User Score
Universal acclaim- based on 152 Ratings
User score distribution:
-
Positive: 138 out of 152
-
Mixed: 5 out of 152
-
Negative: 9 out of 152
Review this album
-
-
Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.
-
-
Submit
-
Check Spelling
- User score
- By date
- Most helpful
-
Oct 21, 2017
-
Jun 12, 2017
-
May 8, 2016Emotional perfection! More polished than the first two albums, but not the emotionless mechanical "perfection" of Boxer and TWFM. Beautiful abstract lyrics and dark sound. Geese of Beverly Road is masterpiece, and they killed the font and album cover design.
-
May 23, 2015This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
-
Sep 21, 2014
-
Apr 12, 2013A step backwards from 'Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers': arrangements and melodies are worse than on the previous album.
-
JonnyR.Jul 13, 2008The National decided to leave three of their best songs off Alligator: 'Warm Singing Whores', 'The Thrilling of Claire', and the exceptional 'Driver, Surprise Me' were all scrapped. However,
-
-
DavidR.Mar 29, 2008
-
-
SteveCMar 13, 2008Simple - One of the best albums of all time.
-
-
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.
-
-
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".
-
-
KyleJun 13, 2007All the National do is make great albums.
-
-
FrankMay 21, 2007very overrated and boring. Nothing really amazing here, it just isn't memorable.
-
-
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.
-
-
ErikVMar 2, 2007
-
-
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.
-
-
PatrickFSep 5, 2006
-
-
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.
-
-
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.
-
-
ScottWMay 22, 2006I've got the same complaint as everyone else. This album is a beautiful dream that is once in a while interrupted by lines like "I have weird memories of you pissing in a sink, I think."
-
-
MorganGMay 10, 2006
-
-
ElizabethPMar 21, 2006This is a good album but by no means is it great. Some of the songs have dense lyrics and some tracks don't have any direction. There are points where the music begins to build up but then just plateaus out, never reaching the climax. Despite all this, there are some beautiful songs, my favorite being "the Geese of Beverly Road."
-
-
GreggFeb 26, 2006Excellent album, one of the best releases in the past few years. I will agree with Popmatters 2nd review...it slowly dawns on you, and when it does, you will love it forever. 'All the Wine' and 'Geese' are certainly masterpieces.
-
-
mattaJan 11, 2006
-
-
MarkJan 4, 2006layered melodies and counter-harmonies help translate some poignant lyrics as demonstrated perfectly in the masterpiece The Geese of Beverly Road.
-
-
SergioPJan 2, 2006The best album of 2005 plenty full of beatiful melodies...
-
-
DanDDec 28, 2005Four incredible songs (Abel, Lit Up, Mr November and All The Wine) which are among the best anyone has recorded this century; you can live without the rest.
-
-
JanePNov 28, 2005Astonishingly accomplished and soulful.
-
-
WillANov 27, 2005Ive listened to this probobly more than 100 times, and i still love it more than the first time.
-
-
PhilippeDOct 29, 2005Been listening since its release and have never felt bored a second. Best band right now on record and live
-
-
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."
-
-
IsraelBSep 24, 2005One of the best albums of 2005, definitely The National's best.
-
-
RPetersAug 25, 2005Beautiful.
-
-
JLAug 19, 2005
-
-
BarrySAug 4, 2005I dearly love this album It got under my skin by the 3rd listening-pretty unusual. First time since Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments-Straight To Video album a few years back. I've made sure that everyone I know and care for that appreciates cool music hears it. Funny not one critic has compared that rich baritone to John Stewart! Remember him?
-
-
MusicMavenJul 13, 2005
-
-
ScottYJul 9, 2005This is a pretty amazing album. They're hard to describe, but it only took 2 - 3 listens to get into them. They have a Crash Test Dummies vocal sound to them, and their music is sort of like a mellow Snow Patrol. The album starts off really strong as the first 5 or so songs are really solid.
-
-
JeromeGJun 29, 2005Great follow up to Sad Songs. The National must be the best band that hasn't made it huge out there right now.
-
-
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.
-
-
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.
-
-
alexMay 30, 2005a lot more difficult then their other albums - the cherry tree ep, in particular, was much more accessable, and to a lesser degree, sad songs and dirty lovers - but it's still very, very good. the best song on here, all the wine, was previously released on the ep, but the rest of the album holds up pretty well.
-
-
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...
-
-
natejMay 25, 2005takes some time to get into...but onced you do, it's just amazing
-
-
WillLMay 22, 2005Just freaking awsome
-
-
marysMay 22, 2005brilliant! gets better and better with more listens.
-
-
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.
-
-
sarahApr 25, 2005beautifu and intense
-
-
JaxonRApr 22, 2005An immediate contender for the top of the end of year "Best of..." lists
-
-
davehApr 20, 2005granted the lead singer has an effecting voice, but this disc is so banal and lifeless - i can think of half a dozen bands doing this much better with much more interesting chord changes and guitar work. i think rolling stone and pop matters had it right. pop matters - a little harsh but not far off. the others all wanna jump on the 'isn't it great' bandwagon.
-
-
BrentUApr 18, 2005A brilliant record! Dimensional, well-produced, and well-written pieces of American rock music.
-
-
[Anonymous]Apr 15, 2005A near perfect album. Not as good as Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers, but close.
-
-
bobsApr 15, 2005brilliant!
-
-
tomsApr 15, 2005my favorite record of the year so far.
-
Awards & Rankings
-
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)
-
"Alligator" is easily the National's best effort and quite possibly one of this year's finest records.
-
[A] fine collection of city-weary poetry.