Alligator (album)

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Alligator
Studio album by The National
Released April 12, 2005
Recorded Tarquin Studios; Drummerman Studios; Jess and Ole's House; Headgear Studios
Genre Indie rock, post-punk revival
Length 48:00
Language English
Label Beggars Banquet Records
Producer Peter Katis, Paul Mahajan
The National chronology
Cherry Tree
(2004)		 Alligator
(2005)		 Boxer
(2007)

Alligator is the third album by Brooklyn-based indie rock band The National, released in April 2005. The album brought The National critical acclaim and led them to headline a tour, with opening act Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. The album was on many year-end top 10 lists, including Uncut and Planet Sound, both of which ranked it as the number two album of 2005. Pitchfork Media and NME ranked Alligator as a top album of the 2000s.[1] Alligator has sold over 200,000 copies worldwide.[2]

The band performed album track "The Geese of Beverly Road" at the wedding of producer Peter Katis. A photo of the band performing on stage, with couples dancing in the foreground, became the cover of the band's next album Boxer.

The band supported Barack Obama's presidential candidacy in 2008. In July of that year, the band designed and sold a T-shirt featuring Obama's image above the words "Mr. November," a reference to both the closing track on the album and the month of the U.S. presidential election. All proceeds were donated to Obama's campaign.[3] (The song had been written, in part, about John Kerry's candidacy four years earlier.)[4]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4/5 stars [5]
Uncut 5/5 stars [6]
Pitchfork Media (7.9/10) [7]
Sputnikmusic 5/5 stars [8]
PopMatters (7/10) [9]
POPnews 9/10 stars [10]
Rolling Stone 3/5 stars [11]
Stylus A− [12]

Contents

[edit] Track listing

All songs written and composed by The National. 

No. Title Length
1. "Secret Meeting"   3:44
2. "Karen"   3:59
3. "Lit Up"   2:55
4. "Looking for Astronauts"   3:23
5. "Daughters of the SoHo Riots"   3:59
6. "Baby, We'll Be Fine"   3:21
7. "Friend of Mine"   3:25
8. "Val Jester"   3:00
9. "All the Wine"   3:15
10. "Abel"   3:37
11. "The Geese of Beverly Road"   4:57
12. "City Middle"   4:28
13. "Mr. November"   3:57
Special edition bonus disc
No. Title Length
1. "The Thrilling of Claire"   4:32
2. "Driver, Surprise Me"   3:20
3. "Lit Up" (Remix) 3:00
4. "Secret Meeting" (Remix) 3:45
5. "The Geese of Beverly Road" (Live) 4:35
6. "Abel" (Enhanced Video)  
7. "Lit Up" (Enhanced Video)  
8. "Daughters of the SoHo Riots" (Enhanced Video)  

[edit] Singles

  • "Abel" (March 14, 2005)
    • CD single b/w: "Driver, Surprise Me" and "Keep It Upstairs"
    • 7" single b/w: "Warm Singing Whores"
    • Digital download b/w: "The Thrilling of Claire"
  • "Secret Meeting" (August 29, 2005)
    • Digital download: "Secret Meeting" (Remix) b/w: "The Geese of Beverly Road" (Live)
  • "Lit Up" (November 14, 2005)
    • CD single: "Lit Up" (Remix) b/w: "You've Done It Again, Virginia"
    • Digital download: "Lit Up" (Remix) b/w: "You've Done It Again, Virginia" and "Lit Up" (Parisian Party Version)

[edit] Credits

  • Recorded by Paul Mahajan at Drummerman Studios, Jess and Ole's House, and Headgear Studios.
  • Additional recording and production by Peter Katis at Tarquin Studios.
  • Mixed by Peter Katis.
  • Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound.
  • Orchestration by Padma Newsome.
  • Photography by Mathieu Saura.
  • Design by Distant Station Ltd.
Additional musicians
  • An-Lin Bardin – cello
  • Carin Besser – vocals
  • Nathalie Dessner – vocals
  • Rachael Elliott – bassoon
  • Peter Katis – vocals
  • Nick Lloyd – piano, organ, keyboards
  • Nate Martinez – guitar
  • Padma Newsome – viola, violin, piano, organ
  • Sara Phillips – clarinet

[edit] References

  1. ^ "The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 50-21". Pitchfork Media. 2009-10-01. http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7709-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-50-21/2/. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  2. ^ [1][dead link]
  3. ^ http://www.merchco-online.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=506_518
  4. ^ "The National". musicOMH. 2009-08-27. http://www.musicomh.com/music/features/national.htm. Retrieved 2012-01-13. 
  5. ^ Christopher, James (2005-04-12). "Alligator - The National". AllMusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r734516. Retrieved 2012-01-13. 
  6. ^ "Music Reviews". Uncut.co.uk. http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/the_national/reviews/8601. Retrieved 2012-01-13. 
  7. ^ [2]
  8. ^ 13 Apr 2005
  9. ^ 25 Apr 2005
  10. ^ "The National - Alligator". Popnews.com. 2011-11-18. http://www.popnews.com/popnews/thenational3/. Retrieved 2012-01-13. 
  11. ^ [3][dead link]
  12. ^ "The National - Alligator - Review". Stylus Magazine. http://stylusmagazine.com/reviews/the-national/alligator.htm. Retrieved 2012-01-13. 
The National
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