You Love CAKE (you just don't know it yet)!!!

It was the early 1990’s. Popular music had just said goodbye to hair metal, college kids were embracing neo-punk bands like Green Day, and the industry had discovered Seattle, signaling a spike in the sales of plaid shirts.

Around the same time, very quietly, in Sacramento, CA a band named CAKE had independently released their debut single "Rock & Roll Lifestyle" to virtually zero critical acclaim and almost as much radio airplay. It was however, enough to get to make a little noise on the modern rock charts, and a full length album “Motorcade of Generosity” soon followed.  It wouldn’t be until 1996 that I would first hear about this quirky little band, via MTV’s “120 Minutes” – a 2-hour show that aired modern rock/alternative videos on Sundays at midnight (sadly the only place you could hear anything that wasn’t getting overplayed on radio) – and the video was for a cover version of Gloria Gaynor’s seminal ‘70’s disco hit (and drunk girl/bachelorette party anthem) "I Will Survive".

The song was familiar, but also very different: was that a trumpet? Who the hell played a trumpet anymore? Can you imagine a trumpet of “Nevermind” or “Dookie”? This was revolutionary…I guess.

 For the record, CAKE’s sound has been classified as alternative rock or indie rock, but it combines multiple musical genres, like ska, funk, rockabilly, pop, jazz, rap, and country – but their signature “sound” most recognizably features droll lyrics, catchy distorted guitar riffs, prominent use of keyboards, and a solo trumpet (played by – in my opinion, “the hardest working man in showbiz” -Vince DiFiore).

I had to find out more about these guys. At the time, I had some disposable income that wasn’t yet covering a mortgage or diapers – so I made haste to the closest Tower Records (note: iTunes was still 5 years away) to pick up “Fashion Nugget” – and after one listen, I was hooked. Fifteen years later, I still consider this album a classic – here’s a taste:

"Frank Sinatra"

"Italian Leather Sofa"

"Stickshifts & Safety Belts"

And of course "The Distance" (which to this day still makes its way on to my iPod’s running play list). This album even features a cover of a Willie Nelson song ("Sad Songs and Waltzes") – these guys had me at hello.

“The Distance” became a ubiquitous alternative radio hit for the better part of 1996-97, but commercial radio still wasn’t biting. The interwebs were still in their infancy, so the only way I could get my fill of CAKE was to wait for the next CD.  In 1998, my prayers were answered with the release of “Prolonging the Magic” containing the next “big” CAKE song: "Never There" , as well as "Sheep Go to Heaven" and "Satan is My Motor" – at the very least, their song titles were buzz worthy.

This album was the perfect follow up to “Fashion Nugget”, from lead singer John McCrea’s dry, deadpan half-singing/half-speaking vocals (and his emblematic U-shaped rattler), to the blaring trumpet, piano, killer guitar riffs and a kick-ass rhythm section. I would discover this first-hand, as that summer, I attended the first of what would be many future CAKE shows. Not only could this band lay it down on record, but they are undoubtedly one of the best live acts I’ve ever witnessed.

Five years later came “Comfort Eagle” – and here's one thing I love about CAKE: when they find what works, they stick with it, but they also know how to change it up just enough to keep it from getting boring. This CD included "Short Skirt, Long Jacket" , and signified CAKE’s acceptance into mainstream rock as several of their songs started popping up in commercials (“SS/LJ” most recently for an iTunes ad of all things, and the movie “All About Steve”, the title track in the Jack Black flick “Shallow Hal”, "Love You Madly" in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”, “Shadow Stabbing” in “Orange County (another Jack Black movie – coincidence?), even Jay-Z got in on the act, sampling “Arco Arena” in  "Guns and Roses" .

CAKE had arrived…and I wasn’t happy about it. Like with any band we discover, we often feel betrayed when they “go mainstream”, and I’ll admit, I was concerned: CAKE’s music started appearing everywhere. “Pressure Chief” debuted in 2004, and was in my opinion, the weakest of their albums to date. "No Phone" and a cover of Bread’s “The Guitar Man” had me worried the end was near, like so many of my favorite bands before them.

In ’07, they released a compilation called “B-sides and Rarities”, which it turns out was their swan song to Columbia Records, whom they worked to free themselves from, because THEY were concerned they were getting too big as well, and were looking to return to their earlier independent ways of publishing and recording music. This was the prototypical CAKE, anti-B-sides album that included odd cover choices like Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs”, Barry White’s “Never, Never Gonna Give You Up”, Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night” and “Mahna Mahna” (yes, the song from “Sesame Street”).

I quickly returned to the bandwagon, but I would have to wait four more years for any new CAKE music. Luckily, they continued to tour, all the while building their own solar-powered recording studio and writing new songs for what would become “Showroom of Compassion”, released on 1-11-11. “Sick of You” was the lead single (released in September 2010, video below) and from the first guitar pluck and trumpet…um, toot (?), I knew CAKE was back. My faves so far include: “Sick of You”, "Mustache Man" and “Long Time".

On top of all this, CAKE is environmentally and economically conscious. They are vocal activists for humanitarian causes, notably global warming and world poverty. They often use their website (http://cakemusic.com/) and concerts as platforms to increase awareness about these and other causes, without being too heavy-handed and keeping the mood of their shows fun. CAKE is currently touring and they've been all over the talk show circuit as well (Conan, "Lopez Tonight", and "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno ) - be sure to do yourself a favor and get yourself a slice.