Matt Berninger – Serpentine Prison (2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 41:33 minutes | 445 MB | Genre: Alternative, Indie
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Concord Records
A band is like a couple, the secret to a long-lasting relationship is to how to reserve time for yourself. Such is the case with American band The National who have been together for 20 years. Here, their singer, Matt Berninger, has undergone his first project outside the band, but he is not alone. Tens of musicians have participated in Serpentine Prison including Gail Ann Dorsey (Bowie’s loyal former bassist among others), Mickey Raphael (Willie Nelson’s lucky harmonicist), Andrew Bird, as well as even three members of The National. The album is produced by the legendary Booker T. Jones, who also contributes on the keys. This star-studded line-up have created a modest work in contrast to the blockbuster album you might expect. Less rock-oriented than with The National, Berninger toes the line between acoustic and the genre the Americans and Brits would refer to as “singer-songwriter”, a strain of folk and country where the lyrics are as important as the music itself. With its American style, the album sounds like the soundtrack to a night-time road trip with moments of ecstasy, reverie and even weariness. With his deep vocals and elegantly minimalistic accompaniments (piano, guitars, light brass sections), Matt Berninger confidently blends traces of crooners like Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen. Pleasantly produced, Serpentine Prison plunges the listener into the delights of a dreamy autumn scene. A trip into the depths America that only music can make reachable. – Stéphane Deschamps
Tracklist
1. Matt Berninger – My Eyes Are T-Shirts
2. Matt Berninger – Distant Axis
3. Matt Berninger – One More Second
4. Matt Berninger – Loved So Little
5. Matt Berninger – Silver Springs
6. Matt Berninger – Oh Dearie
7. Matt Berninger – Take Me Out of Town
8. Matt Berninger – Collar Of Your Shirt
9. Matt Berninger – All For Nothing
10. Matt Berninger – Serpentine Prison
Download: