u/Gold_End3560

Honestly might be Berninger’s best lyrics. Contender for the saddest national song.

Lyrics:
Every house on the street
Will get on their feet
Carry the sleepers out into the weather, from the violet cities
The violet cities
They'll turn on their lights and open their eyes
Drop to their knees and they'll drink from the river in the violet cities
The violet cities
On and on they'll lead us on and
On and on they'll lead us on
We'll all get high and walk off
Into the country, ridiculous country
Where the blue sky will smother us
Believe me, believe me, believe me
The blue sky will smother us
They'll open their doors and they'll sing to the sun
We don't know anymore how to glitter we come
From the violet cities
The violet cities
If we stand there and stare and everyone's come
They may never find out that we came here at all
From the violet cities
The violet cities
On and on they'll lead us on and
On and on they'll lead us on
We'll all get high and walk off
Into the country, ridiculous country
Where the blue sky will smother us
Believe me, believe me, believe me
The blue sky will smother us
Believe me, believe me, believe me

Their best album. It’s them at their coolest too. Such good songs and it’s produced so well. Like it’s quiet and scrappy and messy and elegant all at once. Like it feels so swampy and warm like a sweaty bar idk it’s so good. And omg the little details are so cool, especially on “Baby We’ll Be Fine”. There’s all kinds of little things going on in the background and it really rewards repeated listening. My fav album of all time. It’s funny because when I first saw Alligator in their discography, it didn’t really hook me. I also love the strings that just sorta swell in the back during the chorus of “Karen”. Sooooo good. The musicianship is great too like these guys are so damn talented. I genuinely love every single song on this record and I’m quite surprised when people hate on “Val Jester”, it’s such a cool song and the chanting ending is so eerie but in the best way possible.
Matt’s lyrics are some of his best on this record and the way he just sings them are so perfect. Like, everything is perfect about this album I don’t even know how to explain it. I love how “Abel” and “Mr. November” are explosive and so indie rock-ish, I love when Berninger screams!

What are your thoughts/highlights? 🐊