The National - Trouble Will Find Me (2013)

It's not everyday that an indie rock album manages to blow me away, but this one did exactly that. Inspired by post-punk bands such as (perhaps especially) Joy Division, The National's artistic vision is based on minimalistic, emotional, but also dark songs that convey exactly what vocalist Matt Berninger intends them to. If there's one song that brilliantly sums up the poignancy and immediacy of this album, it's "I Need My Girl" which is a truly captivating ballad. In all, "Trouble Will Find Me" is a no-frills, honest album that I'm sure many people in a relationship can relate to. I haven't listened to the band's other albums save a few songs, but I'm intrigued to see if they match up in any way to this one. This will certainly end up on my list of top 5 indie/alt rock albums of the year.
9.5/10