Sunday Conversation: The National's Matt Berninger On His New Solo Album
How to describe an interview with The National frontman Matt Berninger? Like talking to Moby or Liz Phair (who along with Robert Plant might be the smartest interview in music) it is a fascinating labyrinth of cerebral twists and turns where you just hold on and do your best to keep up.
It is as compelling and enlightening as his music. Which is saying a lot because along with Nick Cave and the timeless Bruce Springsteen, Berninger, with The National and on his own, has been, to me, the most consistent rock act in the first quarter of this century. Once again, Berninger stuns with his second solo album, Get Sunk.
A gorgeous slice of life that, like the writing of Raymond Carver, is deceptively complex and profound, Get Sunk is, as Berninger describes it, a romance with ghosts. As we discussed, it is a record of memories, of life, of hope.
Steve Baltin: I'm a big believer in environment affecting writing. So, was it Connecticut that lit the spark for this album?
Matt Berninger: The Connecticut part of it maybe colored the process. This record has a lot of Midwestern atmosphere with creeks and trees and animals and bike rides along rivers and stuff. I've always been writing about that stuff. But yeah, getting to Connecticut, back in an area that is like what it was like in my youth and particularly on my uncle's farm. The place I live now, I have a barn, and I have a little bit of land. But I have all this stuff and there are trails in the woods and creeks all around where I live now. And that's where I spent all my most memorable stuff of my childhood, it all happened at that farm in Indiana. So, Connecticut really inspired that part of it. But I think anytime you uproot and go to a new place, or take a vacation, you're riding a train through Italy, like suddenly, you're going to write differently and be inspired to write different kinds of stories. So, I do think, I think changing the soil you're in every 10 years is really smart.
Baltin: So that's something that you've done regularly, move every decade or so?
Berninger: Yeah, I've moved from Cincinnati, moving out of your house or your parents' house, and then going to college in an apartment, that feels like two different types of living. Then I moved to New York City in '96, and I was there for maybe 15 years, and that's where I met my wife, that's where my daughter was born. We'd been in Brooklyn for close to 15 years or something. Then we just felt we had squeezed New York for every drop of inspiration and so we moved to Venice, California. We lived out there for 10 years and then I wrote five or six, seven records, did so much stuff out there and met Mike Mills and became a collaborator with all these amazing filmmakers and stuff. So that was an amazing decade of creativity and then my daughter was about to go to high school, and we all wanted something new, and we had family in Connecticut and it's so close to New York. I didn't want to move back to Brooklyn, but I really want to be close to New York again. I go to New York every week and ride the train. So yeah, it's really new and inspiring and I think that is really good and it does jolt me, although some of this record I started five years ago in Venice. Even some of the songs that are talking about Indiana, and the Midwestern pastoral scenes were written when I still lived in Venice during the lockdown. So maybe I was just dreaming of wandering the woods or going back to a time. But I always write about that stuff. But moving and changing your environment does change your brain.
Baltin: Would this album have been made anywhere now at this time?
Berninger: Yeah, I feel like this would have been made anywhere at this point in time. I do, and I have been saying this recently because I've been trying to answer that question. Because yeah, a lot of this record does go back and it's a really conscious effort to try to reshape, not in the details and truth, but in the emotional memories of things and write a great story, and of a great 45-minute immersive connected experience. And it was really important for me on this record more than anything I've ever done, I think. But you're right, what is our past? What is it? And often, I've been saying this, that our past is a story we tell ourselves. and we remember it differently. Our memories of it change and our memories are memories of memories. So, it's our own version of (the game) telephone constantly going as we go and try to retell the stories of what happened and why am I like this and what was my childhood like and what were my relationships with my parents like and what was it? It's all fantasy and it's just the same way your future is a story you're telling yourself. What you want, why you're doing what you're doing and where you're trying to go and how long you want to live and what you want in your life and what experiences you want to have going forward is also just a story. And what experiences you had in the past so you're just telling your story of those experiences. All those things, traumas, good things, can totally shape you, yes, but sometimes we can be confined by our own definitions of ourselves and that we create a little bit of a prison or a trap around ourselves and we say, 'I'm this way because of this and that's why and I'm going to stay this way.' And right now you're seeing in the world, everybody, it's an identity crisis. People don't know. I'm a Catholic, but there are so many Catholics identifying with something else that is so un -Catholic. And that kind of thing, but there's so much, 'But this is me now, I'm this and I identify with this.' I think we really trap ourselves into our ideas of who exactly we are and I think it's a dangerous thing. I was trapped in an idea of what I was. Like I was this type of guy. I'd written all these stories. I had manifested becoming this melodramatic, unhinged character. And then I was leaking into that facade or that story I had told had started to become a little real. And it wasn't real. And so, yeah, I think that this record is trying to maybe go back and kind of recontextualize some of the beauty and I think the good things mostly. There's a lot of darkness in this record, but I'm a happy person. I've had very unhappy times. I've had very dark, long depressions. Everyone has, but my core is optimistic, hopeful, kind, brave, and happy mostly, and I remember that. And I learned that from my parents. I learned that from my cousins. I learned that from my uncle. I learned that from nature. I learned that from the farm. I learned that early, and that hasn't changed. I identify as those things, but sometimes you get lost in these other prisons of other things that you think you are, but you're not.
