My childhood bedroom is a time capsule. The walls are covered with old records, posters, and photos. Surrounded by these sentimental items, I can’t help but feel nostalgic. One item in particular evokes vivid memories of high school summers, driving through the Kentucky countryside, and my first heartbreak. The item in question is a vinyl record: Melophobia by Cage the Elephant. 

I’ve been a fan of Cage the Elephant since grade school. The vinyl was a Christmas gift from my grandpa. After receiving the record, I immediately plastered the Melophobia album cover on my bedroom wall. I know that people say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but to be honest, I first listened to the album because I loved the cover. It features a clay sculpture of an abstract human head positioned in front of a black and white striped background. 

Additionally, the album’s title “Melophobia” is unique and thought-provoking. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the word, “melophobia” (according to Macmillan Dictionary) is “a strong dislike or fear of music.” Although the album is not explicitly a concept album, its cover and title work to establish Melophobia as a one-of-a-kind creative feat. Likewise, its lyrics and song titles are full of delightfully unsettling imagery, like spiders and teeth. 

The classic Cage the Elephant sound is rambunctious, and this rowdy sound is definitely present on this album. However, the Melophobia album actually features the group’s most well-known acoustic track “Cigarette Daydreams.” Even the band members recognize the singularity of the song’s soft, dreamy sound. When asked about the track, the group’s guitarist said, “I like the idea of doing things that people might not expect from us. So we decided to take a whole new approach to writing, and this song is a good example of that.” 

To me, the song is the epitome of 2010s indie alternative. If you are at a party and a guy pulls out an acoustic guitar, there is a 50% chance that he will play “Wonderwall,” and a 50% chance that he plays “Cigarette Daydreams.” Its lyrics describe a “manic pixie dream girl” of sorts (think Summer from 500 Days of Summer). This girl is sweet, but, ultimately, mysterious and mystifying. She is a legendary character in the “Cage the Elephant universe” and is depicted in various songs on Melophobia. 

I know I have mentioned my sister in previous blog posts, but Melophobia actually reminds me of my older brother, Jack. He used to drive me to high school. Every morning, as I struggled to open my sleepy, heavy eyes, he would play Cage the Elephant’s “Telescope” from Melophobia. Even when I was half-asleep in Jack’s beat-up car, I was struck by the introspective power of the song. With simple yet poignant lyrics like, “To be free. To be sold. To be killed. To be saved,” Cage the Elephant band members display their gasp-worthy songwriting skills. 

If you are looking for an album that will make you nostalgic for warm summer high school nights, put on Melophobia. If possible, I also recommend listening to it on vinyl. It will rock your world.

Until next week,

Claire

Photograph: Neil Krug