Brooding Brooklyn combo The National have gone international in the first video from their upcoming album “Trouble Will Find Me,” and it appears that nothing has been lost in translation.
The sparse, deadpan “Sea of Love” is a loving homage to Russian post-punk band Zvuki Mu’s “Grubyi Zakat” video, in which the quartet plays in a confined space while a seemingly somnambulant kid wanders in and out.
Essentially an exact copy of the first clip (even the kid looks identical to the one seen in the original video), The National only break the illusion by bringing an extra band member into the mix, not to mention that, like most of their songs, “Sea of Love” is a little too dour-sounding for the accompanying fun visual.
It’s directed by Sophia Peer, who’s previously helmed clips for the likes of Yeasayer, Paul Banks, Ponytail, and others.
Watch “Sea of Love” here:
“Trouble Will Find Me” will be released May 21.