The National - First Two Pages Of Frankenstein [Limited Edition, Red]

A vulnerable and vital rebirth from the masters of modern melancholy.

The National’s ninth studio album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein, is more than just a new chapter—it’s a restoration. Following a period of profound writer’s block and internal uncertainty, the band found their way back to one another through the very act of creation. The title itself serves as a tribute to the moment the "muse was let out of the dungeon," sparked by Matt Berninger finding inspiration in the opening lines of Mary Shelley’s classic novel. Recorded at their Long Pond Studios in upstate New York, this 11-song collection trades the experimental sprawl of their recent work for a "back-to-basics" focus on evocative melodies and deeply personal narratives.

The album explores the "Arctic" landscape of the psyche—disconnection, isolation, and the slow re-emergence into the light. It is a record bolstered by a stellar cast of collaborators who act as emotional mirrors to Berninger’s weary baritone: Sufjan Stevens provides a ghostly presence on the opening "Once Upon a Poolside," Phoebe Bridgers lends her haunting harmonies to "This Isn’t Helping," and Taylor Swift joins for the cinematic, dialogue-driven standout "The Alcott." From the propulsive, New Order-tinged drive of "Tropic Morning News" to the domestic intimacy of "New Order T-Shirt," First Two Pages of Frankenstein finds The National sounding revitalized, soft yet sharp, and more heart-centered than ever before.