Cage The Elephant - Cage The Elephant Album Review

Read our album review of Cage The Elephant's self-titled album released on Relentless.

The state of Kentucky in America may currently be known as the home of Fruit Of The Loom and Chevrolet Corvettes, but the quintet of Cage The Elephant may soon change that. This is their debut album, having promoted themselves with slots at SXSW and Lollapalooza.

In a time when record companies are looking to make a quick profit by discovering the latest band to join the newest fad, it's rare for an act to have a sound unique to that of their peers. That's the first thing to note about Cage The Elephant, whose funk-rap-rock is perhaps best likened to the sound of Red Hot Chili Peppers, but even that comparison is off the mark. Also far from the now defunct nu-metal movement, the bass-propelled groove of the likes of "In One Ear" begs to be bounced along to, while complementing guitar lines impress on top. Recent single "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked" reminisces Kid Rock's "Cowboy", while "Tiny Little Robots" has the kind of guitar playing that The Hives would appreciate. Best of all are "Soil To The Sun", which highlights the band's ear for a catchy chorus", and "James Brown", an infectious number which could have you dancing like it was a tune from the Godfather of Soul's catalogue. Whilst not accessible enough to start a new movement, Cage The Elephant display enough raw talent and passion to suggest they can outlast many of the trends currently popular.

Alex Lai