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Friday 28 August 2020

Alligator



2020 Charity Shop Purchase 32 - The National - Alligator 


The final of my four pre-holiday charity purchases.
As far back as 20th June 2015 I featured Mr November from an Uncut compilation called Gimme Danger. At the time I said, as I often do, that further exploration was required. I have since downloaded the odd track by The National here and there and have always enjoyed them.
Therefore I was pretty chuffed to pick up Alligator their third studio album from 2005 on the Beggars Banquet label for 25p.
And pretty darn good it is to. Shades of Springsteen in places particularly on the opening track on the album Secret Meeting. Wiki label them as indie pop or post-punk revival but I think that they will fit fairly neatly on the Americana shelves.

Vocals are provided by Matt Berninger with the Dessner brothers (Aaron and Bryce) and the Devendorf  brothers (Scott and Bryan) being the other band members

The album was critically acclaimed with both Uncut and Planet Sound  ranking it as the second best album of 2005.with Pitchfork listing it as the 40th best album of the 2000's. High praise indeed
Can anyone advise if their other albums are as good and which one(s) I should track down first




6 comments:

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  2. f there is such a thing as Alt-Americana, and I really think there should be, The National could certainly line up under that banner. But what makes them "alt" is the fact that there is a real Post Punk thread woven through so much of their music. I can highly recommend 2007's Boxer and 2010's High Violet. The latter contains, for me, one of this millennium's best songs - Bloodbuzz Ohio. In fact, there isn't a single one their releases I wouldn't call essential.

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  3. Both links are the same track, aren't they?

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    1. Not again! Sorry
      This is happening far too often
      I'll sort later today

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