The National - Alligator

I don't know what it is about this album that caused me not to like it too much. I think it was a bunch of little things, any of which I could tolerate on their own, but in combination they just ... well, they add up to an album that doesn't really do anything for me. For one thing, the lead singer sounds like he's got a belly full of valium and a mouth full of cotton balls. If you're trying to convince me that you're "lit up", maybe you'd better not do it in a monotone that would make Brad Roberts proud.

I found the lyrics to be a bit repetitive on a lot of these songs, Abel and Looking for Astronauts and Mr. November in particular. Again, a minor gripe, but it grates on me after a while.

Secret Meeting, the first track on the Album, was probably the high point for me. There's something appealing about a secret meeting in the basement of my brain. Dunno why. Anyways I will probably break with tradition and keep that track, but the rest of the album's gonna go. 2 beans / 5 anthills.

Update: Yeah, OK, Secret Meeting is staying for sure... it's been bouncing around my head for the last 24 hours.

Update: How depressing was it, Russ? It was SO depressing, I had to listen to Sea Change to cheer myself up! Ho-ho! Burn!