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Laugh Track

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For audio added to comedy media, see laugh track. For the Knocked Loose album, see Laugh Tracks.

Laugh Track
A photo of a boy holding a mannequin head which has a name tag on it reading "pauL"
Studio album by
the National
ReleasedSeptember 18, 2023 (2023-09-18)
Recorded2023[1][2]
Studio
  • Flora Recording & Playback, Portland, Oregon, United States[2]
  • Soundcheck in Vancouver, Canada[1]
GenreIndie rock[3]
Length59:19
Label4AD
Producer
The National chronology
First Two Pages of Frankenstein
(2023) 		Laugh Track
(2023) 		Rome
(2024)
Singles from Laugh Track
  1. "Weird Goodbyes"
    Released: August 22, 2022
  2. "Alphabet City" / "Space Invader"
    Released: August 17, 2023

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.[4] The album's material was mostly written and recorded alongside the band's earlier 2023 album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein,[5] with several songs being re-recorded at producer Tucker Martine's studio after honing their arrangements while on tour in 2023.[2] 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.[6] Laugh Track has received positive reviews from critics.

Recording and release

[edit]

Letting go of notions of how to make songs and allowing for some loose, unstructured approaches to come into it. Also, some songs literally came from just improvising on stage during soundcheck. Maybe it's having come through a really hard time and nearly not surviving as a band. We came back together and we felt healthy.

—Aaron Dessner on why this album feels happier and looser than previous work by The National.[7]

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 writer's block and depression,[8] lyricist Matt Berninger and the band eventually produced enough material to fill two albums.[9] Their first release from the sessions was the single, "Weird Goodbyes", which was released on August 22, 2022, and featured guest vocals from Bon Iver.[10]

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.[11] The song was originally planned to be a stand-alone single, with Dessner noting "It was its own thing. But it also felt related to what we were doing. That was part of the logic for making another record—let's give "Weird Goodbyes" its own home."[12]

During the National's tour in support of First Two Pages of Frankenstein, the band debuted new material and continued to workshop the remaining unreleased songs from the recording sessions, with the newly-recorded material favoring live drums over pre-programmed percussion.[13] A press release accompanying the release of Laugh Track wrote: "Revelling in the license to radically upend its creative process, The National honed most of this material in live performances on tour this year, and captured those invigorated versions in impromptu sessions at producer Tucker Martine's Portland studio, Flora Recording & Playback."[14] The album's closing track "Smoke Detector" was recorded in June 2023, during a soundcheck in Vancouver,[1] when the band felt inspired to continue jamming in a rare move for them.[13] The band consciously wanted to highlight Bryan Devendorf's drumming on the album, after having a more "compartmentalized role" on First Two Pages of Frankenstein: "This time we had the desire to make something that was more alive so that Bryan's playing would drive more."[12]

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".[15] 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.[15][16][17]

Reception

[edit]

Editors at AnyDecentMusic? characterized Laugh Track as a 7.6 out of 10, based on sixteen reviews.[18] According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Laugh Track received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 from 14 critic scores.[19]

Editors at AllMusic rated this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, with critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine writing that the music is at "a precisely modulated temperature, bringing the songs to warmth slowly and steadily".[20] Spencer Kornhaber of The Atlantic called this work "hopeful music about everything getting worse", with "bleak" lyrics paired with "music [that] still has the light-seeking quality of Frankenstein".[21] Editors at BrooklynVegan shortlisted this as a notable release of the week and critic Andrew Sacher wrote that this music has "the same passion and attention to detail that they've had for two decades straight".[22] At Clash Music, Sahar Ghadirian gave this release a 9 out of 10, writing that it speaks "to the duality of human emotion" with a playful title accompanied by emotional lyrics and highlights several tracks for their atmospherics.[3] Mary Siroky of Consequence called this album "a fine but forgettable companion" to their previous release, continuing that the music is "at its best when things get full and rich" and it "serves as a gentle reminder that there's a difference between tenderness and boredom; long, meditative music is fine and good, but often more interesting when there's a destination in mind".[23] In Exclaim!, Alex Hudson rated Laugh Track an 8 out of 10, calling it stronger than its predecessor: "where the earlier album sounded meek, the follow-up finds the National easily sinking into what they do best".[24] In Evening Standard, David Smyth wrote that this "has a greater number of diversions from the set sound" for the band and "it sounds like they're starting to come back to life"; he scored it 4 out of 5 stars.[25]