Baltin: That's so interesting on so many levels. As The National started getting bigger, do you feel like personally you became a character people wanted you to be?
Berninger: I was actually in my early 30s before we got successful. But when you get your first taste of success and people are really reacting to your work that is some of the most extreme, darkest parts of your personality, or the saddest parts, and those become the best songs because I'm being honest about something. But when you're writing those songs in your 30s, and then you get successful, I'm sure subconsciously I've elevated that idea of that guy in my head. There's more currency to that character, I realize. And so maybe you start to manifest it, and you keep building this weird sculpture of these little Legos of melodrama and anger or rock and roll songs and all these things. Then they become this really weird cool sculpture that everybody buys tickets to see. And then the next thing you know, you're stuck as this thing that wasn't what you intended.
Baltin: You and I have talked over the years too about literature being inspiring and I feel like there were very literary and cinematic points of this album. Right when we got on the Zoom, I was listening to the record again. I love 'Silver Jeep.' That one has almost like a Raymond Carver feeling to me.
Berninger: Yeah, there's a few of them. Some of them are more kind of blurry, abstract, impressionistic, emotional descriptions of emotional things or descriptions of process, like 'Nowhere Special' is a totally different song from a lot of the other songs and so is "End of the Notion.' I don't think about it when I go in but I see that I'm often trying to write a type of song I've never written but I've written hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of songs. But "Silver Jeep" and "Bonnet of Pins" and "Frozen Oranges," those are three examples of songs that are like scenes. Or "Bonnet of Pins" is maybe just an hour or a couple of hours of reconnection between two people. Then "Frozen Oranges" is a whole day, a long bike ride filled with medicines and joys and fruit and sunshine and bugs and juice and it's a really healthy song. Then 'Silver Jeep' is a is an echo of the same character from 'Bonnet of Pins.' That character is not really present much in 'Frozen Oranges.' But then at the end of the record, I think 'Silver Jeep' and 'Bonnet of Pins' are a little bit of a return to that relationship or that dynamic. What is it? Well, they're always chasing each other. They're always seeking each other, but they're always there. The line in 'Silver Jeep' that I like is, 'I see you out there somewhere in a silver jeep.' Maybe only in my mind but you'll always be there whether I ever see you in person again, you're never leaving. This person might already be dead. The whole record is about a ghost but it's not a singular ghost, it's not one person, it's a ghost of something. It's a really romantic record. It's a romance with a ghost, I guess.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Olympic Gymnast Suni Lee Turns Heads With 'Gorgeous' Swimsuit Photo
Olympic Gymnast Suni Lee Turns Heads With 'Gorgeous' Swimsuit Photo originally appeared on The Spun. The 2025 rookie class for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit featured a handful of notable athletes, including Olympic gymnast Suni Lee. Lee rose to stardom during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, winning a gold medal in the individual all-around event. She was also part of the "Golden Girls" that won gold for the team all-around at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Well before Lee's rookie photoshoot was released, SI Swimsuit editor-in-chief MJ Day said her team was looking for athletes who "defy stereotypes and champion equality, inspiring young girls to envision themselves as both athletes and leaders." There's no question Lee fits that description. Throughout her gymnastics career, Lee has dealt with comments about her body. She hasn't allowed that to slow her down or shake her confidence. "Gymnastics has definitely impacted my body image," Lee said. "We have to wear skin-tight leotards. There are so many critics online, but I'm always going to be my biggest critic, so whenever you read things, it just kind of makes you overthink. But I just had to learn that my body is my temple and I wouldn't be able to do what I have to do without it." As for Lee's rookie photoshoot with SI Swimsuit, let's just say it was a huge hit. Lee shared a few swimsuit photos from her time in Boca Raton on Instagram. Most of her fans complimented her