This week we continue our journey through the world of music with a relatively new artist that many people might not have heard of: Cage the Elephant. Hailing from a small town in Kentucky, the band is made up of five guys (1 vocalist, 2 guitarists, 1 bassist and a drummer) and has a self-described punk funk sound. Their one and only self-titled album was released in the UK in 2009 where it quickly rose to the Top 40 album list. While the band is relatively new, most people will immediately recognize their biggest hit “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked,” a song about a guy who meets a prostitute, a mugger, and a priest stealing from the church coffers. The song is about how we all need to make a living somehow though some may choose rather unorthodox paths. While this is one of my favorite songs by Cage the Elephant, if this is all you know by them, then you are truly missing out.
Chris: If you like the social themes of “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” or even if you just really dig that groovy funk punk sound, you’re going to love the rest of the album as well. One of my favorite songs, “In One Ear,” has a similar sound with a faster pace and a message about people who like to talk out of their corn holes. Most of the albums songs have similar themes – some about hypocrisy, others about war and religion – and front man Matt Shultz says he was inspired by what he sees as problems plaguing our society today.
My personal favorite track off of this album is “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked (Wicked Devil Remix).” This version keeps the same lyrics and has the same message but completely changes the musical styling to probably my favorite genre. With a funky reggae beat and a message about societal ills, I am reminded of Bob Marley’s famous anthems.
Something that really strikes me about this band is that the issues they discuss are ones that most people deal with every day. We’ve all heard of preacher men doing bad things, and we’ve all met people who are all talk. I can only hope front man Matt Shultz retains his sense of discontent with the world as it is. If things change too much for the better, we might not get to hear anything more from this truly inspired group. If you haven’t heard Cage the Elephant yet, or if you only know that one song you saw on MTVU, give them a listen; you’re going to love it.
Mat: Cage the Elephant is a band I was only vaguely familiar with. I knew their popular single from the commercial for the game Borderlands, and then the song was played in the background of a commercial for some television show. When I started listening to their album I immediately thought of how they had a funk sound in their music that’s fairly unique with modern artists. Some songs feel like a good combination of The Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Arctic Monkeys.
One of the characteristics of this band I consider a trademark of their sound is their vocal style. Rather than have Matt Shultz sing everything, he speak-sings in a continuous rhythm, not making any drastic changes in pitch but instead simply reciting the lyrics. This is one of the reasons I enjoy this band. There are, of course, songs where he sings, but his singing voice is either effective or lacking. I honestly haven’t decided if I like the way he sings; it’s reminiscent of Kurt Cobain in some ways, but it’s missing that definitive gruffness as well as the passion Cobain held.
Cage the Elephant, I feel, chose an excellent time to release their sound. While they aren’t an indie band, they aren’t quite mainstream enough to be the band that everyone knows. People who enjoy a broad range of music should find Cage the Elephant entertaining, as well as people who enjoy funky and energetic music. Some listeners might feel the songs start to sound the same, and I can understand this viewpoint.
However, that’s where fans stand apart from the rest of the world; they can enjoy every song for its individuality. Fans of Wolfmother, The Arctic Monkeys, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jimi Hendrix should give this band a try.
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