Shaad D'Souza of The Guardian rated this work 4 out of 5 stars, stating that it "feels like a fresh start" for the band and that it adopts "a more grownup take on the existential conundrums of earlier National records".[26] In Hot Press, Edwin McFee gave this work a 7 out of 10, concluding that "There is an unmistakable flavour of "B-Side Material" off some tracks, especially on the aimless 'Dreaming', and you have to wonder what might have been if they combined the very best cuts from both LPs".[27] The Independent's Helen Brown also gave Laugh Track 4 out of 5 stars, calling this a "loose, upbeat album" that has a "lower-slung" guitar sound.[28] In The Irish Examiner, Ed Power gave this album 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "a refinement of the themes and textures of its predecessor".[29] Irish Independent editors declared this album of the week and critic praising the lyric's exploration of romantic relationships and "artfully constructed" arrangements featuring live drumming.[30] Tony Clayton-Lea of The Irish Times stating that this music "uses a similar sonic template" to their last, but also mixes different styles to show that the band "are as good at stillness as they are at movement"; he scored Laugh Track a 4 out of 5.[31] At musicOMH, John Murphy gave this album 4 out of 5 stars, writing that "it's musically not such a close cousin of First Two Pages, but more its identical twin – the same brooding atmosphere, that bottled up tension that seems to have become Matt Berninger's vocal trademark – yet over a few plays, it seems to slowly take a life of its own".[32]

In The New Zealand Herald, Graham Reid called Laugh Track "the wallowing of a troubled soul" with "alluring songs" that serve as "are beautifully played, atmospheric" therapy.[33] 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".[34] Editors at Paste chose this as Album of the Week, with critic Matt Mitchell scoring it a 9.0 out of 10, calling it one of the band's best "and maybe their single greatest feat since Sleep Well Beast";[35] the editors also included it among the best albums of September 2023.[36] Writing for Pitchfork, 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 has more of a "blissful, easy groove" than First Two Pages of Frankenstein.[37]

Rolling Stone UK published a 4-out-of-5 star review from Will Richards that calls this release "an impulsive, fearless sister record" that is "the freest they've ever sounded" and the songs "flow with unfiltered energy and spontaneity".[38] At Sputnikmusic, JohnnyoftheWell rated this album a 2.7 out of 5, stating that the band "have seemed less and less like a band firing on all cylinders, and increasingly franchise-esque" in recent years and continuing that with this work, "there is little here that substantively rectifies the underlying issues with the National's ongoing phase".[39] Ryan Leas of Stereogum wrote that the band feel "looser—more alive—than they did on its predecessor" and continues to "travel that "ultimate National" path" from their prior release, with this one being "overall more dynamic and vibrant".[40] At Uproxx, critic Steven Hyden created the mixtape Frankenstein Laughs made of tracks from The National's two 2023 albums[41] and included this compilation among his favorite music of September.[42]

At musicOMH, this album was rated 39th best of 2023.[43] Editors at NME ranked this the 32nd best album of 2023.[44] John Meagher of Irish Independent chose "Smoke Detector" as the third best foreign song of 2023, describing it as "a gnarlier, brighter companion record that was rapidly completed once their mojo had been reignited".[45] Paste included this among the 30 best rock albums of 2023.[46] At Under the Radar, this was rated the 61st best album of 2023.[47]

Track listing

[edit]

All lyrics by Matt Berninger, except where indicated.

  1. "Alphabet City" (music: Bryce Dessner) – 3:44
  2. "Deep End (Paul's in Pieces)" (music: Aaron Dessner) – 4:29
  3. "Weird Goodbyes" (music: A. Dessner) – 5:03
  4. "Turn Off the House" (music: B. Dessner) – 4:35
  5. "Dreaming" (music: A. Dessner) – 3:46
  6. "Laugh Track" (music: A. Dessner) – 4:24
  7. "Space Invader" (music: A. Dessner and B. Dessner) – 6:58
  8. "Hornets" (music: A. Dessner) – 4:35
  9. "Coat on a Hook" (music: A. Dessner) – 4:58
  10. "Tour Manager" (lyrics: Carin Besser and Berninger, music: B. Dessner) – 4:26
  11. "Crumble" (music: A. Dessner) – 4:35
  12. "Smoke Detector" (music: A. Dessner and B. Dessner) – 7:47

