Matt Berninger’s haunting baritone vocals and dark melancholic lyrics have pleased indie rock fans for more than a decade. But stripping away the grandiosity of being backed by four fifths of The National may lead fans to question whether a solo Berninger outing might be worthwhile. EL VY may not be a solo project, but as a side project, Return to the Moon nonetheless answers the question in the affirmative.
El VY is a collaborative project between Berninger and producer/instrumentalist Brent Knopf. Knopf has frequently toured alongside The National as a member of Portland’s Ramona Falls, as well as Menomena, and has privately been exchanging musical ideas with Berninger for almost as long. The pair’s familiarity shines through on the new LP, with Knopf’s intricate multi-instrumental arrangements never failing to capture or add to the mood of Berninger’s sullen, self-aware and frequently autobiographical lyricisms.
Evocative of the unsettling riffs of The Doors’ People Are Strange, the spiraling chord progressions and ominous vaudeville swing of Silent Ivy Hotel tell the story of a leery protagonist dismissing a secret lover. The addition of Knopf’s organ and piano arrangements perfectly capture the jaunted character of the whole affair.
Next, tropical instrumentals and chunky rhythmic funk underlies the hyper-masculine bravado of I’m The Man To Be. Matt’s fevered and self-aware monologue satirises the rock star superego that the frontman has no doubt come to inhabit. The inclusion of lyrics like, “I’m peaceful because my dick’s in the sunshine,” might push the goofball element to the limit, but the track’s intelligent deconstruction remains laudable none the less.
Third track Paul is Alive shows the collaboration at its best. Adopting a lighter tone, the track combines playful riffs supplied by complex instrumental layers with Matt’s earnestly autobiographical lyrics. Things are a little less somber than what’s typical of The National, with catchy lyrical lines like, “sitting outside the Jockey Club/Crying in my 7-Up/I could hear Hüsker Dü and The Smiths, the Sluggos, The Cramps go bup-bup-bup-bup inside.”
Laden with hooks and interlaced with some less than serious throwaway charm Return to the Moon showcases the fruitful results of collaboration between two of indie rock’s finest.