Kentucky based Cage the Elephant are back with their second album Thank You, Happy Birthday and it sounds like it could be another good record. With more than a little influence from Pixies, there are a lot of good tracks, but there are also a few that don’t quite work as well as the others.
Always Something is a bit of a nothing opener, but Aberdeen is a definite winner with some great building rhythms and Black Francis like vocals. Indie Kids is no so great, where the screeches seem a little bland without a decent tube backing them up, but single Shake Me Down has been a recent radio favourite and sounds good on the album.
2024 continues the 1 song on 1 song off pattern, sounding a little week without anything really interesting happening, but Sell Yourself’s lyrics and bitten vocals are much more engaging. However, Rubber Ball breaks the trend and makes a good low key interlude before kicking back in with the second half of the album.
Right Before My Eyes has a sort of R.E.M feel to it. It’s OK, but hard to tell if it’ll grow on you or just become a bit dull. Around my Head is sort of alright, but nothing special and the wails on Sabertooth Tiger are a particular low point on the album.
The Crackety Jones mentalness of Japanese Buffalo brings it all back though with some style before Flow closes it down with some poetic atmospherics.
In general, Cage the Elephant’s Thank You Happy Birthday is a bit hit and miss, but it’s a good return for them. Their live shows are really frenetic, so the wildness of their new songs will add to their shows.
Thank You Happy Birthday, Cage the Elephant, album review – 3.2/5