appearance. "So naturally beautiful," one person commented. "Absolutely beautiful," another person said. "You're gorgeous," an Instagram user wrote. Lee has quickly become a star in the modeling industry. Last year, she went viral several times during New York Fashion Week. "I'm so grateful to all the brands and designers who hosted me this season. It definitely lived up to the hype," the 2021 Female Athlete of the Year told Vogue. Suffice to say, it won't be long before Lee has everyone's attention once Gymnast Suni Lee Turns Heads With 'Gorgeous' Swimsuit Photo first appeared on The Spun on Jun 21, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Has Kris Jenner found the fountain of youth? Experts weigh in on her stunning transformation
Kris Jenner — known as the "momager" of the Kardashian-Jenner empire — has made headlines in recent weeks for her more youthful appearance, sparking rumors of a possible deep plane facelift. A representative for Jenner confirmed to another outlet that Dr. Steven Levine of New York City performed Jenner's recent work, but did not specify the type of procedure. (Fox News Digital reached out to Levine and Jenner for comment.) Dr. Patrick Davis, a Beverly Hills facial plastic surgeon, said that Jenner appears "youthful and natural," which is the hallmark of a "well-performed procedure." Plastic Surgery Trends Take A Surprising Turn As Doctors See More Patients 'Sizing Down' "It is difficult to comment specifically on what technique was performed, though in some fashion, the structural elements of her face were lifted to reset her skin tissues," Davis, who has not treated Jenner, hypothesized in an interview with Fox News Digital. "She has a healthy-looking distribution of fat contributing to this new look, which could potentially be the effect of a fat transfer in addition to a facelift." Read On The Fox News App Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, a board-certified plastic surgeon with Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery in San Francisco, agreed that Jenner has gotten an "incredible result" from what "appears to be" a deep plane facelift. With a standard or traditional facelift — also known as a SMAS facelift, or a Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System facelift — the surgeon makes incisions behind the hairline and around the front of the ear, lifting and tightening the deeper tissues and muscles and then removing excess skin. This can eliminate wrinkles, sagging skin and the "jowl-like" effect, achieving a more youthful contour of the face and neck, according to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. 'Six-pack Surgery' Gaining Popularity Among Men, Say Plastic Surgeons Davis said most of his education and training has focused on deep plane facelifts. "A deep plane facelift involves a wider dissection under the structural elements of the face, which then allows the surgeon to reset a greater proportion of facial tissues," Davis said. "The benefit of this technique is that a more natural, vertical reset can be achieved — and more importantly, the tissues re-attach themselves in a broader way, allowing for a more durable result." It's important to choose a facelift that is right for the patient and that falls within the surgeon's expertise, Davis noted. "In those patients who have had multiple facelifts in the past, it could be wise to perform a simpler SMAS facelift with less dissection, as the tissues have been manipulated in the past," he advised. Any elective or non-elective surgery carries some degree of risk, experts agree. "In any given surgery, there is a risk of infection, nerve damage, or bruising and swelling," Davis cautioned. "These are minimized based on the surgeon's experience and the frequency with which they perform the procedure." This Daily Beauty Routine Could Be Ruining Your Hair, Experts Warn It is important that the surgeon goes over these risks with the patient in person, according to Davis. Because the deep plane technique involves a more extensive dissection of tissues under and around facial nerves, Kaplan cautioned that the biggest risk is facial paralysis, which can be temporary or permanent. "It's a newer variation that requires a greater understanding of the anatomy to be successful," he said. Davis tells his patients that a deep plane facelift has a typical recovery time of about six months for full results, though many can return to work and other functions within three to four weeks. Hairstylists And Medical Expert Confirm Temporary Hair Loss Affecting Ozempic Users "These procedures are not debilitating — however, there is some cosmetic