The National Laugh Track
Released Sep 18, 2023 4AD
Consensus forming 3 professional reviews Updated Oct 5, 2026
Broadly positive consensus
Consensus is still forming across 3 professional reviews. The National's Laugh Track arrives as a wry, nocturnal pivot that finds the band recovering a restless creative spark while keeping its signature dusk-lit gravitas.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
Deep End (Paul’s in Pieces)
2 critic mentions
“the thunderous “Deep End (Paul’s in Pieces)” - a song that acts as a rebirth” — The Line of Best Fit
Space Invader
2 critic mentions
“Bryan Devendorf... gets a real chance to shine on “Space Invader”, which is one of the better songs” — The Line of Best Fit
Smoke Detector
3 critic mentions
“the near eight-minute jagged jam ‘Smoke Detector’ builds to a fiery, distortion-filled pay-off” — Hot Press
Full critic consensus
The National's Laugh Track arrives as a wry, nocturnal pivot that finds the band recovering a restless creative spark while keeping its signature dusk-lit gravitas. Across three professional reviews, critics point to a record that mixes experimentation and subtle country and piano touches with moments built for the stage, and the consensus score of 76.67/100 across 3 reviews reflects a generally favorable return to form.
Reviewers consistently praise several standout tracks that define the album's momentum: “Deep End (Paul's in Pieces)” is hailed as anthemic and thunderous, “Space Invader” showcases Bryan Devendorf's finest recorded performance, and the sprawling near-eight-minute “Smoke Detector” is frequently singled out for its abrasive power and payoff. Other critics highlight collaborative flourishes such as “Crumble (feat. Rosanne Cash)” and the oddball charm of “Weird Goodbyes (feat. Bon Iver)”, while piano-led cuts like “Hornets” and experimental guitar moments on “Alphabet City” point to the record's willingness to probe new textures.
Critical consensus frames Laugh Track as creative renewal more than a radical reinvention: reviewers agree the band sounds reinvigorated, producing live-friendly songs and nocturnal rock that recall their strengths, even as a few tracks land as B-sides or disappointments in some accounts. For readers searching for a concise Laugh Track review or wondering what the best songs on Laugh Track are, the professional reviews converge on a core set of highlights and a verdict that the album is worth attention as a mostly successful, experimental return for the band.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Alphabet City
Deep End (Paul’s in Pieces)
Weird Goodbyes (feat. Bon Iver)
Turn off the House
Dreaming
Laugh Track (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)
Space Invader
Hornets
Coat on a Hook
Tour Manager
Crumble (feat. Rosanne Cash)
Smoke Detector
Get the next albums worth your time.
Critic-backed picks in one clean digest. No clutter.
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
The National sound like a band whose creative drought has been broken on Laugh Track, and the best tracks show that renewal. The reviewer's ear lingers on “Weird Goodbyes (feat. Bon Iver)” as a fitting oddball inclusion and on “Alphabet City” for its experimental guitar, while the sprawling “Space Invader” is hailed for Bryan Devendorf's finest recorded performance. That trio - “Weird Goodbyes (feat. Bon Iver)”, “Alphabet City” and “Space Invader” - emerge as the album's standout moments, exemplifying the record's impressionistic, exploratory bent. The overall tone is cautiously celebratory: subdued, thoughtful, but clearly a band back in motion.
Key Points
-
The best song moments are where experimentation meets performance, notably “Space Invader” for Devendorf's drumming.
-
The album's core strengths are its subdued, impressionistic arrangements and successful collaborations.
Themes
Critic's Take
The National sound like a band rediscovering themselves on Laugh Track, and the best songs on Laugh Track - notably “Deep End (Paul’s in Pieces)” and “Smoke Detector” - drive that rebirth with urgency and bite. Horton writes with wry authority, calling “Deep End (Paul’s in Pieces)” a thunderous rebirth and praising “Smoke Detector” as abrasive, powerful and invigorating. He similarly singles out “Space Invader” and “Dreaming” as high points, while admitting the title track disappoints. The result reads as a mostly successful return to the nocturnal, elemental rock that made them great.
Key Points
-
“Smoke Detector” is the album’s apex—abrasive, powerful and one of their most sublime pieces.
-
The album's core strength is a regained nocturnal, elemental rock energy that marks a return to form.
Themes
Ho
Critic's Take
The National's Laugh Track feels like a mischievous companion to their last record, a surprise LP that actually grins where its predecessor brooded. Edwin McFee's tone is appreciative and wry, pointing to best tracks such as “Deep End (Paul’s in Pieces)”, the anthemic live favourite, and the near-eight-minute payoff of “Smoke Detector” as clear highlights. He names the country-spiced “Crumble (feat. Rosanne Cash)” and the piano-led “Hornets” as pure class, songs likely to win new admirers. The review keeps a measured voice, noting some B-side moments but ultimately steering readers to the best songs on Laugh Track with clear, specific praise.
Key Points
-
The best song is best because it combines anthemic momentum with emotional weight, making “Deep End (Paul’s in Pieces)” a likely live favourite.
-
The album’s core strengths are lively guest collaborations and a mix of country and piano-led arrangements that make several tracks feel like instant classics.