members Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner, it appears as the fifth track on the band's sixth studio album Trouble Will Find Me. "Sea of Love" was released as the album's fourth single on September 2, 2013. The music video for the song, which preceded its release as a radio single, debuted on May 8, 2013.
Planetarium is a collaborative album featuring Bryce Dessner of the indie rock band The National, drummer James McAlister, contemporary classical music composer and arranger Nico Muhly, and singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens. The album was released by 4AD on June 9, 2017. The group announced the recording on March 26, sharing the album's track listing along with the song "Saturn".
Sleep Well Beast is the seventh studio album by the American indie rock band The National, released on September 8, 2017, by 4AD. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 2018.
"You Had Your Soul with You" is a song by American indie rock band The National. It appears as the first track on the band's eighth studio album I Am Easy to Find. "You Had Your Soul with You" was released in the United States as the album's first single on March 5, 2019.
I Am Easy to Find is the eighth studio album by American indie rock band The National, released on May 17, 2019, via 4AD. The follow-up to the band's 2017 album, Sleep Well Beast, it was supported by the lead single, "You Had Your Soul with You", and accompanied by a short film of the same name, directed by Mike Mills and starring Alicia Vikander. Vikander is also featured on the album cover. A trailer was released for the companion film along with the announcement of the album. A tour promoting the album began in June 2019.
Serpentine Prison is the debut solo studio album by Matt Berninger, lead singer and co-songwriter of The National, released on October 16, 2020. It was produced by Booker T. Jones and released on Book’s Records, a new imprint of Concord Records formed by Berninger and Jones.
"Coney Island" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring American band the National. It is the ninth track on Swift's ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the song with Joe Alwyn, who is credited under the pseudonym William Bowery, and producers Aaron and Bryce Dessner. Republic Records sent the song to US triple-A radio on January 18, 2021, as the album's third and final single.
First Two Pages of Frankenstein is the ninth studio album by the American indie rock band the National, released on April 28, 2023, by 4AD. The album was produced by The National at Long Pond studio in upstate New York and features guest appearances from Sufjan Stevens, Phoebe Bridgers, and Taylor Swift.