downtime, which varies from patient to patient," he noted. In Kaplan's practice, he encourages most patients to be out and about two weeks after surgery. "They may still have some bruising, but it's typically in the lower neck or upper chest at that point and can be covered," he said. Various factors can affect a patient's recovery timeline, the experts say. Some, like genetics, can't be controlled. "Other things, however — like a low-salt diet, exercise, lymphatic massage, hyperbaric oxygen treatments and keeping up with proper post-op care — are within our control," Davis said. Most surgeons will have the patient wear a head and neck compression garment for two weeks, Kaplan noted. "In general, the patient should not be in a great deal of pain — if they are, that can actually be a sign of a hematoma (bleeding under the skin)," he said. When opting for a facelift, it's important to choose a board-certified facial plastic surgeon who is specifically trained in facelifts of deep SMAS tissue, doctors agreed. Before undergoing a facelift, Davis emphasized the need for the patient to share as much detail as possible about his or her medical history, lifestyle and aesthetic goals. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "When we have consultations with prospective clients, we want to know more about their diet, lifestyle, support system and any health conditions that may affect a surgery," he said. Kaplan noted that it's important to tell the surgeon if you're taking any GLP-1 weight-loss medications, as they may ask you to pause them a week prior to surgery. The most important things to ask a prospective surgeon, according to Davis, are where they put their incisions, how they close their incisions, details about their individual technique, and any information that provides better insight into their background, experience and frequency with which they perform that specific procedure. For more Health articles, visit "You want to find a surgeon who has extensive knowledge in facial plastic surgery and can provide their patients with tidy incisions that are well-hidden," he advised. "Most of all, it is important that you are comfortable with your surgeon, as they will not only be with you for the procedure, but will be by your side on the recovery journey."Original article source: Has Kris Jenner found the fountain of youth? Experts weigh in on her stunning transformation
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Gilded Age Cast IRL: See How the Season 3 Stars Look Out of Costume
Like the time period from which it gets its name, The Gilded Age is all about excess. From the characters' lavish homes to their stunning gowns and jewelry, it's like every day is the Met Gala — and the servants aren't the only ones serving. Here at TVLine, we live for a good fashion moment as much as Mrs. Fish lives for drama at the opera, but it's easy to get lost in the 1880s fantasy. Sometimes we forget that there are present-day women buried under all those corsets, bustles and bonnets. More from TVLine Casting News: Andor Subs In for Kimmel, Connie Britton Joins Steve Carell Comedy and More Casting News: Severance Duo on Millionaire, Steve Carell Comedy Casts Bridesmaids Vet and More The White Lotus: Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood Reveal a Rick and Chelsea Sex Scene Was Cut From the Finale ('It Was So Powerful') But not today! In preparation for The Gilded Age's Season 3 premiere (Sunday, 9/8c), we're taking a moment to remind you what the HBO drama's cast looks like when they're not dressed in period-accurate costumes. And you might be surprised by some of the things you see. For example, did you know that Louisa Jacobson is actually a brunette underneath her blonde Marian Brook wig? Or that Ben Ahlers rocks a no-nonsense mustache when he's not playing baby faced jack-of-all-trades John Trotter? Prepare to learn all that and more as you peruse side-by-side comparisons of this season's Gilded Age series regulars (along with a few noteworthy Season 3 guest stars) out of costume, primarily using red carpet photos from the show's June 12 premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. Scroll down to see the Gilded Age stars as they truly are, then drop a comment with your thoughts. Did anyone catch you by surprise? Best of TVLine 20+ Age-Defying Parent-Child Castings From Blue Bloods, ER, Ginny & Georgia, Golden Girls, Supernatural and More Young Sheldon Easter Eggs: Every Nod to The Big Bang Theory (and Every Future Reveal) Across 7 Seasons Weirdest TV Crossovers: Always Sunny Meets Abbott, Family Guy vs. Simpsons, Nine-Nine Recruits New Girl and More
