Photo: Wenn
The National frontman Matt Berninger has spoken out about progress on the band's next album, telling Gigwise that they'll be 'taking chances' in a bid to 'surprise themselves'.
Berninger is currently gearing up to release his debut album under the name EL VY with Ramona Falls' Brent Knopf. Speaking to Gigwise, Berninger was keen to emphasise that this was a 'collaboration, rather than a band', with The National still his main focus - and the band keen to pick up progress on the follow-up to 2013's Trouble Will Find Me very soon.
"The National is trying to just get in a room and find songs just in this mushy collective way, Berninger told Gigwise. "We've done it a few times, but this time we're trying to start there and see what happens. We've done one long session like that, and we're going to do another one in a couple of weeks. None of us know what that's going to turn out like, but we are trying to change our process just to keep it interesting and see what happens that way."
He continued: "Changing your process and evolving, stepping on thin ice and falling through every once in a while, taking some chances here and there is a very healthy thing when it comes to rock music. No one's going to get killed for a bad rock song or a bad record, so why not get as close to it as possible?"
Speaking of trying out a new direction, Berninger added: "The National don't need to play it safe. We've made a lot of records and the only reason to keep going is if we're going to surprise ourselves. We've got a bunch of stuff cooking, but none of us can tell what it's going to end up like. There's lots of weird ingredients on the chopping board and we don't know what it's going to taste like. It's fun, but it could be poisonous."
Listen to 'I'm The Man To Be' by EL VY below
Speaking of what he's learned from EL VY to take back to The National, Berninger said: "With everybody in The National, all the other projects that all those guys are working on have influenced National records - but that's always been the case. The National have always had a very open relationship, with an open door to collaborators and influences. This is the first time that I have actually finished something outside of The National in the musical world and gone way out on a branch on my own a little bit.
"I'm sure I'll bring back some of that from EL VY."
- Check back at Gigwise soon for more of our interview with EL VY
EL VY release their debut album Return To The Moon on 30 October, before a full European tour. For tickets and more information see here.
December
01 – COPENHAGEN, Pumpehuse
02 – HAMBURG, Knust
03 – AMSTERDAM, Melkweg
04 – COLOGNE, Kantine
06 – BERLIN, Astra
07 – BRUSSELS, AB
08 – PARIS, Trabendo
10 – LONDON, Electric Ballroom
12 – MANCHESTER, Gorilla
13 – DUBLIN, Whelans
