Alligator

by The National

Overview

The National may sound like a garage band turned down, but there's as much primal energy lurking behind Alligator as in any mop-topped group of city kids with bloodstained Danelectros in a dusty warehouse. While Matt Berninger's lyrics and conversational delivery rely heavily on the kind of literate self-absorption that fuels so much of the indie rock scene today, he never comes off as preachy or unaware that the world would manage just fine without him; rather, he uses metaphor and humor as bullet points for a profound sense of displacement and anger. Out-of-the-blue statements like "f*ck me and make me a drink," from the brooding but lovely "Karen," are effective because the listener is brought into the story slowly, almost amiably, before being led to the plank. Berninger's wry, filthy, and often eloquently sad tales of materialism, sex, and loneliness are augmented by the stellar duel-sibling attack of Aaron Dessner (guitar) and Bryce Dessner (guitar) and Scott Devendorf (guitar/bass) and Bryan Devendorf (drums), who flesh out each track with so many little creative flourishes that it takes a few listens to break them down into palatable portions. There are upbeat moments found within -- "Lit Up" and "Looking for Astronauts" -- but for the most part the National are content with playing the genial fatalists, and while "All the Wine" seems designed to serve as the record's desolate backbone, "Baby, We'll Be Fine," with its quick changes, lush orchestration, and winsome refrain of "I'm so sorry for everything" is, despite an elegiac delivery, Alligator's loneliest track, and like each part of this fine collection of city-weary poetry, it's as brief as it is affecting. ~ James Christopher Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	05/22/2007
Label:	4Ad/Beggars Group / Beggars Banquet
UPC:	0607618024116
Rank:	32171

Tracks

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

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The National   Primary Artist
Peter Katis   Vocals
Nick Lloyd   Organ,Piano,Keyboards
Sarah Phillips   Clarinet
Carin Besser   Vocals
An Lin Bardin   Cello
Nathalie Dessner   Vocals
Rachael Elliott   Bassoon
Padma Newsome   Organ,Piano,Viola,Violin

Technical Credits

Paul Mahajan   Engineer
Scott Devendorf   Group Member
Aaron Dessner   Group Member
Matt Berninger   Group Member
Bryce Dessner   Group Member
Greg Calbi   Mastering
Peter Katis   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
The National   Composer
Bryan Devendorf   Group Member
Mathieu Saura   Photography
Padma Newsome   Orchestration