The Sea and Cake: Greatest Band Ever?
Man oh man, I just can’t get enough of the Sea and Cake. I discovered them entirely too late…entirely. I had just found out about them last year, but they have been around since the early 90’s, releasing their debut self-titled album in 1994. A unique blend of light-hearted indie rock steeped in refined jazz sensibilities, and often accentuated using electronic instrumentation and production techniques, there is so much I like about these guys that I just had to dedicate an entire post to their music, which I listen to almost every day. There is a relaxing feeling that these tunes seem to exude, which lifts my mood no matter what. I could be down over the economy and the dismal job market, or any of my own numerous life problems, but when I hear these tunes it reminds me not to sweat the small stuff, to cheer up, and to do something productive.
First up is my favorite track from their debut release, the self-titled The Sea and Cake, which came out, as mentioned above, wayyyy back in 1994. If you look at this song in the context of the times in which it was created, and all the music that was going around at the time, the grunge rock that dominated the charts, the waning shoegaze sensibilities being heard in indie rock and the more post-rock sounds that seemed to have been taking over…this release existed without regard to any of that, it completely holds its own, and yet I feel like it was still able to gain a similar amount of acceptance and enjoyment, this self-titled debut would prove to be a very early harbinger of the beautiful sounds to come in following years.
After many years, with a release in 1997 (which I’ve posted a track from before) called The Fawn, the Sea and Cake sort of receded into a range of solo and side projects, including frontman Sam Prekop’s jazzier solo project (equally as appealing to my ears) and drummer John McIntire’s multi-instrumentalist work with Tortoise and drumming for Stereolab, among many others. The band returned to the studio to release Oui in 2000, which featured this single, Two Dolphins, an especially light-hearted little roller that incorporated a slightly more electronic feel than their initial sound 6 years prior.
The Sea and Cake continued recording and touring through 2004 until they went on another haitus, allowing band members to return to their individual projects, returning once again in 2007 to release Everybody. By this time, it becomes obvious that the band preferred not to release singles, electing instead to release their music in albums. This track is a markedly bolder statement, demonstrating the Sea and Cake‘s progressive evolution of incorporating electronic music, while still retaining their jazzier sensibilities, never compromising either. I really love the ending riff of this song, a triumphant-sounding indie rock lick that seems to capture the energy encompassed by that genre over the past decade or so. This interesting music video accompanies the track, I am still baffled at how they captured this footage and what exactly happens to the bird toward the end of the video…does anyone know?
Finally, we take a look at ‘s most recent release, 2008’s Car Alarm. This release brings us up to speed with where the band is at right now. You can still pick up on sounds they had been incorporating over a decade earlier, and yet the electronic thread heard in their music is stronger than ever. This track may have a little less of that than others on the album, but I find the ending progression in this song to be so undeniably, irresistably good, making it the perfect track to round out my selections for this post. With such an impressive catalog to date, and no signs of an end to this amazing music, I can’t wait to hear where these guys go next.
BONUS MODE: Ah what the heck, why not throw in another video with Crossing Line? This one is from their latest release Car Alarm, a more electronic selection from the album, and, as the track title suggests, a great track to kick off your Weekend. This video is rife with imagery from those childhood summers, it’s enough to take you back in time and remind you of the simple pleasures in life!
The Sea and Cake – Choice Blanket
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The Sea and Cake – Two Dolphins
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The Sea and Cake – Crossing Line
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The Sea and Cake – On A Letter
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The Sea and Cake – Crossing Line (video)
BONUS!! The Sea and Cake – Weekend (video)
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