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The National have been plugging away for years, playing all ends of these vast United States peddling their signature brand of plaintive indie rock. Alligator, their fourth album and first for Beggar’s Banquet, isn’t a grand departure but stands out amongst their catalogue.
Matt [Berniger, vocals] are an amalgam between Michael Gira (Swans, Angels of Light) and Nick Cave. So that is to say he talk-sings, connecting the verse lines together like a man stuck in a thought. The National have done a great job of integrating into the music, or making it stand out in contrast to what they are achieving musically, sometimes in the same song. “Lit Up” opens with a hard rolling strum reminiscent of the The Who. From there, the track opens to a rapturous chorus, where Berniger’s lounge act makes for a great counterbalance. “Karen,” a Penthouse forum letter disguised as a love song, combines vocals and instrumentals (a booze dripped piano melody) seamlessly on the track that best exemplifies the album’s sound.
The band’s strongest asset is also their biggest liability. “Abel” is a college-radio blast that takes a Pixies-esque chorus (complete with a violent scream of “My mind’s not right”) and combines it with the Devendorf‘s [Scott and Bryan] inventive and intense guitar and drum work, respectively. Unfortunately, the song is so great and unique that it stands out drastically against the rest of the album, which settles in a mid-tempo groove throughout. The fact that it is the first single implies Beggar’s Banquet feels the same way. That paints them in a corner in regards to exposure, The National biggest to date. .
Reasons to like them:
-They have been in the grind for a long time and have paid their dues.
-They like Echo and the Bunnymen as much as you do.
Reason to Buy:
A collection of good U.K. inspired melodic rock plus arguably the best single of the year. Fans of the National will embrace this effort as their best yet. People looking for more songs in the vein of “Abel” are wise to look elsewhere, unfortunately.
