Matt Berninger previews debut solo album with second single "Distant Axis"

"Distant Axis" was co-written by Berninger and Walter Martin of The Walkmen, and follows on from May's lead single and title-track "Serpentine Prison".

Berninger says of his new single, "I met Walter Martin fifteen years ago when The National opened for The Walkmen on a tour of shitty clubs in the American Southeast. On that tour I learned a lot about how to be in a band without ruining your life. I also learned a lot about Florida, Tennessee and Georgia. Walt and I have stayed friends and about three years ago we started passing ideas back and forth. "Distant Axis" started from a sketch Walt sent me named "Savannah". I think it’s about falling out of touch with someone or something you once thought would be there forever."

Serpentine Prison also includes contributions from Matt Barrick (The Walkmen), Andrew Bird, Mike Brewer, Hayden Desser, Scott Devendorf (The National), Gail Ann Dorsey (David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz), Teddy Jones, Brent Knopf (EL VY, Menomena), Ben Lanz (The National, Beirut), Sean O'Brien, Mickey Raphael (Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan), Kyle Resnick (The National, Beirut), and Matt Sheehy (EL VY, Lost Lander).

Berninger's solo LP is produced by Booker T. Jones.