Since its inception in 1999 in Ohio, indie rock band The National has been a living example of the importance of persistence and perseverance. As various critics have noted, their musical output has only improved with age and experience, culminating in their sixth studio album Trouble Will Find Me (2014) earning a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Album. The National have also been invited to perform at Barack Obama's rallies during his election campaigns in 2008, 2010 and 2012.
'This is the Last Time' treads on familiar lyrical territory - The National's lyrics has been described as 'dark, melancholy and difficult to interpret' (TheSceneStar, 2007), while Megan Ritt notes that the band typically dwells on "disappointing relationships, lowered expectations, and heartbreak" (Consequence of Sound, 2013).
The track establishes an orchestral atmosphere from the get-go, as lead singer Matt Beninger sings, with his assured 'oaken baritone', of a problematic relationship:
'Oh, when I lift you upYou feel like a hundred times yourselfI wish everybody knewWhat's so great about youOh, but your love is such a swampYou don't think before you jumpAnd I said I wouldn't get sucked inI...'
The lyrics effortlessly build onto each other, synchronising gracefully with the minimal chord progression. Many of the verses have that deceptively simple, conversational quality, but there are poetic turns of phrase that stand out: 'Oh, but your love is such a swamp/ You don't think before you jump'; 'Oh, don't tell anyone I'm here/ I got Tylenol and beer'; 'We were so under the brine/ We were so out of our minds'.
'This is the Last Time' is a possibly futile, conflicted attempt to break-off a problematic relationship ('I won't be waiting anymore'), an effort made all the more arduos by an intractable emotional dependency: 'Oh, but your love is such a swamp/ You're the only thing I want'. This dependency becomes even more prominent during the confessional outro (when we finally hear her name):
'Jenny, I am in troubleCan't get these thoughts out of meJenny, I'm seeing doubleI know this changes everything'
Annie Clark (of St. Vincent) chimes in during the outro, presumably as Jenny: 'It takes a lot of pain to pick me up/ It takes a lot of rain in the cup'. The emotional dependency thus seems to be mutual, and when Beninger sings the final couplet, we're not entirely sure that any meaningful resolution will be achieved, if this verbal exchange will indeed be 'the last time':
'Baby you gave me bad ideasBaby you left me sad and high'.
The mood is contemplative and melancholic, but the song is not ultimately dark enough to be morbid or depressing. As Megan Ritt observed, there is an understated contrast between the lyrical matter and the uplifting instrumentas, making the case for a hard-won silver lining outlining this cloud of despair: "Lyrically, it’s another somber affair from the bearded singer, but what’s key to note is the mood that’s conveyed through its rousing instrumentation. The angelic harmonies and those sky-searching guitar lines keep the head up, rather than staring down towards the cracked earth in disappointment. With these sensibilities in play, The National embark on a meditative journey that doesn’t necessarily eschew a sunny day" (Consequence of Sound, 2013).
