Alligator (The National album)

Alligator
Studio album by
the National
ReleasedApril 12, 2005
StudioTarquin Studios; Drummerman Studios; Jess and Ole's House; Headgear Studios
Genre
Length48:00
LabelBeggars Banquet
ProducerPeter Katis and Paul Mahajan
The National chronology
Cherry Tree
(2004) 		Alligator
(2005) 		Boxer
(2007)
Singles from Alligator
  1. "Abel"
    Released: March 14, 2005
  2. "Secret Meeting"
    Released: August 29, 2005
  3. "Lit Up"
    Released: November 14, 2005

Alligator is the third studio album by American indie rock band the National, released on April 12, 2005 on Beggars Banquet. Recorded and produced by Peter Katis and Paul Mahajan, the album brought The National critical acclaim and increased their fanbase significantly.

Alligator appeared 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 ranked Alligator at number 40 in their top albums of the 2000s list.[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. The song had been written, in part, about John Kerry's candidacy four years earlier.[3]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic82/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Alternative Press4/5[6]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[7]
Mojo[8]
NME6/10[9]
Pitchfork7.9/10[10]
Q[11]
Rolling Stone[12]
Stylus MagazineA−[13]
Uncut[14]
  1. ^ "The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 50-21". Pitchfork. 2009-10-01. Archived from the original on 16 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-01.
  2. ^ [1] Archived October 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "The National". musicOMH. 2009-08-27. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  4. ^ "Reviews for Alligator by The National". Metacritic. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
  5. ^ Monger, James Christopher. "Alligator – The National". AllMusic. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
  6. ^ "The National: Alligator". Alternative Press (202): 174. May 2005.
  7. ^ Weingarten, Marc (April 18, 2005). "Alligator". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  8. ^ "The National: Alligator". Mojo (138): 108. May 2005.
  9. ^ "The National: Alligator". NME: 58. April 9, 2005.
  10. ^ Tangari, Joe (April 4, 2005). "The National: Alligator". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
  11. ^ "The National: Alligator". Q (226): 114. May 2005.
  12. ^ Hoard, Christian (April 21, 2005). "Alligator". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  13. ^ Funk, Peter (April 12, 2005). "The National – Alligator – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on August 7, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
  14. ^ Hughes, Rob (May 2005). "The National – Alligator". Uncut (96): 94. Archived from the original on May 11, 2005. Retrieved November 10, 2012.