Trouble Will Find Me
On a table, a head of a person slowly creeps up over a mirror that has it cut out to fit the head. Both the band's name and album title is underlined on the top right with the band's name written in uppercase.
Studio album by
the National
ReleasedMay 17, 2013
RecordedSeptember 2012 – February 2013
Studio
Genre
Length55:06
Label4AD
Producer
The National chronology
High Violet
(2010)		 Trouble Will Find Me
(2013)		 Sleep Well Beast
(2017)
Singles from Trouble Will Find Me
  1. "Demons"
    Released: April 15, 2013 (radio)
  2. "Don't Swallow the Cap"
    Released: April 22, 2013 (radio)
  3. "Graceless"
    Released: August 26, 2013 (radio)
  4. "Sea of Love"
    Released: September 2, 2013 (radio)
  5. "I Need My Girl"
    Released: February 3, 2014

Trouble Will Find Me is the sixth studio album by American indie rock band the National, released on May 17, 2013, on 4AD.[1]

Produced by band members Aaron and Bryce Dessner, the album features appearances from St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten, Doveman, Sufjan Stevens, Nona Marie Invie of Dark Dark Dark fame, and Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire.[2]

The album received widespread critical acclaim upon its release. Trouble Will Find Me reached number three on both the Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart. The album was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.

Background

The National began writing Trouble Will Find Me towards the end of the band's tour in support of previous album, High Violet (2010). Regarding the tour's completion, and the collective mental state of the band at this time, lead vocalist Matt Berninger noted, "[We] felt satisfied at the end of touring High Violet. It was the first time ever, or at least in the past ten years, where we felt like we could put the band on the shelf for a little while, put a record out in three, four years. There wasn’t any sense of, 'what now?'"[3]

Berninger, however, became inspired by guitarists Aaron and Bryce Dessner's recent demo recordings, and subsequently completed his writing contributions to the album's opening track, "I Should Live in Salt", a day after initially hearing it. Bass guitarist Scott Devendorf noted, "Our typical way of working was to send stuff to Matt, then wait a while to get some mumbles back. He seemed really motivated and engaged with the new stuff."[3]

Recording

The band began recording Trouble Will Find Me in late September 2012 at Clubhouse Recording Studios, which was modeled after the late 19th century barn-turned-inn that the band stayed in. Bass guitarist Scott Devendorf stated that Clubhouse was chosen primarily to establish camaraderie amongst the band, noting: "The impetus to record upstate-- cooking, eating, working, hanging out together - was to achieve this music-camp feel."[3] The first four days of recording were interrupted by heavy tornado-like winds which subsequently led to a power outage. Guitarist, keyboardist and co-producer Aaron Dessner noted, "That night, by candlelight in the total darkness, we got really drunk and played the songs acoustically. It was the kind of scene that has never happened in the history of our band — and will never happen again."[3]

The band subsequently relocated to Dreamland Recording Studios - located within a converted 19th century church, in West Hurley, New York - to record the track, "Fireproof", entirely live.[3] Inspired by the session, the band returned to Clubhouse and recorded both "Sea of Love" and "Heavenfaced" as one-take live performances. Recording at Clubhouse, however, was once again derailed by Hurricane Sandy, with Aaron Dessner stating, "I drove back into the city because I was worried about my family and the potential flooding, and got stuck there for four days."[3]

Dessner, who co-produced Trouble Will Find Me alongside his brother Bryce, noted that his experiences producing both Sharon Van Etten's Tramp (2012) and Local Natives' Hummingbird (2013) led him to understand the importance of "constructive, positive dialogue" in the recording studio, whereas before he and his bandmates would often argue throughout the process.[3] While recording for Trouble Will Find Me, the song, "Rylan" was unfinished, and was later played on-and-off during their live sets.[4] "Rylan" has since been re-recorded and made its way onto I Am Easy to Find.

