Matt Shultz likes to scream. He screams, and he makes it sound good — in fact, it is his writhing, climbing and general theatrics that have gained Cage the Elephant a large fan base. History has shown that the band's raw, almost psychotic energy can mesmerize fans and draw impressive crowds to their shows.
A fan of Cage's first album will definitely notice that the band's new album, "Thank You Happy Birthday," departs from the trend set by its predecessor. Though some of Cage's original sound shines through occasionally, many of the songs on this album blur together and seem more generic than the band's previous work.
With its lush, psychedelic−rock chords and swaggering guitar, Cage's first album was the kind of music that you might listen to when going to Vegas or fleeing the cops. Cage's second album instead possesses more musical variation and emotional vulnerability that might make it good homework or post−breakup music.
Cage the Elephant has its roots in Perfect Confusion, the band three of its members, Jared Champion and brothers Matt and Brad Schultz, formed while still in high school. They released one self−titled album in 2005 before breaking up. Cage the Elephant formed shortly after the breakup and signed with Relentless Records after playing South by Southwest, an annual arts festival in Austin, Texas, in 2007.
With their 2009 hits "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" and "Back Against the Wall," Cage gained a devoted fan base that embraced the smooth blending of punk, rock, blues and funk from the band's debut album. Matt Shultz's rapid−fire vocal delivery and devil−may−care attitude were unique and made for an engaging, upbeat album.
Considering the individuality and cockiness of the band's first album, its sophomore production is a bit unexpected. For one, the album's second track, "Aberdeen," sounds awfully like a Pixies song. Any recovering Nirvana fan could appreciate this nod to Kurt Cobain's hometown, but "Aberdeen" hardly sounds original. "Around My Head" is similarly infused with a Pixies feel.
On a positive note, Cage's wit is back for this album, mixed with a fair helping of paranoia. "Indy Kidz," the album's third track, for example, pokes fun at indie and hipster culture with a spiteful glee and some deliciously neurotic lyrics like "I don't watch TV 'cause it's just a box of lies."
One of the crowd−friendly highlights of the album is "Shake Me Down." The start of the song is brooding and pensive, with Shultz's voice sounding intimate and alone as he softly sings, "Shake me down/ Not a lot of people left around." The song abruptly swells as drums and guitar join him, gaining an almost anthem−like quality. Just after the song crescendos, it scales down to a dreamy, sweet bridge that gradually leads back to the song's refrain: "I'll keep my eyes fixed on the sun." The song possesses a sincere sweetness and provides a nice break in the album.
Though the change in the album's overall tone will almost certainly alienate some of the fans of Cage's previous album, judging whether the album is actually good is more difficult. Undoubtedly, Cage is in the process of exploring different moods and approaches to its music, and is probably trying to expand its overall fan base in doing so.
The tenderness of songs such as "Shake Me Down" and "Rubber Ball" is barely found on the band's first album, and it provides a nice contrast to louder, more aggressive songs such as "Sell Yourself" and "Sabertooth Tiger," which are more reminiscent of the previous album. More variety is found in the beachy, soft−rock feel of "Right Before Your Eyes" and the thrash−punk verses of "Japanese Buffalo."
Though some of the youthful rebellion of Cage's first album is gone, it seems to have been replaced by a fuller range of emotions. This sophomore album may feel more mainstream, but once Cage the Elephant becomes better acquainted with the styles it is currently exploring, it is likely that more of its debut's originality will return.
