Cage the Elephant Albums Ranked
Popular alt rockers Cage the Elephant came into my periphery by way of “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” and its ubiquitous presence in the marketing for the video game BORDERLANDS (2009), and they’ve been a mainstay in my playlists ever since. Across their six studio albums released in the nearly 16 years since 2008, the group has evolved into a sophisticated sound that was once rooted in the roots of bluesy rock ‘n roll. That “sophistication” hasn’t always paid off for listenability, but it’s become clear that Cage the Elephant has broken past the bounds of their earlier classifications to make a different kind of music with every release. This is, as mentioned, to varying degrees of success.
EDIT 5/22/24: Added NEON PILL.
#6 — NEON PILL (2024)
Favorite track: “Rainbow”
Ending the longest gap between CtE albums at over five years since SOCIAL CUES, NEON PILL isn’t exactly “worth the wait.” But even though I believe their newest at the time of this writing isn’t great, it still proves that the band has yet to make a bad record. At first blush, it feels inoffensive, generally sparkly with threads of laid-back groove. This definitely doesn’t “rock” like CtE’s early albums (which hasn’t been the case for, like, over a decade). But diving into NEON PILL a few more times reveals a more savvy catchiness and sonic layering than I thought was there. A song like “Rainbow” is seemingly simple but its pounding drums and peripheral “squiggly” guitar make for a good earworm. NEON PILL is still just a tad too ineffectual and settles a bit too much into a malaise to say it’s anything but “Cage the Elephant’s worst album,” even though that’s not meant to be a thoroughly negative representation of the quality of the record.
#5 — SOCIAL CUES (2019)
Favorite track: “Dance, Dance”
Cage the Elephant’s latest is probably the victim of some recency bias; well, in the opposite direction. As in, it might not have sunken deep enough into my consciousness yet (although I did listen to it four times). Nevertheless, SOCIAL CUES is Cage the Elephant’s most “same-y” album, with the highly polished, warped pop sound yielding interesting experiments for the band that produced “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” 11 years prior. They’re just experiments that kind of sound alike. The cohesion of the record is to be respected, though; it just doesn’t have a ton of great, standout tracks, although “Dance, Dance” is the catchiest of them all.
#4 — TELL ME I’M PRETTY (2015)
Favorite track: “How Are You True”
TELL ME I’M PRETTY is perhaps the literal “weakest” record the band has produced. What I mean is that the album is their softest, with the eclectic mix of blues, punk, and funk influences on previous records giving way to mellower sounds. That’s not to say there aren’t a few songs worth wiggling to, however; TELL ME I’M PRETTY is just more sentimental than it is danceable. “How Are You True” is the most obvious example of that.
#3 — CAGE THE ELEPHANT (2008)
Favorite track: “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked”
Cage the Elephant’s eponymous debut may be considered their greatest by fans. I wouldn’t really know actually. But it’s an incredibly solid record, one that I listened to ad nauseum in 2009 or ’10. Perhaps, then, some of its charm has lost its luster. Not entirely, however, because CAGE THE ELEPHANT still rocks with very little downtime, making a great coming out statement as a band that can reimagine old sounds and influences incredibly well. It’s hard to resist the band’s biggest hit, “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked,” but “Back Against the Wall” and “Back Stabbin’ Betty” deserve honorable mentions.
#2 — THANK YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY (2011)
Favorite track: “2024”
THANK YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY is definitely CtE’s most eclectic album. The tracks almost perfectly alternate between refined pop rock and chaotic noise, with some downbeat sweet songs thrown in for good measure. It makes for an exciting and full listen, representing a wide array of experiences while driving home the cohesive skill and vision of the band. “2024” is just too fun for words.
#1 — MELOPHOBIA (2013)
Favorite track: “Spiderhead”
THANK YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY is almost CtE’s most “complete” record, ironically, because of its variance. But MELOPHOBIA is a deviation of that concept, produced with a more restrained, mellow hand while yielding aggressive tracks like “Spiderhead” and “It’s Just Forever.” But then you also have “Come a Little Closer,” “Telescope,” and “Halo.” Even the songs that fall into the two or three similar veins that can be found on MELOPHOBIA sound unique; on THANK YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, that’s not always the case. This is the peak of attractive songwriting for Cage the Elephant, an as yet unmatched product from the band, an array of influences distilled into easy yet engaging pop rock listening. “Fear of music,” indeed.