Composition

Inspired by the recent birth of his daughter, Ingrid Stella Dessner, guitarist, keyboardist and co-producer Aaron Dessner began writing music with his child in mind. Vocalist Matt Berninger noted that he "react[ed] to it in a very visceral, immediate, infantile way".[3]

The lyrics to the album's opening track, "I Should Live in Salt", are directed towards Matt Berninger's brother, Tom, who directed the forthcoming band documentary, Mistaken for Strangers (2013).[3] Berninger stated that he enjoyed the writing process for Trouble Will Find Me noting, "In the past, it’s been hard to enjoy writing - like getting drops of blood from your forehead - but I loved the process for this record. I think a lot of it was because I wasn't worried - I didn't care what the songs were going to be about, or if they were going to seem depressing, or cool, or whatever."[3]

Promotion

On December 8, 2011, the band performed on CBC Radio show Q in front of a live audience. Two new songs were performed for the first time: "Rylan" and "I Need My Girl". "I Need My Girl" is featured on the album.[5] The band embarked on a tour with the Dirty Projectors to support the album.[6] When asked about the album, Aaron Dessner, the guitarist, said "our ideas would immediately click with each other. It's free-wheeling again. The songs on one level are our most complex, and on another they're our most simple and human. It just feels like we've embraced the chemistry we have."[1]

On April 25, 2013, the band performed album track "Sea of Love" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.[7] A music video for "Sea of Love", which alludes to Russian punk rock band Zvuki Mu's music video for their 1995 single "Grubiy Zakat (Грубый Закат)",[8] was released on the band's official YouTube account on May 8, 2013.[9]

On April 11, 2020, the band uploaded a music video for the album closer "Hard to Find" made from rediscovered footage. The video was filmed off the coast of a nature reserve in Perth, Australia in February 2014, right before the end of the Trouble Will Find Me tour, and shows Matt Berninger swimming and playing with a group of fur seals.

Singles

"Demons" was released as the first single from Trouble Will Find Me.[10] The song peaked at number thirteen on the Belgian Ultratip singles chart for the Flanders region[11] and at number sixty-four on the Irish Singles Chart.[12] Its music video, released on August 8, 2013, features a time-lapse video depicting the creation of a Trouble Will Find Me mural.[13]

"Don't Swallow the Cap" was released to American modern rock radio on April 22 as the album's second single.[14] The single peaked at number seven on the Flanders Ultratip chart.[15]

"Graceless" impacted triple A radio on August 26,[16] with the music video being posted to the band's YouTube channel on August 27[17] and a release to modern rock radio following on August 29.[18] "I Need My Girl" was released to modern rock radio on January 28, 2014, as the album's fourth single.[19]

Reception

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.1/10[20]
Metacritic84/100[21]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[22]
The A.V. ClubA−[23]
Entertainment WeeklyB[24]
The Guardian[25]
The Independent[26]
Los Angeles Times[27]
NME8/10[28]
Pitchfork8.4/10[29]
Rolling Stone[30]
Spin7/10[31]

Trouble Will Find Me received critical acclaim. On Metacritic, which assigns an average score out of 100 to reviews and ratings from mainstream music critics, the album received an average score of 84 based on 44 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[21] Consequence of Sound's Megan Ritt wrote that Trouble Will Find Me "outlines the confidence to expand and experiment with the formula, paired with the skills to do it justice."[32] At The Guardian, Maddy Costa concluded that "it's the subtlety, and the self-awareness, that make this album exquisite",[25] while at The Independent, Andy Gill proclaimed that the album "will surely cement their accession to the rock mainstream".[26] Andrew Burgess of musicOMH called Trouble Will Find Me "a collection of waves that never break" and stated that "catharsis never comes", but the album contains "glimpses of light coming through at the edges, and a sense of perfect order among the chaos."[33] David Fricke of Rolling Stone wrote that the band "are letting light and air into their shadows".[30]

Ian Cohen of Pitchfork called Trouble Will Find Me "both relatable and fantastical" and found it to be "their most self-referential album".[29] At Now, Samantha Burgess wrote that "on Trouble Will Find Me, they’ve perfected it, knowing when a hook should explode and when to hold back and let Berninger’s signature, sombre baritone take over."[34] Paul Mardles of The Observer affirmed that The National "have perfected their ruminative rock, the beauty of their intricate arrangements ensuring the end product never sounds pedestrian", and called them "the real stars of the show."[35] In Uncut, Louis Pattison stated the album's songs "suggest an uncertain soundtrack can still be a source of comfort" and as a result, "for the first time, The National sound relaxed in their skin."[36] Ryan E.C. Hamm of Under the Radar called the album a "cohesive experience" and "another accomplished entry".[37]

