Album Rating: 3.0

Crank is the most National-esque song here but if it were a National song it would be their worst song since Sad Songs if not since the debut.

Album Rating: 3.0

I'm not sure I can say something as definitive as that, it's a pretty good song but the live version sells Matt's vocals so much better



I'd say it's a more interesting song than I Need My Girl or a few recent others.

Album Rating: 3.0

I think I've listened to this in its entirety twice. Saddening.

Album Rating: 3.0

Doof I honestly never particularly liked Crank on this, it could just be that it doesn't really fit very well here so it seems weaker in context, but in my ears it's definitely not better than anything in Boxer, HV, or TWFM (I personally love I Need My Girl), maybe it's better than a song or two on Alligator (but even then my least favorite on that is most likely City Middle and I would say that's better than Crank too).

Album Rating: 3.0

City Middle is like top 10 National so yeah def better than Crank

Album Rating: 3.0

Listened to most of Alligator the other day, still just...they just don't have that National thing yet on that one. That National polish. Other than Geese I think Karen is the only other song I think can truly stand with their later stuff. I mean it's a 4/5 album but it doesnt sound like The National we know and love who are a 5/5 outfit

Album Rating: 3.0

it sounds better agreed

Album Rating: 3.0

Nah. Mr November shares 99% of its DNA with The Killers. It's more of a typical 'indie spread' platter, finding who they are.



Then the dark one was born and Berninger started killing it on three classics in a row. He's still a bit clunky on Alligator, he upped his game massively after that. The production is way more interesting on all three of the following albums too

Album Rating: 3.0

Idk Row, City Middle has just never done much for me, never really understood why.

Agreed with you in general about Alligator a bit Doof though I am more forgiving of it than you. Mr. November is actually one of my favorite National songs.

Alligator is much more raw and vital than the following albums which I know is why some people prefer it and while I do adore it for what it is the vibe they've captured since then works better for me.

Album Rating: 3.5

Alligator is the best National. Sorry but it just is

Album Rating: 3.0

Alligator is Berninger's masterpiece as a writer he never touched those lyrics after tbh, much as I adore all the albums that came after it

Album Rating: 3.0

agreed.

Album Rating: 3.0

The lyrics are 50% bad on Alligator though



I mean some of them he wrote pissing in a sink I think when his MINDS NOT RIGHT gah, and I haven't even touched on the Astronauts tune...



I bought Alligator when it came out as my first National and honestly I probably was more impressed by the bleedin Wolf Parade that year. Nope it was the perfection of Boxer that stopped me dead, I mean half way into Fake Empire you were already aware this was a better song than anything on Alligator...and that's probably my 8th favourite song on Boxer. Come on now, people being perverse about this for the sake of it



The boys found gravitas, class and true all enveloping atmosphere (as well as consistency). Their true Nationalyness

Album Rating: 3.0

No it's usually the sputulace at large who have the contrarian views to the world outside lol



Just watch them live, they play three songs of old Ally in a 20 song set and they kinda stick out as a bit turdy, it's their 'go to the bar' material now, tis the truth

Album Rating: 3.0

...and yet you 5'd Pixies

Album Rating: 3.0

Geese is like universally recognised as their best song but ok

Album Rating: 3.0

part of the reason Alligator was so great is because they didnt quite find their sound yet. it was that perfect point in between having enough experience to be good and still not being quite sure what they were. and while i love and accept The National as that suit and tie wearing polished band that created Boxer, Violet, and Trouble, theyre missing the element that Alligator had. also, i wish they would have put a couple rockers into their albums like they did on Alligator. theyre missing that energy.

Album Rating: 3.0

Geese is my favourite song on it but doesn't stop it having a bad line of lyrics...its just the bad lines stick out so much. The Alligator lyrics are Matt's most memorable lyrics though, for good and ill (Janes Hetfield's most memorable lyrics for me are all on Lulu now, so yeah, not always good). The album is them screaming for attention (literally on Abel) but I'm still not surprised the world pretty much ignored them until Boxer - and the lyrics are one of the biggest improvements on it.

Album Rating: 3.0

I mean you don't have to like it obviously I'm just saying your interpretation of those songs as the go to the bar songs is like objectively not right, it's as well-loved as any record that came after it (probably a fair bit more than TWFM from what I've seen because let's be honest that one was a step down)

Album Rating: 3.0

Adolf I was hoping you weren't going to call for that, I thought there was a deep poetry I might be missing on Ally and I could concede that but there's no way I've missed the more lumpen stuff like Lit Up and especially not the screaming of Abel (which is pretty close to being a flat out donkey of a song) on their later albums. Keep those moustaches away from my Mona Lisa's