MATT BERNINGER: BLOODBUZZ 5-0

Photo: Pitchfork.

It’s Matt Berninger, the oaken baritone singer of The National, birthday today. One of my most admired singers from this era, a Cary Grant interpretation of Leonard Cohen (according to Pitchfork), hit the big 5-0 on 13 February.

The National is on top 5 of my personal list of 13 Cult Bands You Must Worship Before You Die. They are, to me, like the adult contemporary version of—my other ultra favourite band—Interpol. Matt Berninger and The National are part of indie rock aristocrats.

Photo: NY Times.

Photo: University of Cincinnati.

Berninger with his wife, Carin Besser, a one-time fiction editor for The New Yorker. She has often contributed to the band’s songwriting, also helped the directed the music video of The National’s breakthrough single, “Bloodbuzz Ohio”. Photo: Amanda Schwab.

Berninger and Phoebe Bridgers duet on “Walking On a String” for Netflix’s Between Two Ferns: The Movie. Photo: Brooklyn Vegan.

Berninger’s solo album, Serpentine Prison, released in October 2020.

I supposed to go see them in March last year in Perth. But then apocalypse started to happen. Screw you, Covid.

Happy birthday and happy Valentine, the Neil Diamond of indie rock!

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Featured image: The National News.
Photos in the gallery (clockwise): ASCAP, Deirdre O’Callaghan, Pinterest.

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