Stickshifts and Safetybelts, yes. Love You Madly, no. Greg left after Fashion Nugget was released, and Prolonging the Magic was recorded with a number of studio and session guitarists. Of those, Xan Mccurdy, who was already well-known throughout the Bay Area for his work with The Loved Ones, eventually took the position permanently at the onset of recording Comfort Eagle. IMO, one of the best choices the band ever made.
Greg is actually credited as an arranger on Prolonging the Magic. I respect Xan but Greg had better ideas in my opinion. Otherwise, it was nearly a seamless transition.
@@theyeastinfection9871 I just noticed that recently. Several of the songs on Prolonging the Magic were songs from Cake's live sets going way back, and Xan plays Greg Brown's parts (at least I think so, I'm going by memory). I think "arranger" is what they gave Greg Brown because they didn't want to give him credits for co-writing the songs. But on previous albums, they did give him songwriting credit.
My mom heard me listening to "Stickshifts and Safetybelts" and said, "I didn't think you listened to country?" I said, "Cake is everything." 20-something years later, that's still true.
I think this is my favorite cake song, and it's their most crucial song to play, because it's absolutely without sarcasm or darkness. Like a gumdrop in a glass of acid. They need this ONE song to balance out all the hopeless hipsterism and criticism of our culture. This one is the one where the whole crowd goes."Oh, I can be excited and enthusiastic about love" This one is their cold glass of water. Awesome.
I first heard Fashion Nugget when I was ten years old. I remember Stickshifts and Safetybelts being my favorite track, and despite my questionable taste in the several years following, I'm proud to have been a Cake fan all this time. I miss those days.
When I was little my dad used to put this song on in the car and he would turn down the volume on the part that says baby and shout my name instead. For years I really thought it said my name in the song. We are going to play this song at the end of my daddy daughter dance for my wedding next year
One of the best songwriters today. Cake is really unknown for how good they are. its funny because they cover pretty much every style of rock and roll besides like real hard rock
Wahou!!!!!!! Sorry my american friends, I've just discovered this masterpiece!!!! Here in Europe we had Oasis, Blur, but I must admit Cake thousands levels above all the other bands!!!! I knew "I will survive" of course but as we say in France "ILS DÉCHIRENT"!!!!!!!
Have never heard of Cake before, but i like them. Their remake of Gloria Gaynor's "I will survive " is great as is this song Stickshifts and Safety Belts. I'm 56 and prefer Classic Rock music, but i am glad i found this group.
I saw them in College Station just after "the distance" came out, and they played a lot from their first album as well and I have loved everything since. I'll never forget how they made the audience sing "mastadon farm" in ROUNDS! middle, left and right, each singing the chorus in parts. In the DARK. It was so fun. Most fun I've ever had at a concert.
God i want to see them so badly, i fuggin love them. I had the chance to see them in 2005, but I was on a plane to New Hampshire the day they were playing. I was furious. Still haven't had the chance since then... :(
I love CAKE. The irony is almost too much, to see this band smack dab in the heap of the 90's grunge alternative college radio scene where the majority of teens and twenty year olds shun all that isnt Nirvana ect ect and here's CAKE right in front of them, blending in and killing it with rockabilly/country licks and a horn section.
JOHN McCREA - Lead vocals, Acoustic Guitar VINCENT DiFIORE - Trumpet, Keyboard, Percussion, background vocals XAN McCURDY - Electric & Acoustic Guitar, background vocals GABRIEL NELSON - Bass guitar, background vocals PAULO BALDI - Drums, background vocals. (if anyone wants to correct me, feel free..:o)
The Blue Lamp at Alhambra & N St.. Sign up for their mailing list and you will be in the loop :) Their music is just as fabulous, if not better, played live. Usually the local gigs are spontaneous, with only a few hours of warning beforehand. I did catch them at the Filmore for the Bill Graham benefit concert in January. It was my first time seeing them on a REAL stage outside of the bar....so AWESOME!!!!!!!
I think the best Cake trumpet solo is clearly toward the end of "Italian Leather Sofa" on Fashion Nugget. And by the way, I was at this show in the seccond row. It was an awesome show!
