“Serpentine Prison,” the first solo album from Matt Berninger, that distinctive singer in the majestic National, is less grandiose and adventurous than his band’s output. Co-produced by the legendary Booker T. Jones, it has a smoothly sonorous, spacious sound, almost laid back. Accomplished sessions musos buttress Berninger’s oh-so-distinctive world-weary upfront voice in a gorgeous mix that sits equally as lockdown solace, study background, or car music. As with the National albums, Serpentine Prison seems a seamless whole, pulled together by that gentle soundscape and Berninger’s elliptical, poetic lyrics. As ever, his concerns are solipsistic, but in that fine manner that invites the listener to identify with deep personal concerns. Every one of the ten tracks seeps into the listener’s mind; I found myself humming snatches at odd times of the day. Standout songs include Berninger’s nihilistic voice on “Take Me out of Town” burrowing into my soul as he sings “Swear to God, I’ve never been so burned out”; the Hammond organ solo alongside the softly-softly anthemic chorus of “Loved So Little”; and the swaying, piano-led bleakness of “All For Nothing.” In spite of the downbeat nature of Berninger’s concerns, there is something wondrously hopeful in the listening experience of Serpentine Prison that speaks to us in pandemic times.
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