The National - I Am Easy To Find

The National’s new record ‘I Am Easy to Find’ clocks in at 1 hour and 4 minutes making it a fairly long listen, and something it does not do is grab attention. The songs themselves are not bad by any stretch, but there’s nothing that demands to be heard or asserts itself. The most interesting part of the record is the number of guest vocalists giving way to Matt Berninger’s uninterested tones, particularly Mina Tindle on ‘Oblivions’ and Gail Ann Dorsey’s various contributions.

‘So Far So Fast’ is undoubtedly the highlight of a record which is otherwise quite dull, with Lisa Hannigan’s vocals delivering a particularly poignant song. It’s not a record which will win many new fans, but The National have been around long enough that you know what to expect. Alas, while it’s not a bad album, it is a dull and boring affair for them with the album lacking any real charisma.

Josh Williams