Personnel

[edit]

The National

Additional musicians

Additional personnel

  • Tony Berg – production on "Laugh Track"
  • John Leventhal – production 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"
  • Pentagram – design
  • John Solimine – cover photography

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Laugh Track
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[48] 51
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[49] 21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[50] 12
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[51] 38
Croatian International Albums (HDU)[52] 25
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[53] 14
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[54] 13
Irish Albums (OCC)[55] 40
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[56] 33
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[57] 5
Scottish Albums (OCC)[58] 5
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[59] 66
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[60] 21
UK Albums (OCC)[61] 24
UK Americana Albums (OCC)[62] 3
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[63] 2

As a product of "Crumble" appearing on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart, Rosanne Cash appeared on a Billboard chart for the first time in 30 years.[64]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Renshaw, David (September 18, 2023). "The National release surprise album Laugh Track". Music / Rock. The Fader. ISSN 1533-5194. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Trendell, Andrew (September 18, 2023). "Listen to The National's surprise new album 'Laugh Track'". News > Music News. NME. ISSN 0028-6362. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Ghadirian, Sahar (September 18, 2023). "The National – Laugh Track". Reviews. Clash Music. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  4. ^ Harrison, Scoop (September 15, 2023). "The National Announce Surprise New Album Laugh Track". Music. Consequence. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ Deville, Chris (September 18, 2023). "The National Release New Album Laugh Track Feat. Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers, & Rosanne Cash". New Music. Stereogum. Stereogum Media. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  7. ^ Covington, Abigail (September 18, 2023). "The National, 'Laugh Track': Aaron Dessner on the Surprise 10th Album". Entertainment. Esquire. ISSN 0194-9535. OCLC 824603960. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  8. ^ Trendell, Andrew (September 30, 2023). "The National's Matt Berninger: "It was sobering to realise how fragile I was"". Features > Music Interviews. NME. ISSN 0028-6362. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Bloom, Madison (August 22, 2022). "The National and Bon Iver Share New Song "Weird Goodbyes"". News. Pitchfork. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  11. ^ Hudson, Alex (January 19, 2023). "Are the National Hinting at Another New Album?". Music. Exclaim!. ISSN 1207-6600.
  12. ^ a b "The National: New Album 'Laugh Track' Out Now". Music. 4AD. September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Barton, Laura (September 23, 2023). "The National discuss their new album, Laugh Track, and coming back as 'brothers'". Culture > Music > Features. The Independent. ISSN 1741-9743. OCLC 185201487. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  14. ^ "THE NATIONAL drop surprise new album 'Laugh Track'". News. XS Noize. September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ Hussey, Allison (September 16, 2023). "The National Announce New Album Laugh Track". News. Pitchfork. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ "Laugh Track by The National reviews | AnyDecentMusic". AnyDecentMusic?. n.d. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  19. ^ "Laugh Track by The National Reviews and Tracks – Metacritic". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. n.d. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  20. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (n.d.). "The National – Laugh Track". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  21. ^ Kornhaber, Spencer (September 21, 2023). "The National's Second Album of 2023 Is a Doozy". Culture. The Atlantic. ISSN 2151-9463. OCLC 936540106. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  22. ^ Sacher, Andrew (September 22, 2023). "Album Reviews: MIKE/Wiki/Alchemist, Doja Cat, The National, more". Notable Releases of the Week. BrooklynVegan. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  23. ^ Siroky, Mary (September 18, 2023). "The National's Laugh Track Review". Album Reviews. Consequence of Sound. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  24. ^ Hudson, Alex (September 18, 2023). "'Laugh Track' Is in the Centre of the National's Venn Diagram". Music. Exclaim!. ISSN 1207-6600.
  25. ^ Smyth, David (September 21, 2023). "The National – Laugh Track album review: a dash of fresh energy". Culture > Music. Evening Standard. ISSN 2041-4404. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  26. ^ D'Souza, Shaad (August 18, 2023). "The National: Laugh Track review – second album of the year feels like a fresh start". Music. The Guardian. ISSN 1756-3224. OCLC 60623878.
