The National has released “Rome,” which the band members call the definitive live document of the band in performance.
Recorded at the Cavea of the Auditorium Parco Della Musica Ennio Morricone, in Rome, Italy, the 21-track LP showcases live versions of the band’s most popular songs like “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” “Don’t Swallow the Cap,” “I Need My Girl,” “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness,” “England” and “Fake Empire.”
The performance also includes sharpened readings of recent tracks “Eucalyptus,” “New Order T-Shirt,” “Tropic Morning News” and “Smoke Detector.”
The National is known for compelling live performances and “Rome” could be the next best thing to actually attending a show, the band said. Mixed by longtime collaborator Peter Katis, “Rome” spans the band’s 20-plus years of songwriting and reveals how each song has taken on a new life.
Reflecting how the band changes setlists significantly from night to night to cast fresh light on hidden gems from the catalog, “Rome” is marked by rarities such as show opener “Runaway,” “Lemonworld,” “The Geese of Beverly Road,” “Lit Up” and a tour de force pairing of “Humiliation” from the album “Trouble Will Find Me” into “Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers’” “Murder Me Rachael.”
To celebrate the release of Rome, The National invited fans to submit footage of their performances across the band’s 25 years of touring. Today, The National also released a full-length special music video for the new live album, comprised entirely of fan content.
Watch ‘Rome,’ the fan video here:
ROME TRACKLISTING
2LP
Side A
Runaway
Eucalyptus
Tropic Morning News
New Order T-Shirt
Don’t Swallow The Cap
Side B
Bloodbuzz Ohio
The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness
I Need My Girl
Lemonworld
The Geese of Beverly Road
Lit Up
Side C
Alien
Humiliation
Murder Me Rachael
England
Graceless
Side D
Fake Empire
Smoke Detector
Mr November
Terrible Love
Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks