News
Plus HAIM, Matt Berninger, Cross Record, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks
Mar 14, 2025
By Mark Redfern (with Issa Nasatir)
Welcome to the eighth Songs of the Week of 2025. This week Andy Von Pip, Caleb Campbell, Mark Moody, and Stephen Humphries helped me decide what should make the list. We considered over 30 songs and narrowed it down to a Top 11. More
Get Sunk Due Out May 30 via Book/Concord
Mar 11, 2025
By Mark Redfern
Matt Berninger of The National has announced a new solo album, Get Sunk, and released its first single, “Bonnet of Pins.” He’s also announced some new tour dates. More
From the Soundtrack to the Upcoming Film Cyrano
Dec 03, 2021
By Joey Arnone
The National have shared a new single, “Somebody Desperate.” The release marks the band’s first new music since 2019, and it is featured on the soundtrack to the upcoming film Cyrano, which was scored by band members Bryce and Aaron Dessner. More
Soundtrack Due Out December 10, First Single Out This Friday
Oct 06, 2021
By Joey Arnone
A new trailer has been released for the upcoming Joe Wright film Cyrano, a musical adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac which features original music by The National. The upcoming film’s score was written by Aaron and Bryce Dessner, with lyrics by Matt Berninger and his wife Carin Besser. An accompanying soundtrack will be out on December 10 via Decca, and its first single, “Someone To Say,” is set to be released this Friday (October 8). More
Set to Premiere on October 15 via Apple TV+
Aug 31, 2021
By Joey Arnone
Todd Haynes’ upcoming documentary about The Velvet Underground, which was announced four whole years ago, is finally seeing its release this year, and its official trailer has just been shared. The Velvet Underground: A Documentary Film by Todd Haynes will premiere on Apple TV+ on October 15. More
Plus Ian Daniel Kehoe, Adrian Younge, Lost Horizons, and a Wrap-up of the Week's Other Notable New Tracks
Feb 19, 2021
By Mark Redfern (with Joey Arnone)
Welcome to the sixth Songs of the Week of 2021. There was finally some good news this week. We landed on Mars! On Thursday NASA’s Perseverance rover successfully landed on the red planet, a tricky engineering feat, to answer David Bowie’s question: “Is there life on Mars?” More
Serpentine Prison (Deluxe Edition) Due Out March 12 via Book/Concord
Feb 19, 2021
By Mark Redfern
Matt Berninger of The National released his debut solo album, Serpentine Prison, last October via Book, Berninger’s new imprint with Concord. Now he has announced a new deluxe edition of the album that includes six bonus tracks (four covers and two originals) and shared one of those extra tracks, “Let It Be,” which is an original song and not a Beatles cover. More
Sixty Summers Will Be Out April 16 via BMG
Jan 29, 2021
By Joey Arnone
Julia Stone has shared a video for her new song “We All Have,” which features Matt Berninger of The National. The video was directed by Gabriel Gasparinatos, and features his cousin Jesse, a second-generation Abalone diver. Stone’s forthcoming album, Sixty Summers, will be out on April 16 via BMG. More
Includes Their Self-Titled Debut, Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers, and Cherry Tree EP
Nov 24, 2020
By Joey Arnone
The National are putting out remastered reissues of their earliest material, which includes their self-titled debut album from 2001, their sophomore album Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers from 2003, and 2004’s Cherry Tree EP. All three releases have been remastered at Abbey Road Studios and will be out February 26, 2021 via 4AD. More
Originally Featured on Georgas’ Latest Album, All That Emotion
Nov 17, 2020
By Joey Arnone
Canadian singer/songwriter Hannah Georgas has joined forces with Matt Berninger, vocalist of rock band The National, for a duet version of “Pray It Away.” The song was originally featured on Georgas’ critically acclaimed latest album, the Aaron Dessner-produced All That Emotion, which was released back in September via Brassland/Arts & Crafts. More
Serpentine Prison Out Now via Book/Concord
Oct 16, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Matt Berninger of The National has released his debut solo album, Serpentine Prison, today via Book, Berninger’s new imprint with Concord. Now that it’s out you can stream the whole thing below. More
Plus Everything Everything, Seamus Fogarty, This Is the Kit, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks
Sep 11, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Welcome to the 36th Songs of the Week of 2020. This week’s list is a supersized one, with 12 instead of 10 songs (and last week we only had eight), which is surprising considering Monday was the Labor Day holiday here in America, meaning few new songs were shared that day. More
Serpentine Prison Due Out October 16 via Book/Concord
Sep 10, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Matt Berninger of The National is releasing his debut solo album, Serpentine Prison, on October 16 via Book, Berninger’s new imprint with Concord. Now he has shared another song from it, “One More Second,” via a lyric video for it. More
