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The National’s Matt Berninger is prepping the release of his debut solo album Serpentine Prison, which will be released on October 2 via Book Records, a new imprint of Concord Records.

He already shared the title track and first single and tonight he’s premiered the music video for the album’s second single, “Distant Axis.”

The track has a more upbeat tone to it, but plenty of the qualities of a song that has Berninger’s involvement in it. It’s a cathartic listen that is but melancholic, yet somehow hopeful at the very same time. It also sounds like there’s some backing work from Andrew Bird in there (who is listed as one of the guest contributors on the album)

Find Berninger’s description of the new song below:

I met Walter Martin fifteen years ago when the National opened for Walkmen on a tour of shitty clubs in the American southeast. On that tour, I learned a lot about how to be in a band without ruining your life. I also learned a lot about Florida, Tennessee and Georgia.

Walt and I have stayed friends, and about three years ago we started passing ideas back and forth. “Distant Axis” started from a sketch Walt sent me named Savannah. I think it’s about falling out of touch with someone or something you once thought would be there forever.

You can watch the music video for “Distant Axis” below, which he co-directed with his brother Tom Berninger and Chris Sgroi.


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