Cake – Motorcade of Generosity
The members of Cake come off like folk hero badasses in second release of Motorcade of Generosity. This band manages to take genres such as rock, hip hop, folk, and blues to create a mash-up that is uniquely their own. Laid back vocals and carefree lyrics permeate the album, and definitely give hint at the band’s California routes. With a few exceptions, this album is a collection of songs that are put together well and showcase the band’s charisma.
What’s amazing about this album is how well it’s held up over the years. Hand this album to a stranger who’s never heard of the band. Make them listen, and see if they think the album came from 1994. I certainly wouldn’t think so. This album’s ability to sound ageless is one it’s strongest selling points, and I can really understand why the band would choose to unleash this on the public a second time.
The word charismatic definitely fits this collection of tracks. Songs like Comanche and Mr. Mastodon Farm have little to do with anything, but still manage to remain catchy and attention grabbing. The band has a way of making you want to get behind them, cheering them on regardless of what they’re saying. No song proves this theory more than Pentagram, a tune that may be the most upbeat portrayal of a satanic ritual. Artistic expression is great, but I feel this song would definitely turn any would be fans away, even in spite of it’s musical appeal.
The songs that have a more accessible meaning shine through and are key instances of musical greatness. Ruby Sees All is a flat out great song, in my opinion. Clashing drums fuse with an ingenious mix of acoustic and electric guitar, with John McCrea’s nonchalant leading the charge. It’s fun, feel good music through and through. Another song Cake should be proud of is Jolene. This song has to be played with sunglasses on. It’s a track that will get girls moving on the dance floor, and features a very cool breakdown towards the end where the band’s true energy is revealed. These guys know how to jam.
Throughout the album, Cake remains clever with its use of the trumpet. They find a way for it to take the stage at times, yet it never becomes too distracting in the background. The brass is haunting at times, cheerful at others, and never unwelcome. In addition, the background vocals also add tremendously to the album’s flare. The harmonies seemingly place you in the room with the band, as if they were performing for a small group of friends around a campfire. It’s an effect that works well, and they pull it off in a way few others have.
It’s been established that if I had one word used to describe Cake’s original album, it would be charismatic. If I had a second, I would choose pure. This album is pure. Motorcade of Generosity wears its heart on its sleeve, boldly so. You get a true sense of who the band is, and what they’re about. It makes you want to hear more. Luckily enough, there’s plenty more to hear already.
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Eating Us
Now, I’ve never taken acid before, but I could imagine that Eating Us, the latest album by Black Moth Super Rainbow, would serve an audible sampling of the psychedelic drug’s effects. Psychedelic is the exact word to describe the aural blend of electronic funk. Every instrument brought together to forge their standout music collaborates to numb your senses. You would be hard pressed to find music that can make you forget a stressful day at work more than Eating Us.
Distorted and dreamy vocals match with an ethereal sound, however they do not take the focus at any given point. The vocoder earns its paycheck with this record, keeping the emphasis on BMSR’s musical prowess rather than a particular message in any given track. This is especially clear in the album’s lead track, Born On A Day The Sun Didn’t Rise. The catchy beat and chopped drum introduction prepare you for a feeling or vibe rather than a song where lyrics take the stage. No one sets out to do anything more than accent the acid trip through space that you’ll find yourself on listening to the uptempo tracks on Eating Us.
The few lyrics there are in this album actually work against the overall draw for this reviewer. BMSR has worked hard to craft this hypnotic sound, and I feel like the nonsensical lyrics like ‘You and me / We’re going to melt away like apples in the ground’ pull me away from the electrically tranquil sound by wondering what the words are supposed to mean.
The structures used in Eating Us are sound and never veer too far off of the beaten path. The meat and bones of the tracks are where the genuine characteristics of BMSR shine through. The familiar skeleton to the pacing of these songs allow them to be accessible to a broad range of users. Songs like Dark Bubbles, Twin of Myself, could easily be described as hallucinogenic easy listening.
Other songs on the record remind me of my childhood. I swear Tooth Decay should have been in a Sonic the Hedgehog game. It has that consistent bass groove mixed with spunky keyboard patterns and enough edge to get my head nodding. This song gets kudos for energizing and sedating its listeners at the same time. Tunes like Bubblegum Animals and Iron Lemonade are slower but fit in with the voyage of speedier tracks just the same.
Black Moth Super Rainbow can consider their mission accomplished if their goal was to put out music that would take listeners to a faraway place. This music is great in the background of your day. I find this strength to also be one of its core weaknesses, interestingly enough. How music that’s best enjoyed while behind the scenes to numb your thoughts make itself the center of attention? That’s a question this album hasn’t managed to answer.
Post Honeymoon – S/T
Post Honeymoon consummates it’s vows with melodic vocals meshed with a decidedly Gothic flair to create a sound for a niche audience. This album delivers screeching guitars, haunting keyboards, precise percussions, and personal lyrics wrapped in a packaged intentionally frayed around the edges. Blending upbeat tunes with slower, more personal songs, Post Honeymoon offers listeners a fair sampling of what the band has to offer.
Post Honeymoon manages to maintain a consistent sound throughout their album while experimenting with a wide range of song structures. Dirge, for example, opens up slowly with harmonious vocals and a militant drum pattern before crashing in with powerful chords to give strength to the song’s lyrics. Eerie keyboard play adds gravity to the delicacy of the verses.
This is a sharp contrast to other songs like Fakes which grabs you by the collar and pulls you along for a ride filled with high pitched guitar wailing and a catchy drum pattern. Where other songs maintain a harmonious vocal style, Fakes boasts almost a witch-like weight that commands attention. In my opinion, this is the best song on the album and truly showcases the band’s talent. The band knows this also, as there’s definitely a noticeable extra oomph behind everything played here.
Other songs like Little Messes, while offering a more personal feel than some of the other songs, suffer from a slowness that costs the band some of the punch that’s prevalent in the louder tracks. The bar gets raised high with the more spirited pieces of the album, and it’s a shame to see some of the character and unique quality of the band’s music lost by what comes across on the surface as lazy and uninspired music.
Another perceived misstep are the lyrics, which can come as both a gift and a curse. The lyrics bravely lend a glimpse into the band’s personal life, particularly in Numbers and Lars. This is great in some instances, however there are times where the music seems to be by Post Honeymoon, and for Post Honeymoon alone. Artistic expression is a great emotional release, but there are times where the band seems to forget people besides themselves are listening. Lines like ‘Stick with me husband / We’ve got years to be as one’ are fine, and I get the idea behind them, but I don’t find much to relate there.
As a whole, however, Post Honeymoon does not disappoint on this outing. This reviewer would be interested in hearing more from them, however I would want more, also. A solid amount of potential can be heard in this collection of songs. There is a great start here, but I know they’re capable of more. Let’s hope the music continues after the honeymoon phase is over!
By Albert Hailey