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The National’s Matt Berninger Goes Solo With ‘Serpentine Prison’

Matt Berninger of The National performs during weekend two of the ACL Music Festival at Zilker Park in Austin.
Matt Berninger of The National performs during weekend two of the ACL Music Festival at Zilker Park in Austin.

Like a bunch of other musicians we’ve talked to lately, The National’s Matt Berninger has been writing a lot during the coronavirus pandemic. Whether it’s been his new album, “Serpentine Prison,” or a musical project called “Cyrano” based on the life of a 17th-century French writer, he’s certainly kept busy.

‘Serpentine Prison” marks Berninger’s debut as a solo artist. Initially, the record was supposed to be an album of covers like “Stardust” by Willie Nelson. He even worked with Nelson’s producer. But the project eventually morphed into something more.

What’s Berninger’s writing process like? How is this work different than what he does with The National?

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Kathryn Fink
Kathryn Fink is a producer with NPR's All Things Considered.