The National's Matt Berninger Shares Second Single From New Album, "Distant Axis" [Watch]

The National frontman Matt Berninger has released “Distant Axis”, the second single off his forthcoming album, Serpentine Prison.

“Distant Axis” comes following the title track for Serpentine Prison, due out on October 2nd via Booker T. Jones and Berninger’s joint Book Records. The album marks the first full-length solo release for Berninger, though he has put out several songs for movies and TV programs, including Boardwalk Empire, Turn, and Between Two Ferns: The Movie.

In the song, the alternative singer-songwriter offers sweet, barely audible murmurings. The only words that are intelligible are the song’s titular refrain, but that’s not necessarily a band thing as his quiet utterances can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Meanwhile, the vaguely dreary song is juxtaposed with a meta music video of Berninger cheerfully making a music video. While the song does contain hallmarks of Berninger’s signature style, he also co-wrote the tune with The Walkmen‘s Walter Martin. Berninger said of the collaboration,

I met Walter Martin fifteen years ago when The National opened for The 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.

Watch the new music video for “Distant Axis” from Matt Berninger.

Matt Berninger — “Distant Axis” (Official Video)

[Video: Matt Berninger]