One Man’s
JOHN STREET & THE FOSTERS COLLECTION
29 May – 8 September
Meet the man at the helm of many maritime
projects and uncover his curious collection from
Auckland’s century-old ship chandlery.
CORNER QUAY & HOBSON STREETS, VIADUCT HARBOUR
MARITIMEMUSEUM.CO.NZ | +64 9 373 0800T
he supreme confidence of The
National’s new album, I Am Easy to
Find, is shown in the decision for
frontman Matt Berninger to cede so
much of the limelight.
If 2017’s Grammy-winning Sleep Well
Beast marked the pinnacle of that well-
honed version of The
National, then this new
studio album, their eighth,
sets them on a more col-
laborative path.
The most striking evi-
dence is in the number of
female voices on the 16
tracks. From the moment
long-time Bowie bassist
Gail Ann Dorsey’s bold,
rich tones trump Berninger’s soft, rolling
stream of consciousness midway through
opener You Had Your Soul with You, it’s
clear this is a deliberate attempt to change
our perceptions of the band.
Since forming in Cincinnati, Ohio,20 years ago, the group have forged
an intimate, intense bond with their
audience. On recordings, their songs have
reflected the anxieties of the era. And their
live performances – in which Berninger
habitually swills wine and plunges
into their increasingly
arena-sized crowds – have
connected directly with
fans.
Dorsey isn’t the only
woman giving I Am Easy
to Find a feminine touch.
All the songs, except the
closer, Light Years, feature
female vocalists such as
Sharon Van Etten, Lisa Han-
nigan, Eve Owen, Mina Tindle and Kate
Stables. These aren’t cameos, as it’s often
Berninger who has to take second or third
billing on such tracks as The Pull of You
and Hey Rosey.
The masterful Not in Kansas and LightYears return us to familiar territory, but
this is balanced by three occasions – Her
Father in the Pool, Dust Swirls in Strange
Light and Underwater – on which Berninger
disappears, replaced by the ghostly tones
of the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.
The reason for this femininity comes
from the band’s other collaborative deci-
sion to work with film-maker Mike Mills
(Beginners, 20th Century Women), who has
made a short film, starring Alicia Vikander,
using the songs to detail a woman’s path
through life.
The movie version of I Am Easy to Find
reveals why and how the album grew as
it did, but it also shows a band in their
prime: easy in their compositions, but
brave in finding new challenges and a
gender balance for their songwriting. l
I AM EASY TO FIND, The National (4AD/
Rhythmethod)The film is at iameasytofind.com.Sisters in the
spotlight
US indie heroes get
in touch with their
feminine side.
GE
TT
Y
IM
AG
ESThe National: with
guest voices Gail-Ann
Dorsey, Mina Tindle
and Kate Stables.