
Cage The Elephant
Unpeeled
RCA
Aug 07, 2017
Web Exclusive
Find It At: AMAZON
In a daring experiment for a band that's known for their raucous live shows and string of alternative hits, the recently released Unpeeled, by Grammy winners Cage the Elephant, features 21 stripped down versions of some of their best songs.
It's daring because they stripped away the gritty and grimy, and often electric, special effects that make the band so appealing to begin with. The sonic layers have been peeled away, exposing the melodies and forcing the songwriting to stand on its own.
Those who are skeptical need not be. For starters, the stripped down tracks are polished up with a string quartet and additional percussion. Secondly, if it wasn't for an occasional smattering of applause or a stray squeal from a fan, you would never know these tracks were recorded during a few intimate live shows. But more importantly, the songs withstand the added scrutiny this format affords, proving that Cage the Elephant are not only very capable songwriters but pen tunes with a heartfelt earnestness that rings true in any format.
One could argue that these are tamer versions of wild alt-rock songs made more palatable and appealing to the masses. But I would argue that these versions demonstrate the band's uncanny ability to construct alluring compositions that all start from a strong melodic framework. Some cuts are even enhanced by this presentation. Songs such as "Cold Cold Cold" and "Spiderhead" are allowed to breathe and let the lyrics and singer Matt Schultz's vocals steal the show.
Here's hoping that Cage the Elephant continue to push the envelope and keep daring to take chances. Unpeeled proves they are evolving from being a very good band to being a great band. (www.cagetheelephant.com)
Author rating: 8/10
Average reader rating: 9/10
Most Recent
- Fruit Bats on “The Pet Parade” (Interview) — Fruit Bats
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor Announce New Album, Share Snippet of New Song (News) — Godspeed You! Black Emperor
- Xiu Xiu Share New Video for New Single “Rumpus Room” (Feat. Angus Andrew of Liars) (News) — Xiu Xiu, Liars, Liz Harris
- Premiere: Saccades Shares New Single “Heat” (News) — Saccades
- Middle Kids Share New Single “Stacking Chairs” (News) — Middle Kids
Comments
Submit your comment
January 26th 2018
12:16am
Some cuts are even enhanced by this presentation.