Today is a good day for fans of The National. Not only has the band shared a new song, but also announced their eighth album and accompanying short film and world tour.
I'll Be Easy To Find is due out on May 17 via 4AD and can be pre-ordered here. It's the followup to the indie rockers' 2017 effort, Sleep Well Beast. To give us a taste of what to expect, the band has shared its opening track, "You Had Your Soul With You," which features David Bowie bandmate Gail Ann Dorsey. Other female voices, including Lisa Hannigan, Sharon Van Etten, Mina Tindle and Kate Stables are sprinkled in throughout the album.
“Yes, there are a lot of women singing on this, but it wasn't because, ‘Oh, let's have more women's voices,’ singer Matt Berninger says in a statement. “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.”
I'll Be Easy To Find will be accompanied by a 24-minute-long short film of the same title, inspired by the music, directed by Academy Award-nominated director Mike Mills (20th Century Women, Beginners), and starring Academy Award Winner Alicia Vikander.
Listen to "You Had Your Soul With You" and watch the trailer for I'll Be Easy To Find below.
Aside from the album and film announcements, The National will also be embarking on a world tour after a small run of intimate shows in April. Courtney Barnett and Alvvays will act as support on select dates. Tickets go on sale Friday (March 8) at 10am local time. Check out a full list of dates below.
The National 2019 Tour Dates
4/16 - Paris, FR @ Olympia SOLD OUT
4/18 - London, UK @ Royal Festival Hall SOLD OUT
4/22 - New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre SOLD OUT
4/24 - Toronto, ON @ Roy Thomson Hall SOLD OUT
4/26 - Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre SOLD OUT
6/11 - Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Center* 6/12 - Brooklyn, NY @ Prospect Park*
6/15 - Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo
6/16 - Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy*
6/17 - St Augustine, FL @ St Augustine Amphitheatre*
6/19 - Washington, DC @ The Anthem*
6/20 - Portland, ME @ Thompson's Point*
6/21 - Montreal, QC @ Place des Arts
6/22 - Hamilton, ON @ Pier 8**
6/24 - Columbus, OH @ Express Live*
6/25 - Ann Arbor, MI @ Hill Auditorium*
6/26 - Indianapolis, IN @ Lawn at White River*
6/28 - Chicago, IL @ Northerly Island**
7/10 - Manchester, UK @ Castlefield Bowl
7/12 - Madrid, ES @ Mad Cool Festival
7/13 - London, UK @ Hyde Park
7/15 - Frankfurt, DE @ Jahrhunderthalle
7/16 - Hamburg, DE @ Stadtpark
7/18 - Rättvik, SE @ Dalhalla
8/4 - Waterford, IE @ All Together Now
8/6 - Glasgow, UK @ Summer Nights at the Bandstand
8/7 - Glasgow, UK @ Summer Nights at the Bandstand
8/9 - Sicily, IT @ Ypsigrock
8/10 - Budapest, HU @ Sziget Festival
8/11 - Buftea, RO @ Summer Well
8/14 - Paredes de Coura, PT @ Paredes de Coura
8/16 - Hasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop
8/16 -- 8/18 - Biddinghuizen, NL @ Lowlands
8/18 - Hasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop
8/28 - Vancouver, BC @ Deer Lake Park**
8/29 - Seattle, WA @ Marymoor Park**
8/30 - Portland, OR @ Edgefield**
9/1 - Stanford, CA @ Frost Amphitheater**
9/2 - Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre**
9/3 - Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre**
9/5 - Odgen, UT @ Ogden Ampitheater**
9/8 - Santa Fe, NM @ Santa Fe Opera House**
9/10 - Austin, TX @ 360 Amphitheatre**
9/11 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall**
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
*w/ Courtney Barnett
**w/ Alvvays
Photo: Graham MacIndoe