The National is working on the follow-up to 2007's Boxer. Aaron Dessner tells Billboard.com, "(We're) pretty far into the process of writing." The band are hoping to start recording the album in Dessner's studio in Brooklyn in April 09.

In the meantime, the Dessner brothers have been keeping busy. They're overseeing the compilation of Dark Was The Night, an album featuring exclusive tracks by Bon Iver and Iron & Wine, among others, due for release on Feb. 17, with all proceeds going to an AIDS charity. Aaron and Bryce have also been working on an instrumental project, "focused on taking the way we play together and developing arrangements."  Aaron explains, "This feeds our brains and lets us push ourselves. Either that, or it's incessant noodling."

 The brothers will be performing next month at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and appearing at the Music Now Festival in Cincinnati, a festival put together by Bryce. The siblings will then be organizing a large show for Fall 09, which they hope to follow with an album.