Object Of Sound

Going Solo (feat. Matt Berninger)

Episode Summary

Matt Berninger started out as the frontman of The National, but recently he’s taken off on his own artistic path. With the re-issue of the National’s early albums out today, we speak with Matt about revisiting past selves, his collaboration with Booker T. Jones, and take a broader look at artists who have reinvented their sound after going solo. For the playlist of songs curated for this episode visit http://bit.ly/oos-solo

Episode Notes

Matt Berninger started out as the frontman of The National, but recently he’s taken off on his own artistic path. With the re-issue of the National’s early albums out today, we speak with Matt about revisiting past selves, his collaboration with Booker T. Jones, and take a broader look at artists who have reinvented their sound after going solo. For the playlist of songs curated for this episode visit http://bit.ly/oos-solo

/ Show Notes / 

Matt Berninger says Willie Nelson’s Stardust was a large inspiration for his most recent album, Serpentine Prison. 

Matt cites “Sunny” by Booker T and the MG’s as an example of a record where you can “hear musicians look at each other.” 

Matt calls Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song” and Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” as, what he calls, “direct, on your knees, love songs”. 

Matt says “Collar Of Your Shirt,” is the song on his album where he feels he really hit the mark. 

Matt says “Even Here We Are” by Paul Westerberg and “When She Walks In The Room by Bryan Ferry as his favorite song by front people who went solo. 

/ Music In This Week's Playlist / 

Collar of Your Shirt, Matt Berninger

Adam Lives in Theory, Ms. Lauryn Hill

Even Here We Are, Paul Westerberg

Mall Music, Nice As Fuck

Love, Selfish Love, Patrick Stump

Lazaretto, Jack White

Comes the Night, Karen O

Jòga, Björk

/ Credits / 

Object of Sound is a Sonos show produced by work x work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, and Babette Thomas. The show is additionally produced by Hanif Abdurraqib. Our engineers are Sam Bair and Josh Hahn of The Relic Room.