New Music Review Bites – Cage The Elephant, Jonquil, The Get Up Kids, Esben And The Witch, Say Hi, Chikita Violenta

Cage The Elephant – Thank You, Happy Birthday

A new year and Cage the Elephant kicks things off with their sophomore album, Thank You Happy Birthday. I have always pressed the fact that Cage the Elephant is a band to be experienced live, their 1st album was dope, but when I saw them live it all made sense. The second album is hardly much of the same, they don’t depart from their sound as much as they expand it and fuse new and exciting audio (like on Japanese Buffalo or Saber-tooth Tiger). They do have some really radio friendly that will rattle in your brain during your evening commute, buts songs like Indy Kidz, Sell Yourself, and Always Something rise above the rest of this highly recommended album.

Jonquil – One Hundred Suns EP

This one is for people who are fans of light hearted tracks, cause not everything has to be power chords and electronic beats. Jonquil comes at you with pure positivity and fun melodies with a heavy foot on keeping everything upbeat. For fans of bands like Vampire Weekend, Jonquil will scratch that indy itch for about 30 minutes, its an Ep people.

The Get Up Kids – There Are Rules

Can’t place my finger on why I like this band, I just do. Maybe its cause they are from the 90′s, maybe cause they are from the mid-west, or maybe its because this is their first new album since they broke up back in 2005. In any case this album is the Get Up Kids, only more grown up? I really cant tell cause it sounds like they had a blast making this album, which translates onto There are Rules. Worth a pick up if you are down with the Get Up Kids.

Esben And The Witch – Violet Cries

This is def my pic of the week. WARNING this album is not for everyone. I cant stress enough how much I dig this UK trio’s sound. When I hear any tracks off of Violet Cries it transports me to Sleepy Hallow (Disney Sleepy Hallow not Johnny Depp). I am suddenly walking under a full moon, I can smell the reeds as they rock to-and-fro in the night air, I hear the distant mating calls of toads and other amphibious swamp creatures getting it on; all while looking over my shoulder for the headless horseman and his flaming Jack-o-lantern.

To say this album is haunting would be a serious understatement. Harmonized vocals and drawn out guitar chords lulls the listener to a state of vulnerability that I haven’t felt since Tool. Esben and the Witch in no way  sounds like Tool, but the effect is the same, scary music that doesn’t scare me.

Say Hi – Um, Uh Oh

How many albums can Say Hi put out? Um, Uh Oh is the 7th (i think). I have nothing bad to say about this album. If your a Say Hi fan then pick this one up. It sounds like some of these songs could have been on their previous album, Ohh’s and Ah’s, so theres nothing really new when it comes to the sound. Still its a solid pick up.

Chikita Violenta – TRE3S

Who the fuck is Chikita Violenta? Apparently they are a Mexican band that like to get down with that alternative sound. Chikita Violenta have a drastically different sound and style then what one is used to hearing coming from Mexico, in short they sound like they are art rock cats from Brooklyn. If you like lo fi pick up TRE3S

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