After a stunning set of Grammy award winning albums in Tell Me I’m Pretty and Social Cues, the Kentucky band Cage the Elephant are back with their newest LP ‘Neon Pill’!
For context, this band mean the world, my first and only time seeing them live was on their last UK tour in Leeds and it still holds up as one of the best live shows I’ve ever been to. I’m from Sheffield but I’ve decided this is a great time to invest in a trip across the pond to New York City to see them at the legendary Madison Square Garden, only a mere 6000+ round trip!
The album starts with a soft yet sharp guitar riff, after a few seconds it bursts in with full force, drums and the signature Social Cues cutting guitar we heard in songs like House of Glass and Tokyo Smoke! The chorus is bloody stunning, I was listening to the record for the first time with my mum on the way back from seeing my Uncle Kev and it genuinely blew me away. I can see Hifi (True Light) being incredible live.
Rainbow is a song we only heard for the first time in full on Jimmy Kimmel live. The track has heavy hip-hop influences with almost a hint of reggae which is reminiscent (to me anyway) to the later Portugal. The Man records which can also be heard later in the record. The bars are clean and the groove is immaculate, the chorus also being incredibly catchy. After listening to the Kimmel version afterwards, I feel like the album version just hits different. Impeccable track and songwriting.
Neon Pill, the title track, was our first taste of Cage Kentucky goodness since Social Cues and it definitely didn’t disappoint, I did a single review on this track when it came out and my mind is still made, it definitely is a top track I think, and set up the album campaign very well.
Float in the Sky shocked me by the initial piano riff if you will, having seen little of Matt’s ability on the keyboard, it’s a very refreshing little track. Goodbye on Social Cues was great so I’m glad the piano makes a more imprinting effect on this new record. Although the track is quite linear and predictable, it doesn’t take away from Matt’s lyricism and flow. The bridge is a bit heavier compared to the rest of the track and packs an emotional punch. The ending to the song blew my mind, Matt’s final and robotic “float into the sky” into an almost Pink Floyd/Dark Side of the Moon inspired fade out, top class.
Metaverse was the most recent single that came out, from a critical point of view, this song is hard to describe, but everyone’s heard it already so I don’t really have to! It’s a bloody lovely little tune!
I’ve already done a single review on Out Loud but within the context of the record and hearing it between the lines, it is quite stunning. Again, the piano having a more prominent feature within this new record is something to behold, especially again, after its brief glimpses and appearances near the end of Social Cues!
Ball and Chain, reminiscent of The Raconteurs and Cage’s own Thank You Happy Birthday, is possibly the darkest sound track on the record, having influences and appearances from the cowbell and glitchy sounds from Indy Kidz and Sabertooth Tiger. The chorus is a bit bloody good. I can’t imagine this track will be played live too often for the synchronous guitar which acts sort of like the middle eight of the song, seems like it would be horrifically difficult to play live but would be fantastic if pulled off!
Good Time is simply just a good time, ‘get lit’. Huge fan of this track.
Now, we’re at the nitty gritty, Shy Eyes is the only song I can’t entirely agree on, I think the verses are very reminiscent of 'Ready to Let Go' almost from their last outing, I think the verses are mostly agreeable, the chorus starts off great but I think it’s a bit too repetitive at times, think it shows a lot of promise and potential, but probably my least favourite track on the record.
Silent Picture starts off with this nice little guitar riff which wouldn’t feel out of place on El Camino by The Black Keys if they were produced by the same producer, the track builds up slowly but the chorus is bloody lovely. Could see the chorus and the main riff feature in a coming of age film with the quality of Richard Ayoade’s Submarine, Matt Shultz might have to have a songwriting battle with Alex Turner. Stunning film, stunning song. It’s the love song of the record and I love it.
Now, MY WORD, this next track Same is quite possibly one of my favourite songs Cage the Elephant have ever released, it almost combines my love for Cage and Portugal. The Man which I know that they have toured together in the past, but I think it’s my dream lineup. Same is a stunning track. Not much more I can say, it is truly indescribable, the vibes are immaculate.
Over Your Shoulder opens with a singular acoustic guitar, with the stomp-clap style of drumming which is prominent within a standard Lumineers track. The track revolves around the acoustic guitar which almost replicates a similar strumming pattern to TMIP's Trouble with Nick Bockrath’s signature slide guitar throughout the track. The choruses and verses are bloody lovely, a beautiful closer.
Apologies if this review has just sounded like me gushing over this album and this band for the 5 minutes or less that you’ve been reading. This album is stunning and the band should be proud of it and its addition to their vast and diverse discography. Somebody count how many times I’ve described parts of this album ‘stunning’.
'NEON PILL'
TO BE RELEASED ON 17 MAY 2024
