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Thank You, Happy Birthday is a confusing listen.

If you were expecting more of the same garagey, funk-inflected rawk that filled CTE’s debut, you’ll likely walk away disappointed.

Thank You… just doesn’t know what it wants to be – one minute it’s all uncomfortable screams and squalling feedback (Indy Kidz), the next they’re playing at being the Pixies with Around My Head, and somewhere in between they’re having a go at being the Beach Boys (Right Before My Eyes).

It’s not a bad album, it’s just one that appears to be having an identity crisis.

Classic Rock editor Siân has worked on the magazine for longer than she cares to discuss, and prior to that was deputy editor of Total Guitar. During that time, she’s had the chance to interview artists such as Brian May, Slash, Jeff Beck, James Hetfield, Sammy Hagar, Alice Cooper, Manic Street Preachers and countless more. She has hosted The Classic Rock Magazine Show on both TotalRock and TeamRock radio, contributed to CR’s The 20 Million Club podcast and has also had bylines in Metal Hammer, Guitarist, Total Film, Cult TV and more. When not listening to, playing, thinking or writing about music, she can be found getting increasingly more depressed about the state of the Welsh national rugby team and her beloved Pittsburgh Steelers.

Recommended reading

Cage The Elephant: Thank You, Happy Birthday

Second album from the Kentucky quintet.