NPR’s Scott Simon speaks to The Nationwide frontman Matt Berninger in regards to the band’s new album, “First Two Pages of Frankenstein,” and in regards to the band’s embrace of “Unhappy Dad” moniker.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
For years The Nationwide have captured the sound of Gen X and Millennial anxiousness. The Cincinnati band is thought for uncooked and at instances searing lyrics layered over wealthy, pensive melodies, a sound that lately has been labeled unhappy dad rock.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “TROPIC MORNING NEWS”)
THE NATIONAL: (Singing) I used to be struggling greater than I let on. The tropic morning information was on. There’s nothing stopping me now from saying all of the painful elements out loud.
SIMON: The Nationwide’s new album, “First Two Pages Of Frankenstein,” merges their distinct sound with a star-studded lineup of collaborators, together with Taylor Swift, Sufjan Stevens and Phoebe Bridgers. We requested Matt Berninger, who’s lead singer for The Nationwide, in regards to the title of the album, and he says it has extra to do along with his personal artistic course of than Mary Shelley’s.
MATT BERNINGER: Nicely, I used to be struggling to put in writing. I imply, for an extended interval I could not write in any respect, and nothing was serving to. And generally I will simply seize a guide off the shelf, and I grabbed that, and I simply type of, like, skimmed over phrases. I am not even actually studying. I am simply, like – I am simply letting, like, phrases to pop in, and – however there was some line about tranquilizing one thing. After which there are these traces about being within the ocean and within the North Pole, and so, tranquilize the oceans between the poles, was simply the primary line I wrote. And that was like, oh, yeah, that is type of the – what I needed to do to my mind, I believe, a bit bit. So it triggered a tune referred to as “Your Thoughts Is Not Your Good friend.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “YOUR MIND IS NOT YOUR FRIEND”)
THE NATIONAL: (Singing) Do not you perceive? Your thoughts will not be your buddy once more. It takes you by the hand and leaves you nowhere.
SIMON: That tune is one among a number of collaborations on the album, this one with Phoebe Bridgers.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “YOUR MIND IS NOT YOUR FRIEND”)
THE NATIONAL: (Singing) Do not you perceive?
BERNINGER: However, your thoughts will not be your buddy, is one thing that my spouse was reminding me and telling me within the lowest moments the place I simply thought, you understand, I used to be by no means going to have the ability to write once more. And I used to be satisfied that I could not go on stage once more. And he or she was the one who stored saying, that is simply your thoughts telling you that. It isn’t the reality. And which is – it actually helped. It was like, oh, yeah, it isn’t me. It is my thoughts. As a result of I do not suppose you possibly can at all times belief your personal thoughts. You understand, your ideas do not at all times lead you or aren’t actually pointing to the reality a number of the time.
SIMON: However how does an artist not belief their thoughts when a lot artwork relies on feeling, intuition and judgment?
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “NEW ORDER T-SHIRT”)
THE NATIONAL: (Singing) The way you tapped on a field of blue American Spirits at Anyway Cafe a bit underneath a month earlier than…
BERNINGER: I’ve at all times written about not having the ability to talk, and I’ve at all times written about despair, and I’ve written about all these items that I used to be in the midst of. I believe I simply – I reached the purpose – it was like, I did not need to self-reflect. I did not need to look within the mirror anymore. I used to be disgusted by all of it. And I used to be – I had a bit bit in my thoughts that possibly I’ve – possibly by dwelling, writing, you understand, 9 information or eight information about, you understand, sorrow and heartbreak and all my issues, possibly I’ve created this case. And I used to be like, properly, possibly I broke myself. However finally, I simply – I needed to crack into that once more as a result of that was the one means – you understand, as a result of the one technique to get out of it’s to form of take a deep dive into it.
SIMON: And he appears completely snug with exploring that unhappiness, not placing on another face for the world.
BERNINGER: The stuff I connect with is the stuff that’s – it is like, it makes me need to discuss issues that I do not usually discuss or would not in any other case. And so I do not go into something, like, with an thought of, like, making a tragic or blissful or offended tune. Anytime I’ve tried to – like, let’s write a contented tune, it isn’t – I am unable to do it. It does not do something for me, you understand? So I believe I am at all times making an attempt to put in writing self-medicating music for myself. Yeah.
SIMON: Matt Berninger and his band mates created a playlist on Spotify referred to as Unhappy Dads, a label bestowed on them by their followers.
BERNINGER: I imply, we have been listening to that for a very long time. And so finally we simply determined to type of embrace it. It was both that or brunchcore (laughter). We’re all dads, and we have all struggled with all that type of stuff, so. However I believe the reality is being a dad was – all through this part was the one factor that was like, oh, you understand, I am good at that. That is what I am actually good at.
SIMON: And boy, he did get some cool dad factors for his collaboration with Taylor Swift on a tune referred to as “The Alcott.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “THE ALCOTT”)
THE NATIONAL AND TAYLOR SWIFT: (Singing) I needed to do one thing to interrupt into your golden considering.
BERNINGER: I believe our youngsters have at all times cherished what we do, and so they’re at all times out and in of the studio and at all times have been, you understand, part of the material. However collaborating with with Taylor and Phoebe did add some verify marks to the entire thing, you understand.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “THE ALCOTT”)
THE NATIONAL AND SWIFT: (Singing) It is the very first thing you do. Give me some tricks to neglect you. You inform me your issues. Have I grow to be one among your issues? And I inform you the reality. May it’s straightforward this as soon as? It is the very last thing you needed.
BERNINGER: My daughter was telling me that, you understand, buddies at school – a few of them had been Nationwide followers, you understand, and this was earlier than any of the Taylor Swift stuff. And I simply assume it was, you understand, that mothers or dads that had been taking part in it round the home. Now there’s an entire totally different form of set of eyes on us.
SIMON: Whereas writing with Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift makes for some high-profile duets, Matt Berninger says that he is actually realized about co-writing lyrics from his spouse, Carin Besser. They’ve needed to set some guidelines to make their inventive collaboration work.
BERNINGER: With – “The Alcott” was – I used to be writing about my spouse, and I used to be writing about her magical considering and her – you understand, her writing in her golden pocket book and the way we very, very tentatively strategy one another with our artwork generally and the way it may be difficult to share, you understand, actually private artwork about somebody with that particular person, you understand. And my spouse at all times – and I, we at all times – when individuals ask us that, we at all times type of say the identical factor, that it is extremely rewarding but in addition harmful and difficult. And my spouse and I’ve a – you understand, a coverage of type of the artwork comes first after which we’ll discuss it later, you understand.
SIMON: Matt Berninger, frontman for The Nationwide. The band’s new album, “First Two Pages Of Frankenstein,” out now.
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