The National: Back in studio this Spring

One of our favorites here at BTB, The National have said that they are ..."pretty far into the process of writing" its next album, in a recent article in Billboard magazine. The band state that they will start recording in April in guitarist Aaron Dessner's new home studio in Brooklyn. The new album will be the follow-up to 2007's critically acclaimed, "Boxer". If you can't wait 'till then, you'll have to settle for the Aaron & Bryce curated AIDS benefit album "Dark Was the Night," on Feb 17th, which features some new material from the band. The big name project will also feature exclusive songs from My Morning Jacket, Bon Iver, Jose Gonzales and Grizzly Bear, among others (see the full tracklist below). One other bit of band news from the Billboard article, was that the Dessners have also been collaborating on a new instrumental project. Aaron Dessner tells Billboard.com ..."We're gearing up for possibly a really big performance together next fall, and then maybe to make a record," ..."This feeds our brains and lets us push ourselves. Either that, or it's incessant noodling."

track list for "Dark Was the Night" compilation:

Disc one:
"Knotty Pine," Dirty Projectors and David Byrne
"Cello Song," the Books featuring Jose Gonzalez
"Train Song," Feist and Ben Gibbard
"Deep Blue Sea," Grizzly Bear
"So Far Around the Bend," the National
"Tightrope," Yeasayer
"Feeling Good," My Brightest Diamond
"Dark Was the Night," the Kronos Quartet
"I Was Young When I Left Home," Antony and Bryce Dessner
"Big Red Machine," Bon Iver and Aaron Dessner
"Sleepless," the Decemberists
"Die," Iron & Wine
"Service Bell," Grizzly Bear and Feist
"Blood," Sufjan Stevens

Disc two:
"Well-Alright," Spoon
"Lenin," the Arcade Fire
"Mimizan," Beirut
"El Caporal," My Morning Jacket
"Inspiration Information," Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
"With a Girl Like You," Dave Sitek
"Blood Pt. 2," Buck 65 remix featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti
"Hey, Snow White," the New Pornographers
"Gentle Hour," Yo La Tengo
"Another Saturday," Stuart Murdoch
"Happiness," Riceboy Sleeps
"Amazing Grace," Cat Power
"The Giant of Illinois," Andrew Bird
"Lua," Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch
"When the Road Runs Out," Blonde Redhead and Devestations
"Love vs. Porn," Kevin Drew