The National

can this lot do no wrong? seven albums in and they’re at the peak of their game, channelling nick cave at his most morose, springsteen’s ‘nebraska’ and wilco’s more widescreen moments while still sounding resoundingly original.

with ‘sleep well beast’ they’ve honed their sound perfectly, perfectly marrying their more blown out, anthemic moments that’ll have you singing along with the devastatingly honest and beautifully delivered verse from berninger (who, by now, must surely rank as one of the usa’s finest living songwriters). if you’re already a fan you’ll be hooked like us from the first listen, and if it’s all new, what are you waiting for?? “an aquatic, slow-moving work work, rich with melancholic atmosphere” – 8/10, uncut