[Photo courtesy of Grandstand Media]

By Grace Koennecke, Managing Editor

On Wednesday, Cincinnati natives The National shared an eight-song EP, titled Rome, ahead of their upcoming live album of the same name. The EP features songs “Smoke Detector,” “Fake Empire,” “Mr. November” and “Terrible Love,” which will also be included on the album.

The band combined these tracks from another four-song EP, titled NTL RM I, which was released earlier this year. The EP served as another addition to the album, including songs “I Need My Girl,” “Lemonworld,” “The Geese of Beverly Road” and “Lit Up.”

Read more: New music website by former Pitchfork writers

The album Rome will span the last 20 years of the band’s songwriting, with 21 tracks total 4AD collating videos, photos and written memories from fans. The set was recorded live on June 3, 2024 at the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone in Rome, Italy. The record was also mixed by The National’s longtime collaborator Peter Katis. 

In the live review of the album back in June, The Guardian called The National “an era-defining band at the peak of their powers… as this stunning two-and-a-half-hour epic becomes a communal catharsis.”

The new album will be released on December 13, but before then band members Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner will be at The New Yorker Festival in conversation with staff writer Amanda Petrusich today, October 25.