But branching out on his own, his Booker T Jones-produced debut solo album Serpentine Prison came in 2020 to a warm reception, and now he's returning once again with, Get Sunk. Once again the question arises – how will it stand apart from his work with his day job. In short, it's a thrilling listen that has plenty of variety across its ten tracks.
“Inland Ocean” instantly breaks away from any expectations. While the vocals are distinct, the overall sonic palette is far removed, with more electronic textures and drum machines. It is an intriguing marriage between his dark, moody vocals and a more upbeat sound overall.“No Love” continues in a similar vein with a lingering darkness in its opening minute, built mostly around Berninger’s vocals. It gradually brings more elements into play, with added harmonies bolstering the sound.
“Bonnet of Pins” sounds closer to The National, lyrically and in its more baroque tone. Again aided by female backing vocals that add some extra oomph, it contains plenty of luscious details to unpack, highlighting Berninger's clear attention to detail.
The gorgeous “Breaking Into Acting” featuring Hand Habits is a
stripped-back acoustic track that has some spellbinding harmonies and
beauty in its simplicity, accompanied by strings. “Junk” is another arresting track that leans more into folk and acoustic trappings.
Get Sunk was inspired by his new home of
Connecticut, after years of living in Los Angeles, and that is
especially apparent on “Hand Habits”, reflective and tender, it has a
soothing quality to it.
Carrying on this sentiment, “Nowhere Special” is almost
like spoken word poetry, with his vocals at times difficult to hear. He
tells us a story of having nowhere to be except “nowhere special”. It’s a
real departure from what fans might expect and an interesting
experiment. It feels darker than some of the other moments on the
record, it is a style that suits his deep vocals and perhaps something
we might see him lean into more in future.
Get Sunk is an album that shows there is far more to Matt
Berninger than just The National's frontman. It is a wonderfully
creative, expressive work that incorporates a range of styles, showing
his capabilities as a songwriter and performer. After 25 years at the
forefront of the indie/alternative scene, Matt Berninger proves here
that his creativity and ambition show no signs of waning.
