User Score
Universal acclaim- based on 152 Ratings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 138 out of 152
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Mixed: 5 out of 152
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Negative: 9 out of 152
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- Most helpful
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PatrickFSep 5, 2006
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PhilippeDOct 29, 2005Been listening since its release and have never felt bored a second. Best band right now on record and live
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tomsApr 15, 2005my favorite record of the year so far.
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marysMay 22, 2005brilliant! gets better and better with more listens.
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DanielCAMay 6, 2005Deeply melancholic, this record reminds me of dark times in which you recall past mistakes and regrets. However, there's always some inner beauty within sadness. Great with a bottle of wine, this is a perfectly unkempt album.
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RPetersAug 25, 2005Beautiful.
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SergioPJan 2, 2006The best album of 2005 plenty full of beatiful melodies...
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AndrewWJan 10, 2007The best album of 2005. Berninger's affecting croon sweeps you along, and the only failings here are the sequencing of the tracks (too many slow-burners from track 4 to track 9), and the slightly dull Val Jester. But with songs such as All the Wine, Lit Up, Mr. November and The Geese of Beverly Road, this album is as good as ANYTHING I own.
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ErikVMar 2, 2007
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MarkM.Jan 5, 2008Best album of 2007 (and 2005). Found out about this album through reviews of "The Boxer" (a great album in its own right) and cannot stop listening. Reminiscent of Interpol's first album with more obtuse lyrics and slightly less gloom. Along with Spoon, one of the few rock bands making great R&R music.
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SteveCMar 13, 2008Simple - One of the best albums of all time.
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JBOct 10, 2005This record isn't getting as much critical recognition as the Nats' contemporaries--Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Arcade Fire--but this stuff is every bit as good if not better. There's something haunting, Baroque and incredible about this album. It's carved a place, as the Nationals would sing, "in the basement of my brain."
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JanePNov 28, 2005Astonishingly accomplished and soulful.
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BrentUApr 18, 2005A brilliant record! Dimensional, well-produced, and well-written pieces of American rock music.
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JaxonRApr 22, 2005An immediate contender for the top of the end of year "Best of..." lists
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sarahApr 25, 2005beautifu and intense
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WillLMay 22, 2005Just freaking awsome
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natejMay 25, 2005takes some time to get into...but onced you do, it's just amazing
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ajprimoJun 2, 2005first time i ever post here and it's just to say that thus far this is the best album of 2005. give it a chance (2-3 listens) though.
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JoshBJun 9, 2005It seems like everyone's catching on to the gist of the reviews of this album. It takes a few listens to get into ALLIGATOR, but once you do, it's simply brilliant. A very rewarding listen that should find its way onto a lot of year-end lists, including mine.
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IsraelBSep 24, 2005One of the best albums of 2005, definitely The National's best.
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JakeWAug 1, 2006I'm about as picky as they come as far as music, but I can't really find much wrong with this album. I'm really curious what those who rated this a 6 or a 7 think is a great album. I read some of those user comments and I still have no idea what exactly is deficient about the lyrics quoted.
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JoshuaKMay 21, 2007One of the very best albums in recent memory. The sometimes absurd lyrics add character and a touch of humour to the consistently great songs.
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SeanO.Jul 12, 2007I listen to an awful lot of music and this is one of the most wonderful albums I've come across in a long long time. Wonderful subtle and quirky lyrics, great voice and excellent music. "Just say something perfect, something I can steal Say, look at me Baby, we'll be fine All we've gotta do is be brave and be kind".
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DavidR.Mar 29, 2008
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WillANov 27, 2005Ive listened to this probobly more than 100 times, and i still love it more than the first time.
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bobsApr 15, 2005brilliant!
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daysleeperMay 28, 2005I haven't heard a better record this year. And I seriously doubt it that I will... Anyone who can listen to The Geese Of Beverly Road without being moved should have their ears (and their hearts) checked. .. This is a truly amazing record. And yes, it's even better than Sad Songs...
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mattaJan 11, 2006
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TomMMay 22, 2006This was one of my favorite albums of the last year, and I give it a very strong recommendation. Listen to this a few times, and you'll be utterly captivated.
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Awards & Rankings
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PopMattersMay 2, 2012REVIEW#1: Over 13 doing-nothing tracks, Matt Berninger bumbles out useless lyrics that he doesn't have the guts to put across. (Score=20); REVIEW#2: Alligator is one of those albums that slowly dawns on you. Given half a chance, it's ultimately a very rewarding listening experience that I predict will continue to grow in stature as time passes. (Score=70)
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"Alligator" is easily the National's best effort and quite possibly one of this year's finest records.
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[A] fine collection of city-weary poetry.