Music Review: Can't have your Cake and Edie, too!

courtesy of my blog: http://cjferrara.blogspot.com

Get it? Cake, and Edie? Anyhoo...

I was first introduced to the band Cake last year. I saw this iPod ad which featured a song that sounded a bit familiar. At the very end, it was revealed that I was listening to the theme song from "Chuck." Now, I LOVE the theme song to "Chuck." It's got funkiness and sets the tone for the series perfectly. But who did that song?

Then, Napster had a playlist of TV theme songs. I thought it would be amusing, so I downloaded it. Final track, wouldn't you know... "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" by Cake; the same song from the ad; the theme from "Chuck." This soon became my favorite song. And I started to imagine how awesomely creative the band was that came up with the clever lyrics, and loopy, funky grooves behind them. So, when Cake's new album, Showroom of Compassion came out last week, I checked it out. I had seen appearances on "Conan" and Jimmy Fallon, and I liked the single, "Sick of You." In this, my little Napster Project, I test out one song from each new album, so I downloaded the second track, "Long Time." Not bad. So, I then tried out the whole album. And as I listened I realized something.

Having that "Sound" in a groovy song, like "Short Skirt/Long Jacket," makes for great listing. That same "Sound" spanned out over 12 songs... not so much. Clever lyrics gave way to dumb lyrics that are intentionally provocative so as to seem poetic, (Such as in the final track "Italian Guy.") And the pseudo hip-hop-y loopiness of the backing tracks gets old after the 3rd or 4th tune. The talking on pitch that substitutes for singing, yecch! In "Short Skirt," the solo trumpet part is a welcome, much needed addition to the overall groove. But that trumpet featured in EVERY SONG, not so welcome.

The beauty of Napster to Go, though, is that I can keep "Sick of You," and "Long Time," I can even keep "Short Skirt," and just delete the rest. There was a time where I'd have to shell out $16 for an album on which I only liked 2 songs. Now, if I bought these tracks, $1.98.

So, I moved on to another album that came out this week, the new self-titled album from Edie Brickell. Remember her? From New Bohemians? I'm reminded of the inherent sexism in the music business. When Aimee Mann did her first solo album, I remember the question hovering in the air, will she be as good without 'Til Tuesday? Little did we realize, Aimee Mann WAS 'Til Tuesday. Nobody thought, "Rob Thomas, will he be any good without Matchbox Twenty?" Of course he will, he's a guy. So, why do we think, "Edie Brickell,  will she be any good without New Bohemians?"

Turns out, it's a really good album. And here's the inherent difference between her and Cake. Cake is trying so hard to be quirky and unique. Edie Brickell is just being herself, and she really IS quirky and unique. If you remember "What I Am," you, no doubt, remember her unique singing style. In Cake's case, that sound in every track can get irritating. But Edie uses it to let the soul of the music shine through.

I tested out the first track, "Give It Another Day." it seemed like it was going nowhere, but then the hook comes in and satisfies. All the songs are great, but standouts are "Pill," "Waiting for Me," and "You Came Back," which abandons the rest of the album's folksy sound in favor of a slightly more produced pop track. It all works, and it will probably become one of my favorite albums.