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Listen to new M83 song “I Need You” off the DIVERGENT soundtrack
In keeping with M83′s quest to become the theme music to every new science fiction film there is, they’ve written another one for the new dysotopic tween flick Divergent starring Shailene Woodley (The Descendents), Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and directed by Neal Burger (Limitless). Now I’m about to be that guy, cause this isn’t, in my opinion, the best M83 song I’ve ever heard, but it’s definitely a departure, which I guess they are allowed to do from time to time.
(Via. Stereogum)
Various songs on the Divergent soundtrack album pair up Kendrick Lamar with Tame Impala, or A$AP Rocky with Gesaffelstein.
The Divergent soundtrack is out 3/11. Divergent hits theaters on March 21, 2014
The National are to appear on “Catching Fire” Soundtrack
A movie about killing children in an apocalyptic world can’t fit any better to The National’s gloomy lyrics. Maybe I’m taking the band’s lyrical meaning differently than what they intended to have, but it could work out. They’ve announced that the group wrote a song for the new Hunger Games movie, Catching Fire, which is set to hit theaters November 22nd. Titled “Lean”, lead vocalist Matt Berninger told NME that their original title was ‘too dark’ for the movie.
“The song almost didn’t make it because it was too dark for The Hunger Games soundtrack, which I thought was sort of funny because it’s about killing kids. I don’t know how a song can be darker than that. So we had to change the name of the song; I actually like the name ‘Lean.’… You know, I get it. It was a really fun project… It was a cool change from how we normally work on things, to write something for something else. It was kind of a pressure release thing, and it was fun.”
For the record, the original title was “Dying Is Easy”. Oddly enough, it doesn’t feel out of the ordinary for The National’s discography. Watch their video for “Graceless” below.
The National release bleak statement about future of the band
As the days become closer to the release of The National’s new album, Trouble Will Find Me, lead singer Matt Berninger has released an upsetting statement;
“The band has almost ended here and there. I think we got past a lot of the ways it could have ended and ended badly. I think we got through those dark times– just relationship issues, and frustration, and anxiety, and exhaustion, and tempers. [R.E.M.’s] Michael Stipe always used to say, Remember that you were friends first. We had to remind ourselves of that. I don’t know how long is healthy to be a rock band. We’ve been on for almost 14 years, so another five years might be too much. We’re actually at a better place with each other than we’ve ever been. I don’t think our band would end with an acrimonious situation any more. I think we’ve learned to love and respect each other now and we’re kind of past all that stuff. I don’t know if that means we’ll stay a band for a lot longer– but for a little while, at least.” (In an interview with Hayden from The Grid)
Hopefully we’ll here an album or two or even get to see a great tour before they call it quits. The National are playing an extensive late summer/fall tour across North American and some European dates in 2013.
Be sure to read our review of Trouble Will Find Me here
Watch the official release of the song, “Demons”, as well
Review: The National – Trouble Will Find Me
While I was only in New York very briefly, I’ve always found it to be a city full of emotions. I’ve never lived there, only visited, but every I hear an Turn On The Bright Lights by Interpol or Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea by PJ Harvey, I’m immediately dumped right in the heart of the Big Apple. That nostalgia has ended with those albums, but a band that constantly gives me those emotions are The National. With the baritone vocals, the Leonard Cohen delivery of lyrics, and the hypnotic instrumentation, Trouble Will Find Me has been one of my most anticipated releases of 2013. After a three year gap since their critically acclaimed High Violet, the band has released their best album yet.
Trouble Will Find Me opens with a slow-cooker, “I Should Live In Salt”. The logical progression in their music makes sense, considering the change in sound from Alligator to Boxer comes in chronological order. As their sixth album to date, Matt Berninger is getting up there quickly in age. At 42, he sounds better than ever though and it shows quickly in the opener. He hits his falsettos perfectly, striking an intense emotional chord. Following this track is a slew of quick, hard hitting songs like the single, “Demons”, and “Don’t Swallow The Cap”. Both of those tracks have the perfect sound for a radio single, and it makes sense that “Demons” was hitting the airwaves as soon as it was legally possible. Together they show the skill of the bands harmonies and synchronicity. The instrumentation, especially on my personal favourite song, “Sea Of Love”, is the most complex and simple at the same time. To many listeners, it could be taken as repetitive, but it’s depth can stretch until the next National album is released. It only makes sense, because guitarist, Bryce Dessner, has a masters from Yale in classical guitar.
Like I mentioned, “Sea Of Love”, has that intense National sound that previous tracks like, “Mr. November”, off of Alligator, and the master hit, “Bloodbuzz Ohio”, off of High Violet, have. The continuous snare smashes are borderline punk-like that blend perfectly with the two guitars that carry the song. What really puts this song over the edge is Berninger’s vocals. The way he connects with the listener is pure talent. Lyrically, the song is outstanding, “Hey Joe sorry I hurt you but / They say love is a virtue / Don’t they?”, with Berninger playing the roles of the multiple characters throughout the course of this 55 minute monster album.
Like past releases, The National always include a few slower tracks. Here, these slower tracks feel even softer and dynamically contrast the main sound of the album, but fit perfectly thematically. “Fireproof”, “Heavenfaced”, and “I Need My Girl”, are the three ballads that stand out on Trouble Will Find Me. The tempo is pretty quick, but there’s nothing that rivals the few hidden drum patterns and lone piano notes. It’s truly beautiful, especially “I Need My Girl”, which oddly sounds like “Kreuzberg” by Bloc Party. Although it’s been played for a few years here and there, having it on a studio track brings out the subtly on this amazing track.
Even the second last song, “Pink Rabbits”, rivals for my favourite track. Actually fuck it, almost all songs do here, but “Sea Of Love”, and the one I mentioned really have been standing out since I was able to get my rounds on this album. What I’ve noticed is how the band as a whole clicks on every track. I would say it’s their most accessible, but like I’ve said, their most complex at the same time. The dark themes of loneliness, depression, and love are so easy to relate to on this album, and are far more open compared to Boxer or even High Violet, which was the first time The National wasn’t using cryptic lyrics for personal events. They show their true colours on this album.
I wasn’t prepared for the magnitude of Trouble Will Find Me. I mean, I love The National’s past three albums, so I had high expectations going into this newest release, but I wasn’t ready for the greatness of it. The album as a whole is unreal. The sound is relate-able, listenable, fun, passionate, and every other positive adjective in the dictionary. I’ve been disappointed with anticipated albums, and I should have had that thought in mind coming up to hearing this, but there wasn’t one bit of denial in my body. I knew Trouble Will Find Me was going to be good. I just never knew it would be THIS good.
Be sure to check out my personal favourite, “Sea Of Love”, here:
Watch two new songs by The National on ‘Fallon’
With a new album titled, Trouble Will Find Me, it’s fitting that the Brooklyn rockers are set to show their stuff. They’ve claimed to channel the sounds of Roy Orbison and Bob Dylan on their forthcoming LP, which is set to release May 21st on 4AD.
This should be very exciting as they’ve included guests like Sufjan Stevens, St. Vincent, Sharron Van Etten, and members of Arcade Fire. to name a few. Members of The National also note that they have nothing to prove, so this album should showcase their true desires with the band.
