Though the National frontman Matt Berninger is prepping the debut album from EL VY -- his side project with Menomena’s Brent Knopf -- his main gig has also been working on new material. Last night (Oct. 16), the National debuted one of those new songs during a benefit concert in L.A.

While introducing “Roman Candle,” Berninger joked he’s usually the bandmate most culpable of onstage mistakes, however, trotting out the new tune put the entire five-piece on an even playing field. True to form, “Roman Candle” is a dark, moody cut. Check out their performance in the video above.

The Troubadour benefit show supported Cooperative for Education, a nonprofit founded by Berninger’s cousins that provides resources to young Guatemalan students.

In August, Berninger revealed the National have 30 song sketches ready for their follow-up to 2013’s Trouble Will Find Me. “We did a camp retreat in New York a couple of months ago, and we’re having another one in L.A. in a few weeks,” he said. “We have 30 sketches of songs so far.”

In the meantime, Berninger and Knopf’s EL VY debut, Return to the Moon, is due out Oct. 30 via 4AD. So far, they have shared four songs: the title track, “I’m the Man to Be,” “Paul Is Alive” and a live version of “No Time to Crank the Sun.”

EL VY will kick off a tour behind the album in November, with North American dates scheduled through Nov. 21. See a complete itinerary right here.

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