In American Songwriter, Jim Beviglia wrote that "progress may not be the right word", but "sustained brilliance is a pretty good alternative."[21] James Christopher Monger of AllMusic stated that "for better or for worse, they perfected their sound the last time around, so it’s hard to fault them for sticking so close to the fire."[22] In a mixed review, Q stated that "for a band who sing so often about matters of the heart and emotional connection, much of Trouble Will Find Me sounds oddly on autopilot."[38] Jesse Cataldo of Slant Magazine found that while the album "remains well crafted and satisfying, there's something inherently stultifying about it as well."[39]

Trouble Will Find Me made numerous "albums of the year" lists including Pitchfork,[40] Rolling Stone[41] and Paste.[42]

Commercial performance

Trouble Will Find Me debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 with 74,722 copies sold in its first week.[43] The album made top-ten debuts in fourteen countries other than the US. In 2014 it was awarded a double gold certification from the Independent Music Companies Association,[44] which indicated sales of at least 150,000 copies throughout Europe.[45]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner, except where noted

Trouble Will Find Me track listing
No.TitleLength
1."I Should Live in Salt"4:08
2."Demons"3:32
3."Don't Swallow the Cap" (Berninger, A. Dessner, Bryce Dessner)4:46
4."Fireproof"2:58
5."Sea of Love"3:41
6."Heavenfaced" (Berninger, B. Dessner)4:23
7."This Is the Last Time" (Berninger, A. Dessner, B. Dessner)4:43
8."Graceless"4:35
9."Slipped"4:25
10."I Need My Girl"4:05
11."Humiliation" (Berninger, A. Dessner, B. Dessner)5:01
12."Pink Rabbits" (Berninger, A. Dessner, Zoë Randell of Luluc[46])4:36
13."Hard to Find" (Berninger, B. Dessner)4:13
Total length:55:06
Japanese CD
No.TitleLength
14."Learning" (Mike Hadreas)2:59
Total length:58:05

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Trouble Will Find Me
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[79] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[80] Gold 40,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[81] Gold 10,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[82] Gold 100,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history for Trouble Will Find Me
Region Date Format Label
Australia May 17, 2013 Digital download, CD, LP 4AD
Germany
Ireland
United Kingdom May 20, 2013
France
Canada May 21, 2013
United States
Japan May 22, 2013

Cover versions

The Tallest Man on Earth recorded a version of "Pink Rabbits" for his 2022 album of cover songs, Too Late for Edelweiss.[83]

