Album Review
Caged Animals – In The Land Of Giants
Caged Animals is the bedroom project of Italian-American songwriter Vincent Cacchione who hails from Brooklyn. This is his second album under the Caged Animals banner, following the well received 2011 debut Eat Their Own, and its gentle and charming, if slightly off beat, pop music is interesting and melodic. There is a minimalist feel to the production and it is the real depth to the song writing that makes this album stand out.
Opening track Too Much Dark starts off with a soft xylophone and drum machine before the lines, “Well I’m struggling for some meaning in this quiet little room, I’m searching for some beauty underneath all this doom”, which perfectly sets the tone for what is to come. A simple sound backs the quiet contemplation of a man looking for answers.
There are several other very good tracks on the album. The single Cindy + Me is a nice dark love song telling of an outlaw couple on the run built around a synth sample before The Sound Of Thunder sees bursts of electric guitar punctuate a track with lovely layered vocal harmonies. U + Yr Rocketship uses similar vocal stylings in a synth heavy futuristic tale that can only be described as spacey. The Mute And The Mindreader slows the pace a little as a great bass line rumbles through it.
The second half of the album has a number of tracks that are not as strong, but also contains perhaps its two best songs. A Psychic Lasso describes a co-dependent gay relationship in tender terms, the bass providing a lovely counterpoint to the vocals. And the title track In The Land Of Giants has a fantasy feel, a slow electronic beat backing emotional lyrics that tell of dreams and hopes in a very stylish manner.
This is an album full of thoughtful and poetic lyrics, combining musings on the human condition and some deeply personal stories. The electro beats are simple in the main, allowing the often emotional lyrics to take centre stage and the approach works well. Vin Cacchione takes his own experiences and draws lessons from them, and creates some lovely music along the way. In The Land Of Giants may be a little out of the mainstream but it is a strong album that’s well worth checking out.
Venue: In The Land Of Giants
Support Band: Lucky Number