Cage the Elephant: Thank You, Happy Birthday Review

Artist: Cage the Elephant
Album: Thank You, Happy Birthday
Label: Jive (2011)

Cage the Elephant’s sophomore album, Thank You, Happy Birthday shows that this Kentucky-based indie rock band can rock out in volumes of punk, garage, retro, and pop. Unlike their previous self-titled album, this album seems to have a much harder edge to it.

Lead singer Matt Schultz shows that he can scream with the best of them, infusing a punk sound with the tracks “Indy Kidz”, whose lyrics poke fun at an emo youth, and the continuous climax building of “2024″. “Aberdeen’s” grabbing lyrics of “cut the cord/she’s a creep” will make you nostalgic for the 90′s garage band era, as will the smirky sounding “Around My Head”. “Sell Yourself” and “Sabertooth Tiger” are reminiscent of The Pixies while “Right Before My Eyes” is the solitary pop track on the album, but after all the head banging/screaming, it’s quite enjoyable.

“Always Something” is an original tune and a favorite, sounding retro and catchy yet creepy. “Shake Me Down” runs along the same veins of “Back Against The Wall” from the previous album, while Matt Schultz sweetly and soft croons out the mellow “Rubber Ball” and “Flow”.

If you are looking for a reenactment of the previous album, you won’t find it here. Here lies a harder edge with some softness thrown in, yet it still manages to keep the Cage The Elephant sound.

Rating:  

Written by Alisha Vazquez

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