Matt Berninger's debut album Serpentine Prison is an artfully realised project. No huge surprise. It sounds like a low key National album. No surprise there either really. Berninger has such a distinctive and immediately recognisable voice and things are done here very much the way that they would be on a National record.
I found it rather easier to respect than love on first listening. It struck me as a rather coffee table exercise. Glossy and immaculate but rather remote. Quite apposite given that this has become the year of remoteness.
There are some moments of greater charm and warmth, such as Oh Dearie, but mostly Berninger plays it cool. This is a good but not great record. It needs to let go a little more.
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