Matt Berninger
Serpentine Prison
Release Date: Oct 16, 2020
Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Record label: Concord
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Album Review: Serpentine Prison by Matt Berninger
Very Good, Based on 8 Critics
Based on rating 4/5
It's rare for anybody to release a debut solo album in their late 40s, but Matt Berninger of The National is accustomed to being a late bloomer, his band not hitting the big time until deep into his 30s. The yearning to go solo can mean a number of different things, often a symptom of unfulfillment within the trappings of a band but looking at The National's close-knit bond and appetite for work, it seems any project is another experience to add to the group's wheelhouse; guitarist Aaron Dessner just collaborated with Taylor Swift on 'folklore' after all. Named after a sewer pipe that drains into the ocean near LAX airport, 'Serpentine Prison' remains enamoured with approaching the dreg ends of things whether it's the "end of any road you wanna go" on 'Take Me Out Of Town' or seeing it "get closer like summer on the edges" on 'Collar Of Your Shirt'.
Based on rating 4
Outside of The National, Matt Berninger has taken only tentative steps without his trusted bandmates in the past. He's duetted with Phoebe Bridgers and most notably teamed up with Brent Knopf (Ramona Falls) to release Return To The Moon in 2015 as EL VY, but never before has he gone it alone, despite now being just a whisker away from hitting the half century age milestone. Serpentine Prison, his debut solo album, has a roll-call of contributors as long as your arm, so it could technically be argued that it's not that much of a solo effort, having more people's fingerprints - including those of Scott Devendorf - over it than any of The National's eight albums.
Based on rating 7/10
Serpentine Prison is not as self-assured as his two decades-long oeuvre with The National, or even that one album he made as EL VY with Knopf. But in this season of discontent, it's a worthy exercise in bridging seemingly disparate musical worlds, long demarcated by the color line. And as is common with any kind of growth—missteps and discomfort are just par of the course.
Based on rating 7/10
A year after the National released their eighth album, I Am Easy to Find, two of their members are back in the spotlight again with high-profile side-projects. While guitarist Aaron Dessner gained widespread attention and acclaim for producing and co-writing much of Taylor Swift's folklore, singer Matt Berninger has struck out on his own for an admirably made debut solo album. Serpentine Prison draws on previously untapped influences and songwriting styles without venturing all too far from what Berninger has done for years.
Based on rating 7/10
Following the release of the National's Grammy-winning album Sleep Well Beast in 2017, in addition to formulating Sleep Well Beast offshoot I Am Easy to Find (2019), singer Matt Berninger worked on a handful of one-off tracks with artists like Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker, and he started sending prior collaborator Booker T. Jones ideas for a set of covers. Berninger mixed in an original song or two along the way and, with Jones' encouragement, eventually focused on working up more originals, setting the covers aside.
Based on rating 6.7/10
Matt Berninger has not been the "average person out in the American heartland" for some time, but that's not a bad thing. His main band, the National, has continued to release compelling, challenging albums long after they became a worldwide success. Much like his bandmates in underappreciated (and horribly named) experimental supergroups LNZNDRF and Pfarmers, Berninger has used the time between National records to blow off steam and explore new paths.
Based on rating 6/10
Matt Berninger's voice is interwoven tightly in The National's DNA. As soon as his baritone reaches your ears, you expect to hear the intricate guitar work and heavy piano chords of the Dessner brothers. It makes the prospect of an independent project intriguing. What happens on a Berninger record without his longtime bandmates? What does this experiment sound like? Well...it mostly sounds like The National, though with a fresh coat of paint.
Opinion: Great
The Lowdown: As the founding singer of Ohio alt rock troupe The National, Matt Berninger has already proven himself to be a captivating vocalist and -- alongside wife Carin Besser -- an insightful lyricist. For instance, we praised last year's I Am Easy to Find for its "conversational" approach regarding "the intricacies of modern romance." Thus, his monotone yet elegantly arid voice and observational storybook songwriting rarely fail to charm and connect with us, especially when they're placed on top of such vibrantly picturesque and subtly exploratory arrangements. For the most part, that holds true on his first solo record, Serpentine Prison.
'Serpentine Prison'
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