Cage the Elephant have returned with “Neon Pill,” their first new song since 2019.
Featuring a guitar-driven, alt-rock arrangement, “Neon Pill” opens with apt lyrics for a comeback single: “Takes one to know one/ back at it again/ Birds of a feather/ until the end.” From there, the song keeps a steady beat, with the dynamics swelling on the chorus, leading into an interlude featuring a vibey, vibrato-heavy melody, a recurring highlight throughout the song.
“Neon Pill” was recorded at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, with production help from John Hill. Now, the single’s arrival marks the end of a five-year hiatus for Cage the Elephant, which began after the release of 2019’s Social Cues, that year’s winner of the Grammy for Best Rock Album.
Up next, the band is booked to play at least two shows this year: Bonnaroo and Hangout Music Festival. If you’re hoping to catch either set in-person yourself, grab tickets for Bonnaroo here, and for Hangout Fest here.
In January 2023, the band’s lead singer, Matt Shultz, was charged with felony criminal possession of a firearm in New York after two loaded guns were found in his hotel room. Shultz posted bail for $10,000, and ultimately accepted a plea-deal last June, avoiding any time behind bars.
