Cage the Elephant

Tell Me I'm Pretty (2015)

RENALDO69

Cage the Elephant have always found a way to blend a lot of influences together. From soul to funk to country to jangly folk, there's a lot in their music. That said, hate them or not, you can't deny how melodious and catchy they are which makes sense as to why they're so commercial. Their older stuff's always been a guilty pleasure of mine, which I blame "Shake Me Down" for. There's just something about how direct and frustrating their music's been while giving me that indie/garage rock flavour I can't help but admire. However, Tell Me I'm Pretty, while poppy and as mainstream as ever, loses its sense of appeal, character and individuality in coming off too much as a carbon copy of The Black Keys, which doesn't come as a shocker given Dan Auerbach produced the record. But still, there's a lost stream of originality that really hurts the band and takes away from what I expected.

I always think of them whenever The Shins come on and what makes them pop a bit more is Matt Shultz's rough-edged vocals. So unique and so grating. But appreciated. "Mess Around" is one of the rare highlights on the album in its psychedelic nature which I'm certain fans of Arctic Monkeys would like. It's a great snapshot of how well-produced the record. That said, things are too jumbled. A lot on tap pans out  too conflated and struggling with identity. Most of the tracks, while built on groovy and bending riffs, lack imagination or creativity, even as the shimmery spots battle the more melancholy spots on the record. Slow burns such as "Too Late To Say Goodbye" mesh well with the singalong jams such as "Cold Cold Cold" and "Punchin' Bag" but a lot of Tell Me I'm Pretty's weight is lost with the other songs that really aren't differentiated from each other. Linclon Parish's departure is felt here a lot as things are less explosive and could have done with his eclectic spin of guitars. But I still think it's a combination of lyrics, arrangement and shoddy structure that unhinges the album. Hopefully, they get it right on the next go.