Cake
No Showroom Dummies
Cake experiments a bit more on its new studio album

By Andy Argyrakis

Campus Correspondent Review By Marion Olea,
North Central College
 
When it comes to cult followings, Cake is amongst the most treasured thanks to its lo-fi but inventive instrumentation and the sardonic humor of front man John McCrea, who speaks as much as he sings. However, after seven years between studio CDs, even the most fervent appreciators might have been scratching their heads as to what was up with the beloved Sacramento band. But as trumpet player/co-founder trumpeter Vince DiFiore explains, there was plenty brewing in its camp.

“It started with disconnecting from Columbia Records, then it went to feeling like recorded music wasn’t worth as much anymore and questioning why to put it out there, followed by wanting to work on an album,” he says of the cycle that finds Cake releasing the new Showroom of Compassion on its own Upbeat Records. “The [last] record company asked us to put out a greatest hits album, but we did B-Sides and Rarities instead [in 2007]. After that, we started working on the new record and did so for about three years. We also averaged about 25 shows a year, which was enough to let people know we were still alive. Every time we took the stage, we were able to shake off the fear of being forgotten.”

Additional delay keeping Cake’s sixth career collection from hitting streets came from the decision to turn the recording studio into a completely solar powered operation, which didn’t just benefit the environment, but also helped curb cabin fever for the fellas. “It came from guilt over being a touring band and wanting to do something to counteract all of the pollution that we create,” DiFiore says. “We put 13 panels up and we wound up with a negative $60 balance on our electric bill, which basically put $60 worth of energy back into the city’s grid. And personally, the sun eased things up a bit and made us feel better about what we were doing, especially since temperaments can fester when a bunch of grown ups are in a small room together day after day.”

Between that extra literal space and having all the time in the world, Cake was able to experiment more on Showroom of Compassion than any previous project. Though the group’s primary alterative/college rock elements are still intact, longtime listeners are sure to notice an influx of acoustic pianos, additional reverb, stacked guitars and a hearty dose of lushly layered harmonies.

“We really went for broke with the vocals and harmonies and basically adapted a spirit that lacked self-consciousness on the entire record,” says DiFiore. “You’ll know when you’re hearing a Cake song, but sometimes the electric guitars sound more prominent and other times there’s a bigger brass sound, which all trace some sort of maturation of the band. John [McCrea] is a solid songwriter who doesn’t bring a song to the band unless he feels it’s complete, which sometimes means throwing away four or five arrangements before the final one. We value the music and didn’t want to release it until we had done due diligence and left everything out on the table.”

Now that members are spearheading their own label, the pressures of platinum albums and hit singles are non-existent, even if Cake’s had plenty of both from the mid-90s onward. While DiFiore’s quick to credit the band’s original label Capricorn and most recent home Columbia with helping spread the word worldwide, he doesn’t miss the “merry-go-round” of touring and recording every three years. Even so, indie life has its own challenges, mainly the added responsibility of having to work harder behind the scenes.

“Now we’re in charge of promoting this record, and while it helps that we have a really good manager, we need to be in control of making videos, setting up interviews, putting TV ads together and dealing with all the details the record company usually handles, while also being five guys in the band,” he adds.

Despite the shifted load in responsibility, Cake credits its ongoing relationship with fans as the fuel to keep the fire burning. “People continue to find out about us on their own, and it’s good to not be out there so much because familiarity breeds contempt,” says DiFiore. “Music’s not something that can be jammed down people’s throats. If it’s done the right way and made true to the artist, people will want to listen to it more. It’s been a good, slow, sustainable growth for us and we’re standing on solid ground instead of adapting a persona we can’t maintain. There’s always been something in Cake that feels true to us and that resonates with other people as well.”

Tour Dates

1/14 Boca Raton, FL Sunset Cove Ampitheater

1/15 Saint Petersburg, FL Jannus Live

1/16 Lake Buena Vista, FL House of Blues Orlando

1/17 Atlanta, GA Center Stage

1/18 Atlanta, GA Center Stage

1/19 Atlanta, GA Center Stage

1/20 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium

1/21 Memphis, TN Minglewood Hall

1/22 Birmingham, AL WorkPlay Theater

2/12 Seattle, WA Moore Theatre

2/13 Portland, OR Roseland Theatre

2/14 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore

2/15 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore

2/16 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore

2/17 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore

2/18 West Hollywood, CA The Troubadour

2/19 West Hollywood, CA The Troubadour

2/20 West Hollywood, CA The Troubadour

2/21 West Hollywood, CA The Troubadour