References

  1. 1 2 Snapes, Laura (March 21, 2013). "The National Announce Sixth Album, Trouble Will Find Me". PitchforkMedia. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  2. ↑ "St Vincent, Sharon Van Etten, Sufjan Stevens to appear on new The National album | News". NME. 2013-03-24. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Snapes, Laura. "The National". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  4. ↑ "- YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2011-12-10.
  5. ↑ "Live from the Glenn Gould Studio with Brooklyn-based indie stars The National". CBC Radio Q. December 8, 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  6. ↑ "The National Announce New LP Trouble Will Find Me | News". Pitchfork. 2013-03-21. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
  7. ↑ "Watch the National Perform Two New Songs on "Fallon" | News". Pitchfork. 2013-04-26. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
  8. ↑ "Звуки Му - грубый закат.mpg". 2009-12-20. Retrieved 2013-05-20 – via YouTube.
  9. ↑ "The National - "Sea Of Love" video". 2013-05-05. Retrieved 2013-05-20 – via YouTube.
  10. ↑ "Listen to The National's new single, 'Demons'". Consequence of Sound. April 8, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  11. ↑ "The National – Demons". ultratop.be. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Top 100 Singles, Week Ending 16 May 2013". GfK. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  13. ↑ "The National - "Demons"". thenationalofficial. Retrieved 25 May 2013 – via YouTube.
  14. ↑ "Modern Rock – Available for Airplay Archive". FMQB. Archived from the original on June 2, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  15. ↑ "The National – Don't Swallow The Cap". ultratop.be. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on August 21, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  17. ↑ "The National - Graceless". TheNationalVEVO. Retrieved 3 November 2013 – via YouTube, VEVO.
  18. ↑ "Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on November 30, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Trouble Will Find Me by The National reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  21. 1 2 3 "Reviews for Trouble Will Find Me by The National". Metacritic. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  22. 1 2 Monger, James Christopher. "Trouble Will Find Me – The National". AllMusic. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  23. ↑ Modell, Josh (May 21, 2013). "The National: Trouble Will Find Me". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  24. ↑ Anderson, Kyle (July 9, 2013). "Trouble Will Find Me". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  25. 1 2 Costa, Maddy (May 16, 2013). "The National: Trouble Will Find Me". The Guardian. London. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  26. 1 2 Gill, Andy (May 17, 2013). "Album: The National, Trouble Will Find Me (4AD)". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on June 8, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  27. ↑ Martens, Todd (May 21, 2013). "Album review: The National's melancholic 'Trouble Will Find Me'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  28. ↑ Stevens, Jenny (May 17, 2013). "The National – 'Trouble Will Find Me'". NME. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  29. 1 2 Cohen, Ian (May 21, 2013). "The National: Trouble Will Find Me". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  30. 1 2 Fricke, David (May 16, 2013). "Trouble Will Find Me". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  31. ↑ Soto, Alfred (May 22, 2013). "The National, 'Trouble Will Find Me' (4AD)". Spin. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  32. ↑ Ritt, Megan (May 17, 2013). "The National – Trouble Will Find Me". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  33. ↑ Burgess, Andrew (May 16, 2013). "The National – Trouble Will Find Me (4AD)". musicOMH. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  34. ↑ Edwards, Samantha (May 16, 2013). "The National: Trouble Will Find Me (4AD)". Now. Toronto. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  35. ↑ Mardles, Paul (May 19, 2013). "The National: Trouble Will Find Me - review (4AD)". The Observer. London. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  36. ↑ Pattison, Louis (May 2013). "The National: Trouble Will Find Me (4AD): Brooklyn quintet's sad and uplifting sixth". Uncut (193): 77.
  37. ↑ Hamm, Ryan E.C. (May 21, 2013). "The National: Trouble Will Find Me (4AD)". Under the Radar. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  38. ↑ "The National: Trouble Will Find Me". Q (323): 106. June 2013.
  39. ↑ Cataldo, Jesse (May 17, 2013). "The National: Trouble Will Find Me". Slant Magazine. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  40. ↑ "The Top 50 Albums of 2013". Pitchfork.
  41. ↑ "50 Best Albums of 2013". Rolling Stone. 2 December 2013.
  42. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2013". 21 November 2013.
  43. ↑ Caulfield, Keith. "Daft Punk Leads Debut-Filled Top Four On Billboard 200". Billboard.
  44. ↑ "Photographic image of record sales data" (PNG). Impalamusic.org. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  45. ↑ "IMPALA Awards for European Independent Acts Hit Record Levels | Impala". impalamusic.org. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  46. ↑ "APRA AMCOS Song Catalogue search". Apraamcos.com.au. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  47. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  48. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – The National – Trouble Will Find Me" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  49. ↑ "Ultratop.be – The National – Trouble Will Find Me" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  50. ↑ "Ultratop.be – The National – Trouble Will Find Me" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  51. ↑ "The National Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  52. ↑ "Danishcharts.dk – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  53. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – The National – Trouble Will Find Me" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  54. ↑ "The National: Trouble Will Find Me" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  55. ↑ "Lescharts.com – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  56. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – The National – Trouble Will Find Me" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  57. ↑ "Official IFPI Charts – Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Εβδομάδα: 20/2013)" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on June 25, 2013.
  58. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography The National". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  59. ↑ "Top 10 Independent Artist Albums, Week Ending 23 May 2013". Chart-Track. Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  60. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  61. ↑ "Charts.nz – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  62. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  63. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  64. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  65. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  66. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  67. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  68. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  69. ↑ "2013 Top 40 Independent Albums Archive". Official Charts Company.
  70. ↑ "The National Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  71. ↑ "The National Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  72. ↑ "The National Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  73. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2013". Ultratop. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  74. ↑ "Rapports Annuels 2013". Ultratop. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  75. ↑ "End of Year 2013" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  76. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  77. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  78. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2014". Ultratop. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  79. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2016 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  80. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". Music Canada.
  81. ↑ "Danish album certifications – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". IFPI Danmark.
  82. ↑ "British album certifications – The National – Trouble Will Find Me". British Phonographic Industry.
  83. ↑ "The Tallest Man on Earth Announces New Covers Album Too Late for Edelweiss". Pitchfork. 2022-09-19. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
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