Matt Berninger’s Bonnet of Pins: 90s Indie Rock Energy with a Modern Twist

Every now and then Matt breaks away from The National to put out a solo project. Most of the time they are not that far removed from The National. Much like Thom Yorke with Radiohead, Matt’s sound is central to his band’s identity, which is why it is challenging to totally separate each person’s solo work form their band. Having said that, Bonnet of Pins sounds the most unlike the National, while still having Matt’s voice some through.

Musically is where this track separates itself from The National. The Dessners have created a keyboard and percussion focused sound that drives The National. The band has a distinct percussion and keyboard structure that you know when you hear it. On Bonnet of Pins, Matt and producer Sean O’Brien have a far more guitar forward sound that is reminiscent of 90s Cure or even The Smiths. There are some killer guitar riffs surrounding a core percussion. I love this more guitar forward sound, which has a ton of energy. Moreover, the final horns have a Neutral Milk Hotel vibe, which I love.

Lyrically, the track tells a story where a man sits a bar and connects with an old flame who he has not seen in a long time. In a break for Matt, instead of falling into regret, both take off and you are left wondering about their adventure. This has some classic Matt storytelling with the attention to detail and turn of phrase…”She sidewinders through the room to me / With a real cigarette and a Styrofoam coffee.” However, the big difference between this and his other work is the duet with a woman singer…Julia Laws on this track. She is a great foil for Matt’s deep vocal, and elevates the track into a fun and energetic frenzy near the end.

Matt does not do a ton of side solo projects, but when he does it’s always interesting. The best side projects is where people can explore new sounds and new spaces. Matt does that in spades on Bonnet of Pins, which makes the track a fun and fresh experience for National fans.

Listen to Bonnet of Pins