Cage the Elephant is finally back with new music after two years, and they're here in full force. On Friday (Oct. 30), the alt-rock juggernauts released the lead single from its new album Tell Me I'm Pretty, the grooving, Dan Auerbach produced track "Mess Around."
With a sort of surf rock groove and an infectious sense of fuzziness and blues, "Mess Around" keeps Cage the Elephant rooted in its dirty rock 'n' roll style while helping to expand the band's palate into something just a little funkier than fans are used to. That new sort of groove came from two unexpected (yet totally understandable) sources.
In an interview with Consequence of Sound, Cage the Elephant's Matt Shultz revealed that the new track was inspired by Jay Reatard's guitar riffs and the energy of Outkast's Andre 3000. Both those things shine through, with a sort of sassy attitude that has always been present in the band's music but is boosted to 11 here. And, of course, the chorus and hook are just as infectious as anything else Cage the Elephant has done.
And, if this song feels just a little more Black Keys-y than usual, that's no mistake. The solo riffs in "Mess Around" were performed by none other than Auerbach himself.
"Mess Around" is the lead single from Cage the Elephant's forthcoming fourth studio album Tell Me I'm Pretty. The new record is due for release on Friday, Dec. 18. Tell Me I'm Pretty will be Cage the Elephant's first release since its October 2013 LP Melophobia.
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