The National – First Two Pages of Frankenstein

Review Score:

C+

The Unprecedented Times –

April 28 / 2023

The National – First Two Pages of Frankenstein

The National have been dubbed “divorced dad music” in recent years. As someone who is neither divorced nor a father, I can’t speak to this. But they have always had a certain sorrowful, regretful sound. But if their past music is a divorced dad, then that dad has let himself go on First Two Pages of Frankenstein. 

That sounds harsh. I don’t mean that entirely as an insult. All things considered, The National pretty much sound how you’d expect The National to sound here. If you enjoyed their previous  projects like I am Easy to Find, you’ll probably enjoy this too. First Two Pages of Frankenstein doesn’t reinvent the wheel. In fact, the band seems to have no interest in reinvention at all. This is funny, considering the album’s namesake is about a lifeless corpse jolted with enough electricity that it can stand up and waddle around. 

In the weeks leading up to this record, I was worried by the singles. I thought they sounded blander with each release. In the wider context of the full record, they sound better. They fit the narrative of a man who is haunted by past relationships. “Tropic Morning News” is one of the band’s best songs in recent memory. It’s the most energetic song here, a word I wouldn’t typically use to describe The National.

“Once Upon a Poolside” is a gentle, pretty opening track. Unfortunately, The National features Sufjan Stevens the way Taylor Swift features any woman in her collaborations: as a muted, background vocal hidden in the layers of production. Swift, funnily enough, gets the most prominent feature on the album. Do with that what you will.

On that note, “The Alcott” comes across a lot like “coney island” off of Taylor Swift’s Evermore. Both are songs about two people in duet recalling a location and sharing memories. Both feature Matt Berringer and Taylor Swift. I suppose all of this is to say that The National are retreading the same ground they’ve walked on for several albums now. 

Still, there is a certain allure to The National. If you can get into the right frame of mind, you can let this wash over you as a sorrowful moment in time. A portrait of a man lost and confused. Many of these tracks flow together nicely like a low droning white noise machine (and I mean that in the nicest way possible). Matt Berringer’s voice is suited to this style of music, which the band seems more than comfortable making at this stage in their career. 

This is better than the singles would have you believe. Certain songs, like Eucalyptus, sounded like they weren’t even interested in being songs. Thankfully, some of the other tracks are redeemable. The National are good at what they do. But they’ve fit that bill for about two decades now. How much more divorced can one dad get?

Review Score:

C+

Gubb wrote this review. You can’t get mad at Gubb.