The Nationals new short film I Am Easy to Find, a companion piece to their upcoming eighth album of the same name, is now available to stream online. Mike Mills (20th Century Women,Beginners) directed the artful, 24-minute project, which stars Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl,Ex-Machina) and features new music from the band.
The film was recently screened during five shows in Paris, New York, London, Toronto and Los Angeles that featured Q&As with Mills and the National; the New York event, hosted by musician Julien Baker, can be viewed online. The National also released two audio commentaries: one with Millsand the other with band frontman Matt Berninger and his wife/co-writer Carin Besser.
In a statement about I Am Easy to Find, Mills detailed his unusual collaborative process with the indie-rock act.
The National gave me the stems for their songs, some were sketches some were finished and encouraged and allowed me to create my own versions of the songs to score the film, he said. The album then features different versions of these same seven songs and nine new songs which sometimes refer to the themes, texts, ideas from the film but are their own work, their own piece of art.
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The I Am Easy to Find album, out May 17th, includes the previously issued songs You Had Your Soul With You, Light Years and Hairpin Turns. The record, which follows 2017s Sleep Well Beast, features guest vocals from Lisa Hannigan, Sharon Van Etten, Mina Tindle, Kate Stables and the Brooklyn Youth Choir, among others.
The National will promote the LP on a North American tour that kicks off May 16th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and features opener Courtney Barnett on several dates.
The National North American Tour Dates
May 16 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
June 11 Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Center (with Courtney Barnett)
June 12 Brooklyn, NY @ Prospect Park Bandshell (with Courtney Barnett)
June 13 Brooklyn, NY @ Prospect Park Bandshell (with Courtney Barnett)
June 15 Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo
June 16 Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy (with Courtney Barnett)
June 17 St Augustine, FL @ St Augustine Amphitheatre (with Courtney Barnett)
June 19 Washington, DC @ The Anthem (with Courtney Barnett)
June 20 Portland, ME @ Thompsons Point (with Courtney Barnett)
June 21 Montreal, QC @ Place des Arts
June 22 Hamilton, ON @ Pier 8 (with Alvvays)
June 24 Columbus, OH @ Express Live (with Courtney Barnett)
June 25 Ann Arbor, MI @ Hill Auditorium (with Courtney Barnett)
June 26 Indianapolis, IN @ Lawn at White River (with Courtney Barnett)
June 28 Chicago, IL @ Northerly Island (with Alvvays)
August 28 Vancouver, BC @ Deer Lake Park (with Alvvays)
August 29 Seattle, WA @ Marymoor Park (with Alvvays)
August 30 Portland, OR @ Edgefield (with Alvvays)
September 1 Stanford, CA @ Frost Amphitheater (with Alvvays)
September 2 Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre (with Alvvays)
September 3 Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre (with Alvvays)
September 5 Ogden, UT @ Ogden Amphitheater (with Alvvays)
September 6 Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom (with Alvvays)
September 7 Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom (with Alvvays)
September 8 Santa Fe, NM @ Santa Fe Opera House (with Alvvays)
September 10 Austin, TX @ Austin360 Amphitheatre (with Alvvays)
September 11 Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall (with Alvvays)
October 16 Mexico City, MX @ Pepsi Center
October 24 Boston, MA @ Agganis Arena