Alt-rockers Cage the Elephant made a dramatic comeback a few years ago with Neon Pill, their first new material since frontman Matt Shultz underwent a headline-grabbing mental health crisis that resulted in a near-three-month hospital stay. The band has been on the road seemingly non-stop since the album dropped, reclaiming their legacy on festival stages with a dramatic live show built around Shultz’s natural performing chops. Now, they’re returning with their first new material since that sixth LP with “Beaches in Tennessee,” a song that not only sees Shultz “move past” that episode with a dramatized retelling of it, but also marks Cage the Elephant’s first release through their new label Big Loud Rock.
“There’s a saying, ‘There’s nothing better than a poor Christmas,’” Shultz explains. “It’s because you learn to make the most of what you have and appreciate it. Having gone through what I did, I’m grateful to have the perspective that I have now. The experience gave me a greater appreciation for my life when I came out on the other side. I’m thankful for where I’m at now in this new chapter. As a band, we were able to reclaim the ability to write a song rooted in a difficult and turbulent real-life event, but do it in a lighthearted way. I hope it helps someone else the way it helped me.”
“What Cage the Elephant has accomplished over the last 20 years speaks for itself,” adds Big Loud Rock’s president Joey Moi, “and what excites me most is that they’re nowhere near finished. They’re still taking risks, pushing themselves creatively, and finding new ways to connect with fans. Seeing that renewed energy and perspective carry into this next chapter is incredibly exciting.”
Check out the visual for “Beaches in Tennessee” below, and revisit our 2024 check-in with Shultz here.
