The band saw new heights of success following the release of their last album, High Violet, both in terms of record sales and press, and also an ever-growing fan base. With the bar set a little higher this time around, The National are seemingly undaunted of new expectations and utterly focused on harnessing their music persona.

It's clear that on Trouble Will Find Me The National are comfortable and confident in their pursuits. Brothers Bryce & Aaron Dessner whom compose most of the music for the band offer some ambitious, unconventional music timestamps on songs like "Demons" and "Humiliation." There are songs that simmer into powerfully moving moments like "This is the Last Time" and "Firefly." And of course, there are points on the album where the band purely flexes their collective muscle and offers anthemic moments like on "Sea of Love," which offers us the album's title, and "Graceless."

For as self-assured as Trouble Will Find Me is, The National rally an array of friends and fellow indie-rockers to play on their new collection. Adding to the tracklist are folks like Sufjan Stevens, Sharon Van Etten, St. Vincent (Annie Clark), and Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire among others. But at their core, the Dessner Brothers, frontman Matt Berninger, and Scott & Bryan Devendorf have built something unique to the five of them, and on Trouble Will Find Me, The National continue to find themselves.

~ Mike Vasilikos

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