The National’s frontman Matt Berninger has announced his second solo album, “Get Sunk,” scheduled for release on May 30 via Book/Concord. The announcement comes alongside a new single, “Bonnet of Pins,” offering the first glimpse into the forthcoming project.
“Get Sunk” follows Berninger’s solo debut “Serpentine Prison,” which was released in 2020. The new album features an impressive roster of collaborators, including Hand Habits’ Meg Duffy, legendary organist Booker T. Jones, and members of The Walkmen.
Produced alongside Sean O’Brien, who also contributed as a co-writer on several tracks, the album seems to maintain Berninger’s penchant for introspective lyricism. “Our hearts are like old wells filled with pennies and worms,” Berninger reflected in a statement about the new work. “I can’t resist going down to the bottom of mine to see what else is there. But sometimes you can get yourself stuck.”
Watch the video for “Bonnet of Pins” below:
To support the release, Berninger has mapped out a North American tour culminating in a release-day performance at New York’s Webster Hall on May 30. Following this run, he’ll cross the Atlantic for a European and UK tour beginning in August. No Montreal show has been announced as of writing.
The announcement comes after a prolific period for The National, who released two studio albums in 2023 – “First Two Pages of Frankenstein” and “Laugh Track” – followed by a live album titled “Rome” later that year.
While Berninger’s solo work allows him to explore creative avenues outside The National’s established sound, listeners familiar with his distinctive baritone and narrative songwriting will likely find familiar elements in “Bonnet of Pins,” which is now available on streaming platforms.
Get Sunk tracklisting:
01 Inland Ocean
02 No Love
03 Bonnet of Pins
04 Frozen Oranges
05 Breaking Into Acting [ft. Hand Habits]
06 Nowhere Special
07 Little by Little
08 Junk
09 Silver Jeep [ft. Ronboy]
10 Times of Difficulty
Matt Berninger tour dates:
05-19 Seattle, WA – The Showbox
05-20 San Francisco, CA – Bimbo’s 365 Club
05-21 Los Angeles, CA – Palace Theatre
05-23 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
05-24 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
05-26 Toronto, Ontario – Concert Hall
05-28 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
05-29 Washington, D.C. – Lincoln Theatre
05-30 New York, NY – Webster Hall
08-23 Dublin, Ireland – Vicar Street
08-25 Glasgow, Scotland – SWG3 Galvanizers
08-26 Manchester, England – Albert Hall
08-27 London, England – Troxy
08-28-31 Dorset, England – End of the Road Festival
08-31 Utrecht, Netherlands – Tivoli Vrendenburg
09-01 Antwerp, Belgium – Olt Rivierenhof
09-02 Paris, France – Elysee Montmartre
09-04 Berlin, Germany – Huxleys
09-05 Copenhagen, Denmark – Vega
09-06 Oslo, Norway – Rockefeller Music Hall
Portrait – Chantal Anderson
Live photo – Steve Gerrard
