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Oct 08, 2019 By Christopher Roberts The National

The National released a new album, I Am Easy to Find, back in May via 4AD. It was our Album of the Week and you can stream it here. Now they have shared a video for the album’s “Hey Rosey.” Mike Mills directed the video, which stars dancer Sharon Eyal (who previously starred in the video for the album’s “Hairpin Turns”). Watch it below, followed by the band’s upcoming tour dates.

I Am Easy to Find is accompanied by a 24-minute short film also directed by Mike Mills and starring Oscar-winning Swedish actress Alicia Vikander.

Previously The National shared I Am Easy to Find‘s first single, “You Had Your Soul with You” (which features guest vocals from David Bowie collaborator Gail Ann Dorsey and was our #1 Song of the Week), as well as a trailer for the film. Then they shared another song from the album, closing track “Light Years,” via a video made up of footage from the film, with Vikander playing a woman seen through the years, from childhood to motherhood. “Light Years” was also one of our Songs of the Week.

Then they shared another song from it, “Hairpin Turns,” via a Mills-directed black & white video for the track that doesn’t feature footage from the short film, but instead showcases the band performing the song in a stark white space. The song features Gail Ann Dorsey and Lisa Hannigan and the video features vocalists Dorsey, Pauline de Lassus (aka Mina Tindle), and This Is the Kit’s Kate Stables. “Hairpin Turns” was our #1 Song of the Week.

Then they shared the full short film several days early, as well as releasing two separate commentary videos on the film, one by Mills and one by frontman Matt Berninger and his wife (and lyric co-writer) Carin Besser, plus a video of a live Q&A in New York about the film featuring Mills and the band, hosted by Julien Baker.

Then they stopped by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to perform the album’s “You Had Your Soul With You.” They were aided by a string quartet and two guest singers, Stables and de Lassus. On the eve of the album’s release they shared one last song from it, “Rylan,” which was also one of our Songs of the Week. Then they also performed “Rylan” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

The album also features vocal contributions from Sharon Van Etten, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, and more.

“Yes, there are a lot of women singing on this, but it wasn’t because, ‘Oh, let’s have more women’s voices,’” said frontman Matt Berninger in a previous press release. “It was more, ‘Let’s have more of a fabric of people’s identities.’ It would have been better to have had other male singers, but my ego wouldn’t let that happen.”

The project came together when Mills, who has directed iconic music videos and feature films such as 20th Century Women and Beginners, approached Berninger in September 2017 about collaborating together. Instead of just having Mills make a music video or two for them, they decided to get him much further involved in the album, so much so that Mills co-produced with the band. The album was recorded in Long Pond, Hudson Valley, NY, with additional sessions in Paris, Berlin, Cincinnati, Austin, Dublin, Brooklyn, and elsewhere.

The National released their excellent last album album, Sleep Well Beast, in September 2017 via 4AD. It was our Album of the Week and #7 on our Top 100 Albums of 2017 list.

Read our 2018 interview with The National.

Read our 2017 interview with The National on Sleep Well Beast.

Read our rave 9/10 review of Sleep Well Beast.

Read our 2012 interview with Alicia Vikander, as well as our 2015 interview with her.

The National Tour Dates:

10/16 - Mexico City, MX @ Pepsi Center
10/19 - Guadalajara, MX @ Coordenada Festival
10/24 - Boston, MA @ Agganis Arena#
10/26 - New Orleans, LA - Voodoo Music + Arts
11/25 - Warsaw, PL @ Torwar Hall
11/26 - Berlin, DE @ Columbiahalle
11/27 - Berlin, DE @ Columbiahalle
11/29 - Copenhagen, DK @ Royal Arena
12/1 - Bochum, DE @ Ruhrcongress
12/2 - Cologne, DE @ Palladium
12/3 - Zurich, SW @ Samsung Hall
12/4 - Munich, DE @ Zenith
12/5 - Stuttgart, DE @ Porsche Arena
12/07 - Brighton, UK - Brighton Centre^
12/08 - Leeds, UK - First Direct Arena^
12/09 - Cardiff, UK - Cardiff Motorpoint Arena^
12/10 - Nottingham, UK - Nottingham Motorpoint Arena^
12/12 - Lisbon, PT - Campo Pequeno
03/17 - Tokyo, JP - Zepp DiverCity*
03/18 - Tokyo, JP - Zepp DiverCity*
03/21 - Perth, AU - Freemantle Arts Centre*
03/22 - Perth, AU - Freemantle Arts Centre*
03/24 - Sydney, AU - ICC*
03/25 - Sydney, AU - ICC*
03/27 - Brisbane, AU - Fortitude Music Hall*
03/28 - Brisbane, AU - Fortitude Music Hall*
03/30 - Melbourne, AU - Palais Theatre*
03/31 - Melbourne, AU - Palais Theatre*
04/01 - Melbourne, AU - Palais Theatre*
04/03 - Auckland, NZ - ASB Aotea Centre*
04/04 - Auckland, NZ - ASB Aotea Centre*

# w/ Marissa Nadler
^ w/Jenny Lewis
* w/ Phoebe Bridgers

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