CAKE was one of the first independent bands to start getting noticed, mainly after their self-release of first single "Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle" (watch that video, too. It's equally great), which described the original hipster. They've stuck around with consistently great albums, with their newest, January's Showroom of Compassion, becoming their first-ever Number 1 album on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Their combo of twangy, country-like guitars, dancey bass and drums, trumpet, synths, John McCrea's almost monotonic voice, and a ton of vibraslap creates one of the most original and defining sounds in music right now, as well as over the past two decades.
Why am I posting about CAKE (it's supposed to be all caps, I swear I'm not just doing t
hat just to annoy you/yell at you)? Because I follow CAKE on twitter (@CAKEMUSIC).
But why does it matter if I follow them on twitter? Well, that's easy. CAKE is one of the only bands that I follow that doesn't use their twitter just to promote themselves- they use it to promote causes they like, as well as an outlet for the political opinions of the band members. Trumpeter/keyboard player/percussionist Vince Di Fiore is in charge of
posting, and he posts everything from articles like this one about the distribution of wealth in the United States to a petition for cleaner air in Texas, all while dousing everything in the sarcasm that listeners have always been able to pick out of CAKE's
songs.
CAKE is also very environmentally friendly. For Showroom of Compassion, the band outfitted their home studio with solar panels and recorded using only solar energy. Keeping with the environmentally friendly theme, CAKE printed all of the packaging for Showroom on recycled paper products with vegetable dyes.
So, that's CAKE. I suggest acquiring their music if you don't already own it, and I promise you won't be disappointed.
There seems to be a lift in the song from the VU song "Sweet Jane," but what I like about the video is the generational differences and the way people articulate what they like and dislike about the song.
ReplyDeleteThat was a great video. I had never seen before but it was awesome. I think my favorite CAKE album is Comfort Eagle. The song Comfort Eagle is prety subversive on its own. I had no idea that they were so environmentally friendly.
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