Arriving swiftly on the heels of
First Two Pages of Frankenstein
,
Laugh Track
is indeed a companion record to its 2023 cousin, boasting similar cover art and containing songs written -- but not necessarily recorded -- during those same sessions. Given those overt similarities, it's not a surprise that
often sounds like a continuation of
Frankenstein
, tilling the same meditative ground and generating similarly nuanced results.
The National
remains fascinated by the consoling power of stillness, operating at a low hum that allows space for
Matt Berninger
to ruminate as the band searches for variations of texture within cycling chords.
isn't quite as tightly controlled as
, often for the record's benefit. Some of this creeping loosening is due to collaborators who make their presence known: "Weird Goodbyes" occupies the slight liminal space separating
the National
and
Bon Iver
Phoebe Bridgers
provides a forceful counterpoint on "Laugh Track," and
Rosanne Cash
's harmonies and bridge on "Crumble" tease out its plaintive heartbreak. The rest of
simmers at a precisely modulated temperature, bringing the songs to warmth slowly and steadily, which makes the ragged drone of the closing "Smoke Detector" so welcome: its insistent pulse and maze of guitars feel full-blooded and messy in a way
has avoided for a long, long time. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine