CD of The Week

As any fan of The National can attest, Matt Berninger may have one of the sharpest wardrobes and coolest baritones in indie rock, but underneath that is a tortured, melancholy man who deeply feels every emotion expressed in his lyrics. This has led to a cultural impression that the band’s following consists in large parts of “sad dads,” but even though that is an extreme generalization, there is wisdom to Berninger that may not be relatable to younger audiences. This reflective maturity is present in every note of his second solo album, Get Sunk, which greatly recalls The National’s most recent work while having its own unique pleasures.

On both of The National’s albums from 2023 (First Two Pages of Frankenstein and Laugh Track), piano and subtle electronic loops were the focal points of the arrangements and the same is true with Get Sunk even though Sean O’Brien (who has worked some with Berninger’s main band, but also with CHVRCHES and Lake Street Dive) serves as producer and co-writer instead of the Dessner brothers. This allows the prettiness of the melodies and the vividness of the imagery to come to the forefront. Berninger’s words can be alternately strange and profound as shown on the single (and the most upbeat track), “Bonnet of Pins” where he croons: “she says she takes photos of tractor bones / and sells ‘em to model luxury homes / the closest thing she’s ever found to love / is the kind you can’t get rid of fast enough.”

No matter the subject matter, Berninger’s writing and vocals are always emotionally charged, but the album’s best moments are when he is tackling explicitly personal material, such as his childhood in Indiana (“Frozen Oranges”) or worries about mortality (“Junk”). Unfortunately, on a few tracks, Berninger can resort to writing spoken word clichés that amount to little more than a list of observations. This results in a song like “Nowhere Special” feeling clumsy and awkward, even if it is cool that Berninger and his collaborators are exploring trip-hop soundscapes. Other new influences pop up occasionally, including bossa nova, on “Silver Jeep,” a poignant duet with L.A. singer Ronboy.

Get Sunk will not radically change your perception of Berninger, but the album offers another solid example of his distinctive vocal and lyrical approach with more intimacy than you would get on a full band album. Not every song works, but the highlights are real growers with emotionally resonant imagery and bewitching melodies.

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