About half a year ago, The National leader Matt Berninger revealed that he had a solo album in the works. He hasn’t said much about it since then, but now Serpentine Prison has officially been announced: The album will be out on October 2 via Book Records, a new label co-founded by Berninger and Serpentine Prison producer Booker T. Jones.
The announcement comes alongside a video for the album’s title track. The understated song scores a similarly spirited video, a black-and-white clip that shows the process of Berninger, Jones, and their collaborators recording the song.
In a post making the announcement, Berninger thanks a long list of people who helped bring the album to life. It includes Andrew Bird, Walter Martin (of The Walkmen), Gail Ann Dorsey (a longtime David Bowie collaborator), Harrison Whitford (who plays in Phoebe Bridgers’ band), and others.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAaS5MrHFTP/
When Berninger initially teased the album, he wrote, “Kind, patient, visionary genius @bookertjonesmusic produced and arranged my solo record. It’s called Serpentine Prison. More about it soon but basically I’m the luckiest man in the universe with lots of brilliant friends who can play instermints. Not worthy!”
Watch the “Serpentine Prison” video above.
Serpentine Prison is out 10/2 via Book Records.
