Matt Berninger’s main work with The National earned him the role of indie music’s most despondent heartthrob. His new project with Menomena’s Brent Knopf places that famous baritone muttering in a fresh, yet sometimes unsuitable, atmosphere. Berninger and Knopf team up as EL VY on their experimental debut, Return To The Moon.
It’s difficult to analyze EL VY without attributing Berninger’s performance to his previous ventures, but Return To The Moon decisively breaks the mold he’s sculpted through Knopf’s varied soundscapes. The National’s most recent release, 2013’s Trouble Will Find Me, exemplified the method to Berninger’s madness: sophisticated ramblings wrapped in a monotone delivery that urges you to crack open the nearest bottle of wine and sulk. The National is the cynical friend you keep around because his epiphanies are relatable and you find solace in sharing all your problems. Misery loves company, and your companions for the ride are a CD from The National and your favorite bottle of liquid courage. But EL VY doesn’t aim to be as cohesively existential as The National. Rather, Return To The Moon expresses self-deprecation through Berninger’s unique lyricism, mixed into layers of snappy composition from Knopf.
Refrain-filled opener “Return to the Moon (Political Song for Didi Bloome to Sing, with Crescendo)” is a tightly-knit pop jam, a surprisingly radio-centric song for the broody vocalist. “Silent Ivy Hotel” is particularly eerie--sharp organ notes and howling voices stalk Berninger as he tantalizingly suggests that, “We could stay here for ever.” Knopf’s arrangements are consistently catchier than Berninger’s usual sound, which make humorous tales like “I’m the Man to Be” easily digestible.
While Knopf may add a particular spice to the duo’s formula, Berninger’s unchanging melody harshly contrasts with Knopf’s up-tempo style. Sparse guitar licks on “Need a Friend” escalate to a clambering chorus that feels just a bit underwhelming as the vocals remain unaffected. Berninger’s lack of range makes the efforts in Knopf’s diversity seem fruitless. The instrumentation of Trouble Will Find Me found a formula that maintained a steady ambience to accompany Berninger’s melancholic vocal styling. Conversely, while Knopf’s composition brings in novelty to Berninger’s voice, it takes away from the unique consistency that made The National work so well as an outlet for Berninger. Knopf’s contributions are clean and well-designed, while Berninger is as witty as ever, but the collaboration between these two doesn’t work to the best of each one’s abilities.
The established sound of Beringer’s core band may have muddled the possible success of this partnership, but that isn’t to say these two can’t make something that works. EL VY’s debut Return To The Moon is all over the place, but it holds elements that may point to a brighter future for the gloomy vocalist and his talented cohort.
Rating: C+