Serpentine Prison Due Out October 2 via Book/Concord
Jul 17, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Matt Berninger of The National is releasing his debut solo album, Serpentine Prison, on October 2 via Book, Berninger’s new imprint with Concord. Now he has shared another song from it, “Distant Axis,” via a video for it. More
Plus Khruangbin, Sad13, Sondre Lerche, Owen Pallett, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks
May 22, 2020
By Christopher Roberts (with Samantha Small)
Welcome to the nineteenth Songs of the Week of 2020. It’s another week under quarantine, the same as the last week. This week we were quite indecisive about our favorite songs and even polled our readers on Facebook and Twitter, which helped a little. More
Serpentine Prison Due Out October 2 via Book/Concord
May 20, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Last year Matt Berninger of The National announced his debut solo album, Serpentine Prison, although no release date was given. Now he has shared the album’s title track, “Serpentine Prison,” via a video for it. Berninger has also announced the album’s release date, as well as detailing its many special guests. More
“Holes” Cover Benefits Planned Parenthood
Apr 16, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Back in February, before the pandemic overtook America, Matt Berninger of The National shared a cover of Mercury Rev’s classic “Holes,” from their 1998 album Deserter’s Songs. For last night’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert he performed the cover from home, aided remotely by Steph Altman on piano. More
COVID-19 Themed Song Benefits City Harvest
Apr 15, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Walter Martin (formerly of The Walkmen) has shared a hilarious new COVD-19 themed song, “Quarantine Boogie (Loco),” that features guest vocals from Matt Berninger of The National. It was shared via a video that also features Berninger. More
“Holes” Cover Benefits Planned Parenthood; Cover of INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart” Benefits Australian Bushfire Relief
Feb 28, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Matt Berninger of The National has shared a cover of Mercury Rev’s classic “Holes,” from their 1998 album Deserter’s Songs. It’s part of the 7-Inches for Planned Parenthood series and was shared via a video for the cover. The National, meanwhile, have covered INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart” for the new Australian bushfire relief compilation, Songs for Australia. More
New Holiday-Themed Track Benefits Planned Parenthood
Dec 12, 2019
By Christopher Roberts
Phoebe Bridgers has shared a new Christmas track, “7 O’Clock News/Silent Night,” which features Fiona Apple and Matt Berninger (of The National). It is a cover of the Christmas standard “Silent Night,” but it features Berninger as an anchorman reading the news. All profits from the track will be donated to Planned Parenthood. More
The National: Juicy Sonic Magic, Live in Berkeley, September 24-25, 2018 Cassette Box Set Due Out November 29
Nov 21, 2019
By Christopher Roberts
For Black Friday Record Store Day (November 29), The National are releasing The National: Juicy Sonic Magic, Live in Berkeley, September 24-25, 2018, a new live cassette box set. Now they have shared a new mini-documentary, also titled Juicy Sonic Magic, that explains how the live recordings came about and that they were inspired by a famous concert taper from the 1970s, Mike “The Mike” Millard. More
Plus Michael Kiwanuka, Little Scream, Matt Berninger, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks
Oct 18, 2019
By Christopher Roberts
Welcome to another Songs of the Week. It was a pretty light week, in terms of new songs this week. Hence we only have a Top 8. More
Serpentine Prison Produced and Arranged by Booker T. Jones
Oct 18, 2019
By Christopher Roberts
Matt Berninger of The National has announced his debut solo album. More
New Song Featured in Netflix’s Between Two Ferns: The Movie
Oct 17, 2019
By Christopher Roberts
Matt Berninger of The National and Phoebe Bridgers recently teamed up for the new song, “Walking On a String,” which they performed in Netflix’s Between Two Ferns: The Movie. Now they have shared a studio version of the song via a black & white video featuring them recording it. More
Part of the 7-Inches for Planned Parenthood Series
Dec 14, 2018
By Christopher Roberts
Matt Berninger of The National previously teamed up with Stephan Altman for the song “All I Want” for American Chaos, a documentary on the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Now they have shared a new version of the song that features Julien Baker. More
Video Also Features Zach Galifianakis and John Legend; Project Also Features Bon Iver, Elliott Smith, Sharon Van Etten, and More
Apr 10, 2017
By Christopher Roberts
7-Inches for Planned Parenthood is a new 7-inch box set with 100% of the proceeds being donated to Planned Parenthood. More