National - Sleep Well Beast (White Vinyl)

The National never seem in a hurry to reach their destination, but there's a sense of quiet urgency on Sleep Well Beast, their seventh album. Much of that momentum arrives in arrangements that generally tend to eschew the grayscale of its 2013 predecessor, Trouble Will Find Me, a record that felt sculpted so that each element was elegantly interlocked.

Highlights include "The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness", "Guilty Party", "Carin at the Liquor Store" and "Day I Die".

Comparatively, Sleep Well Beast draws attention to itself through the occasional squall of noise and rushed tempo, but also through an expanded sonic palette. Electronics are used for texture and shade, vocal harmonies glide through the mix, pianos anchor a couple of tunes - all subtle gradients within the National's recognizable formula, but they're enough to give Sleep Well Beast a distinct character. 

Limited Edition WHITE double vinyl produced by 4AD in 2017. Gatefold sleeve. Includes download card.