Thank You, Happy Birthday
Encyclopedia
Thank You, Happy Birthday is the second studio album by American rock band Cage the Elephant
. It was released on January 11, 2011 to positive critical reception. The album was produced by Jay Joyce, who worked in the same capacity on the band's eponymous debut album
.
. The band had trouble recording the songs, with lead singer Matt Shultz
in particular having trouble finding the inspiration to write the lyrics for songs such as "Flow." The group was able to work out twelve songs for the album, stating: "We want each of our songs to sound like it's been written by a different band."
," was due for release on November 22, 2010, and was announced by the band via their Twitter account as being played on radio stations from November 17 onward. Also on November 17, they released an unofficial video for the song. On January 11, 2011, the official video was released. For the week of February 25 through March 5, 2011, the single charted at #1 on Billboard
Rock Songs
. On the week of January 11 the band was named the MTV
PUSH artist of the week.
On the November 18, 2010, "2024" was made a free download on Filter magazine
's website.
On December 27, 2010, "Around My Head
" was released as the free song of the week on iTunes. The song was later released as an official single on 4 May 2011. On the week of 6 July 2011, the single charted at #18 on Billboard
Alternative Songs.
Top Downloads chart. That same night, the group appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman
. During its first week of release, the album sold over 39,000 copies in the U.S., debuting at an unprecedented #2 on the Billboard 200
. On 27 January 2011 the band promoted the album even further, performing "Shake Me Down
" and "Aberdeen
" live on Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the Jimmy Kimmel Live! Concert Series on ABC
. Shortly after this, the group performed "Shake Me Down" on Fuel TV
program The Daily Habit.
The album was released in the UK on March 21, 2011.
, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100, currently gives it a score of 76/100 based on twenty-one critics' reviews. Alternative Press stated that the record was "an alarmingly good album." Jon Pareles of The New York Times
added that "the new album is more abrasive, rowdier, more unstable and pushier in the right ways," going on to say that when the album is "[p]layed quietly, like a Beatles ballad, it's brave enough to set bravado aside." Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone
said of lead singer Matt Shultz: "Shultz coos, 'All I got is nothing but a little bit of love.' He's got another thing, actually: one of rock's best young bands."
Cage the Elephant
Cage the Elephant is an American rock band from Bowling Green, Kentucky, that formed in mid-2006. Since their formation, the band has gained a large following in the US as well as the UK and Canada for their sound and their high-energy live performances. The band released their self-titled debut...
. It was released on January 11, 2011 to positive critical reception. The album was produced by Jay Joyce, who worked in the same capacity on the band's eponymous debut album
Cage the Elephant (album)
- Cage the Elephant :* Matt Shultz – vocals* Brad Shultz – guitar* Jared Champion – drums, percussion* Daniel Tichenor – bass, vocals* Lincoln Parish – lead guitar- Technical personnel :* Jay Joyce – producer* Jason Hall – engineer...
.
Recording and production
The album was originally announced in July 2009 when the band had stated that they would release it in early 2010 with the title Computer Says Move. The group had recorded over eighty songs but shelved all of them when they realized that "nobody was really into" any of the ideas. The group then took ideas that they had saved for "side projects" and decided to use those songs for the album, which was then given the current title. The band once again worked with Jay Joyce, who had helped them record their first albumCage the Elephant (album)
- Cage the Elephant :* Matt Shultz – vocals* Brad Shultz – guitar* Jared Champion – drums, percussion* Daniel Tichenor – bass, vocals* Lincoln Parish – lead guitar- Technical personnel :* Jay Joyce – producer* Jason Hall – engineer...
. The band had trouble recording the songs, with lead singer Matt Shultz
Matthew Shultz
Matt Shultz is the lead singer for the American Alternative rock band, Cage The Elephant. Matt also plays guitar on the bonus track "Cover Me Again" off of their self-titled album...
in particular having trouble finding the inspiration to write the lyrics for songs such as "Flow." The group was able to work out twelve songs for the album, stating: "We want each of our songs to sound like it's been written by a different band."
Track listing
Singles
The first single, titled "Shake Me DownShake Me Down
"Shake Me Down" is the first single and fourth track on Cage the Elephant's second album Thank You, Happy Birthday.A music video for the single was released on January 11, 2011...
," was due for release on November 22, 2010, and was announced by the band via their Twitter account as being played on radio stations from November 17 onward. Also on November 17, they released an unofficial video for the song. On January 11, 2011, the official video was released. For the week of February 25 through March 5, 2011, the single charted at #1 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Rock Songs
Rock Songs
Rock Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks the airplay of songs on alternative, mainstream rock and triple A radio stations. The first chart was published in the issue dated June 20, 2009. "Know Your Enemy" by Green Day was the first number-one song. The Rock Songs...
. On the week of January 11 the band was named the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
PUSH artist of the week.
On the November 18, 2010, "2024" was made a free download on Filter magazine
Filter (magazine)
FILTER, the publication that promises us that "Good music will prevail," is a seasonal American music and off-beat entertainment magazine. It features commentary and photos of up-and-coming musicians and filmmakers ranging from actors to writer-directors...
's website.
On December 27, 2010, "Around My Head
Around My Head
"Around My Head" is the second single and ninth track on American rock band Cage the Elephant's second album, Thank You Happy Birthday. The single was released globally on May 4, 2011...
" was released as the free song of the week on iTunes. The song was later released as an official single on 4 May 2011. On the week of 6 July 2011, the single charted at #18 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Alternative Songs.
Release
The album was released on January 11, 2011 and on its first day debuted at number 1 on the iTunesITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
Top Downloads chart. That same night, the group appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
. During its first week of release, the album sold over 39,000 copies in the U.S., debuting at an unprecedented #2 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. On 27 January 2011 the band promoted the album even further, performing "Shake Me Down
Shake Me Down
"Shake Me Down" is the first single and fourth track on Cage the Elephant's second album Thank You, Happy Birthday.A music video for the single was released on January 11, 2011...
" and "Aberdeen
Aberdeen (song)
- Charts :The song peaked at #13 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart....
" live on Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the Jimmy Kimmel Live! Concert Series on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. Shortly after this, the group performed "Shake Me Down" on Fuel TV
Fuel TV
Fuel TV is a U.S. cable and satellite specialty channel that launched on July 1, 2003. It focuses on the cultures of such extreme sports as skateboarding, snowboarding, wakeboarding, motocross, surfing, BMX and FMX. It is a unit of Fox Cable Networks and is currently available to 26-million...
program The Daily Habit.
The album was released in the UK on March 21, 2011.
Reception
The reception for the album has been generally positive. MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100, currently gives it a score of 76/100 based on twenty-one critics' reviews. Alternative Press stated that the record was "an alarmingly good album." Jon Pareles of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
added that "the new album is more abrasive, rowdier, more unstable and pushier in the right ways," going on to say that when the album is "[p]layed quietly, like a Beatles ballad, it's brave enough to set bravado aside." Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
said of lead singer Matt Shultz: "Shultz coos, 'All I got is nothing but a little bit of love.' He's got another thing, actually: one of rock's best young bands."