Yesterday, The National’s frontman Matt Berninger released “Martini Me Fatso”. Stereogum reports that the song is bit more jazz-rock and bluesy adult contemporary than The Nationals usual sound due to its mildly bewildering feeling.
The song is about Berninger’s slight anger at God and is described as a tipsy prayer. The visuals of the music video convey this by the drummer, bassist, keyboarder and guitarist being in the shadows next to the blue curtain with the spotlight on them and then become visible. As well as Berninger singing on the stage with his eyes closed as the band is on the stage with him. Berningers eyes being closed shows his yearning and angst towards the question “Why would you promise her to me?”, symbolizing his complicated relationship with God in just a few words. The band being in the shadows then becoming visible on the stage could represent the lingering acts that God does that people don’t always see, symbolizing that Berninger doesn’t know what god is doing for him at this moment in his life. The piano, acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar, minimal percussion and bass used in the song provide a jazz-rock feel by creating texture, warm foundation, vintage tone and an upright looser feeling to the melody. In the song Matt Berninger is able to combine humor and melancholy while capturing his own spiritual frustration and personal exploration while still being vulnerable to his audience. This further explains the relatability and comfort this song brings to Berninger’s listeners around the world.
Photo Credit: Kalyn Oyer
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