  27. ^ McFee, Edwin (October 2, 2023). "Album Review: The National, Laugh Track". Music. Hot Press. ISSN 0332-0847. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  28. ^ Brown, Helen (September 12, 2023). "The National, Laugh Track review: Not quite wedding disco material – but this loose, upbeat album is hard to resist". Culture > Music > Reviews. The Independent. ISSN 1741-9743. OCLC 185201487. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  29. ^ Power, Ed (September 21, 2023). "Album review: Laugh Track, by The National, is the band's second offering of 2023". Lifestyle. The Irish Examiner. ISSN 1393-9564.
  30. ^ Meaghar, John (September 25, 2023). "Album of the week: The National's 'sad dad' songs on Laugh Track warm the heart". Entertainment / Music / Music Reviews. Irish Independent. ISSN 0021-1222. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  31. ^ Clayton-Lea, Tony (August 18, 2023). "The National have just released a surprise album. Here's how we rate Laugh Track". Music Review. The Irish Times. ISSN 0791-5144.
  32. ^ Murphy, John (October 7, 2023). "The National – Laugh Track". Album Reviews. musicOMH. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  33. ^ Reid, Graham (October 9, 2023). "Reviews: New albums from US alt-rock bands Wilco and the National". The Listener / Entertainment. New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  34. ^ 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.
  35. ^ Mitchell, Matt (September 20, 2023). "Album of the Week | The National: Laugh Track". Music > Reviews > The National. Paste. ISSN 1540-3106. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  36. ^ Mitchell, Matt (October 2, 2023). "The Best Albums of September 2023". Music > Lists > Best Albums. Paste. ISSN 1540-3106. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  37. ^ Rytlewski, Evan (September 18, 2023). "The National: Laugh Track". Albums. Pitchfork. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  38. ^ Richards, Will (September 18, 2023). "The National – 'Laugh Track' review: an impulsive, fearless sister record". Music > Music Album Reviews. Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  39. ^ JohnnyoftheWell (September 19, 2023). "Review: The National – Laugh Track". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  40. ^ Leas, Ryan (September 18, 2023). "The National 'Laugh Track' Review". Premature Evaluation. Stereogum. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  41. ^ Hyden, Steven (September 22, 2023). "I Made A Great Album By The National Out Of Their Two Uneven 2023 LPs". Indie Mixtape. Uproxx. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  42. ^ Hyden, Steven (September 28, 2023). "Steven Hyden's Favorite Music Of September 2023". Indie Mixtape. Uproxx. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  43. ^ Hubbard, Michael (December 8, 2023). "musicOMH's Top 50 Albums Of 2023". Lists. musicOMH. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  44. ^ "The 50 best albums of 2023". Features > Music Features. NME. December 8, 2023. ISSN 0028-6362. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  45. ^ Meagher, John (December 8, 2023). "Ranked: The best international albums of 2023". Entertainment / Music. Irish Independent. ISSN 0021-1222. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  46. ^ "The 30 Best Rock Albums of 2023". Music > Lists > Best Albums. Paste. December 10, 2023. ISSN 1540-3106. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  47. ^ "Under the Radar's Top 100 Albums of 2023 Part 2". Lists. Under the Radar. December 23, 2023. ISSN 1553-2305. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  48. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 27 November 2023". The ARIA Report. No. 1760. Australian Recording Industry Association. November 27, 2023. p. 6.
  49. ^ "Austriancharts.at – The National – Laugh Track" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  50. ^ "Ultratop.be – The National – Laugh Track" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  51. ^ "Ultratop.be – The National – Laugh Track" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  52. ^ "Laugh Track – Week 51, 2023" (in Croatian). HDU. December 26, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  53. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – The National – Laugh Track" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  54. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The National – Laugh Track" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  55. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  56. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. November 27, 2023. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  57. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – National – Laugh Track". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  58. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  59. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – The National – Laugh Track". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  60. ^ "Swisscharts.com – The National – Laugh Track". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  61. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  62. ^ "Official Americana Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  63. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  64. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (November 10, 2023). "Rosanne Cash Is Back on a Billboard Airplay Chart Thanks to The National". Chart Beat. Billboard. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
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