Few groups make mournful music sound so life-affirming as Brooklyn quintet the National. Six albums down the line, the late developers have perfected their ruminative rock, the beauty of their intricate arrangements ensuring the end product never sounds pedestrian. This Is the Last Time is particularly good, its grinding riff recalling a baroque Arcade Fire, though singer Matt Berninger's introspective lyrics ("I'm having trouble inside of my skin") imply he is too timid to front a stadium band. The guests on Trouble Will Find Me are equally impressive (Sufjan Stevens, Sharon Van Etten), but the National, no question, are the real stars of the show.