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May 11, 2017 By Christopher Roberts The National

Yesterday The National announced a new album, Sleep Well Beast, via posters that were sited in various cities and went up on social media. Sleep Well Beast is due out September 8 via 4AD. Early this morning the band shared a video for the album’s first single, “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness.” The band have also confirmed the album’s tracklist and cover art, as well as announcing a world tour. The video, tracklist, cover art, and tour dates are all below.

The National’s Aaron Dessner produced Sleep Well Beast, with additional co-production by his brother Bryce Dessner and frontman Matt Berninger. It was recorded at Aaron Dessner’s Long Pond studio in Hudson Valley, New York. Additional sessions took place in Berlin, Paris, and Los Angeles. Peter Katis mixed the album and Casey Reas directed the somewhat abstract video for “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness.”

The National haven’t released a new album since 2013’s Trouble Will Find Me, although the band’s members have kept busy with various side-projects. On Tuesday the band shared a mysterious teaser trailer that hinted at new music and was presented as a news broadcast that included the scrolling phrases “Sleep Well Beast” and “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness.” Yesterday they shared another video to Instagram that was captioned “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness” and featured more new music. The band’s label 4AD also shared two teasers.

Sleep Well Beast Tracklist:

1. Nobody Else Will Be There
2. Day I Die
3. Walk It Back
4. The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness
5. Born to Beg
6. Turtleneck
7. Empire Line
8. I’ll Still Destroy You
9. Guilty Party
10. Carin at the Liquor Store
11. Dark Side of the Gym
12. Sleep Well Beast

The National Tour Dates:

06/21/17 - Glastonbury Festival - Glastonbury, UK
08/12/17 - HAVEN Festival - Copenhagen, DENMARK
9/16/17 - Cork Opera House / Sounds From a Safe Harbour - Cork, IRELAND
9/17/17 - Vicar Street - Dublin, IRELAND
9/18/17 - Vicar Street - Dublin, IRELAND
9/20/17 - Usher Hall - Edinburgh, UK
9/21/17 - Usher Hall - Edinburgh, UK
9/22/17 - O2 Apollo - Manchester, UK
9/23/17 - O2 Apollo - Manchester, UK
9/25/17 - Eventim Hammersmith Apollo - London, UK
9/26/17 - Eventim Hammersmith Apollo - London, UK
9/27/17 - Eventim Hammersmith Apollo - London, UK
9/28/17 - Eventim Hammersmith Apollo - London, UK
10/05/17 - Wang Theatre - Boston, MA
10/06/17 - Forest Hills Stadium - New York, NY
10/11/17 - Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, CA
10/12/17 - CalCoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre - San Diego, CA
10/14/17 - Greek Theatre - Berkeley, CA
10/21/17 - Elbphilharmonie - Hamburg, GERMANY
10/23/17 - Tempodrom - Berlin, GERMANY
10/24/17 - Tempodrom - Berlin, GERMANY
10/25/17 - AFAS Live - Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
10/28/17 - Coliseum - Lisbon, PORTUGAL
10/30/17 - Bozar - Brussels, BELGIUM
10/31/17 - Bozar - Brussels, BELGIUM
11/02/17 - 11/04/17 - Pitchfork Paris, Paris FRANCE
11/04/17 - Annexet - Stockholm, SWEDEN
11/05/17 - Annexet - Stockholm, SWEDEN
11/06/17 - Sentrum Scene - Oslo, NORWAY
11/07/17 - Sentrum Scene - Oslo, NORWAY
11/27/17 - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall - Portland, OR
11/28/17 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA
11/29/17 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA
12/01/17 - Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Vancouver BC, CANADA
12/02/17 - Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Vancouver BC, CANADA
12/04/17 - Verizon Hall - Philadelphia, PA
12/07/17 - Metropolis - Montreal QC, CANADA
12/08/17 - Metropolis - Montreal QC, CANADA
12/09/17 - Sony Centre - Toronto ON, CANADA
12/10/17 - Hamilton Place Theatre - Hamilton ON, CANADA
12/12/17 - Civic Opera House - Chicago, IL
12/13/17 - Civic Opera House - Chicago, IL

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