The last time we heard new music from The National was four months ago with the release of their single "Sunshine on My Back." It's characteristically gloomy and sad and beautifully lonesome. It also has a bridge I just can't get enough of with supporting vocals by Sharon Von Etten.

She says "After today then there's nothing you owe me.
But I'm so glad that you came, I needed someone that loves me.
But just don't try to talk yourself into this love,
And sleep like a baby while I'm staying up.
It's as much what you say as it is what you don't.
You can't try to stay, you either will or you won't."

Before this, was their album Trouble Will Find Me, released two years prior.

In the interim, Tom Berninger (Matt's brother) released the documentary Mistaken for Strangers which chronicles his time spent on the road with the band during their High Violet world tour, Aaron Dessner teamed up with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver to start the Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival and, most recently, Matt announced his new side project EL VY. 

In sum, they've all kept busy with alternative projects.

And so it would seem as though a new album would be far from the horizon but, to our delight, this isn't so.

In a recent interview with NME, Berninger said that The National has "30 sketches of songs so far" and that they have an L.A. campout retreat coming up to continue working on the album.

I'm excited for it all: EL VY, new material from The National and, as I have yet to see Mistaken for Strangers, I have some film to devour in the meantime.

xxChris