Track Listing

1. Secret Meeting
2. Karen
3. Lit Up
4. Looking For Astronauts
5. Daughters of the Soho Riots
6. Baby, We'll Be Fine
7. Friend Of Mine
8. Val Jester
9. All The Wine
10. Abel
11. The Geese of Beverly Road
12. City Middle
13. Mr November

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1978 in Music
• Released on: 2005-04-11
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
On their third recording, the National strikes a delicate balance between light and dark, fast and slow, American and British. While their sound is undeniably tinged with darkness, it isn't gloomy or depressing. This impression is mostly due to Matt Berninger's deep baritone, which brings to mind such sensitive, but manly Brit vocalists as Scott Walker and Stuart Staples of the Tindersticks. The National, however, are American. Formed in Brooklyn in 1999, the quintet hails from Cincinatti and doesn't sound much like a New York Band (Interpol, the Strokes, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, etc.). Instead, they could be Midwestern or even Canadian in the way they combine alt-country, chamber-pop, and post-punk angst, like Toronto's Royal City or Montreal's Arcade Fire. Often compared to Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, and Tom Waits, the National's music is actually faster-paced and has a lighter, almost jaunty touch. In other words: they rock. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

CD Description
The National's debut for Beggars Banquet Records boasts eloquent production and some of frontman Matt Berninger's finest songs. The Brooklyn band's sound includes elements of folkand swirling indie rock, with Berninger's literate, emotivetunes drawing heavily on the tradition of melancholic singer/songwriters. On "Daughters of the Soho Riots", Berninger'sbaritone croon recalls Gordon Lightfoot, yet his lyrics areincisive, confessional, and decidedly contemporary. The combination of surreal imagery and genuine pathos in "Baby, We'll Be Fine" (expressed in the song's repeated refrain) is also representative of Berninger's craft.
Two pairs of brothers--Aaron and Bryce Dessner (guitars) and Scott and Bryan Devendorf (bass and drums, respectively)--keep things alternately chiming, churning, and appropriately atmospheric. The startling relationship sketch "Karen", for example, rides a light rock pulse dominated by piano and augmented by strings, making it one of the album's shining moments. "All the Wine" turns Berninger's usually dark self-exploration on its head with its semi-ironic self-aggrandisement. ALLIGATOR's 13 tracks testify to the National's standing as one of the moredistinctive and absorbing bands around.

Customer Reviews

Recommended
With New York offering little in the Great Bands department last year after 2003's NY explosion, it's refreshing to see one of the year's gems straight outta Brooklyn. This, however, is no hype-fuelled hipster workout. 'Alligator' is the National's third album, their first on a major label and hopefully the one which will throw them into the mainstream, and deservedly so. It should float the boats of fans of dark, brooding post-punk (opener 'Secret Meeting) and introspective Americana (the beautiful 'Daughters Of The Soho Riots) alike. There's even a bit of welcome shouting thrown in, on fantastic single 'Abel'.

Matt Berninger provides deep, soothing vocals reminiscent of Ian Curtis and, more recently, Interpol's Paul Banks, which slot in perfectly with the high-pitch guitar noises. But the range of styles and oblique lyrics suggest there's far more on offer here than moody alt-rock. Berninger turns alt-country strummer 'Karen' into a medium for his deepest thoughts and sexual confessions. You'll notice the breezy tune first and the interesting lyrics ("Karen, put me in a chair, f**k me and make me a drink" and even more disturbing, "It's a common fetish for a doting man to ballerina on the coffee table, c**k in hand") second, giving the album substantial replay value.

Almost every track on this mini masterpiece is intriguing and listenable and there are highlights in abundance. 'Abel' boasts a great sing-along chorus of "My mind's not right!" amidst simple indie-rock verses, while closer 'Mr November' documents their (clearly failed) rush to get the album completed before the November elections with its line "The English are waiting and I don't know what to do/ In my best clothes" before just about getting away with saying "I'm the new blue blood, I'm the great white hope", because it might just be true. 'Val Jester' and 'Daughters Of The Soho Riots' are both gorgeous slower songs unafraid to delve into strange personal love experiences and fantasies. Tuneful and poetic, 'Alligator' is truly an album to cherish.

This band definitely deserve a listen
I bought this a couple of months ago on the back of it being listed in my 'recommendations' on Amazon. Must admit that some of the stuff recommended is a bit duff (remarkably yesterday I was recommended 'Closer to the Edge' by prog rock dinosaurs Yes on the back of liking The Stranglers' 'Black and White'!!!), however on this ocassion Amazon came up trumps. I hadn't even heard of The National when I bought this, but reading customers' reviews convinced me to give it a try. I am so glad that I did. 'Alligator' is a remarkable album. Hard to pin down the exact genre of music this is but if you like Eels, Arcade Fire and anything like that then I'm sure that you'll like this. Someone below said it sounds like Joy Division.....hmmmm. Not really Ian Curtis, yes I can see that National singer Matt Berninger sounds a bit down but not in the same way that the suicidal Curtis did. I also don't get the comparisons with Nick Cave. Again I like Cave but this is not the same at all. Alligator is beautifully written both lyrically and musically, Berninger's deep voice perfectly accompanied by well-worked indie-type guitar music on most tracks, but some tracks also have superb string and keyboard arrangements. Standout tracks - 'Secret Meeting, 'Karen', 'Val Jester' and 'All the Wine'. This band definitely deserve a listen and this album is perfectly accessible to anyone with an ear for good music. Go buy it.

Misunderstood....
This album is just incredible. I actually bought it after reading a glowing review in Uncut magazine and I wasn't disappointed...its a tangle of intelligent yet bruising indie rock 'n' roll and sweet, melodic & melancholic americana that just works perfectly. However, i've found that because IT IS SO perfectly calculated and SO cleverly constructed in its' arrangement and melody that a lot of people fail to "get it" immediately and simply give up, which is a huge mistake! Never have i felt the term "grower" more apt than when applied to this album, and I urge you to buy it and listen until your ears bleed...