Don't fool yourself, Cake is metal. No, not in the sense that they wear skintight black (faded) jeans tucked into pristine white hi-tops with big tongues and an Overkill t-shirt. They're more metal in the way that they just don't give a shit and never follow trends. They're basically the Pro-Pain of the AltCountryBonarooHippieSmellypeople World. Same record every time, but I'll be damned if I don't have all of em!
I'm on their mailing list, which is mostly politics and such. Hey, I hate Bush too. Most good musicians do. Anyway, us list members got the opportunity to pre-order their then-upcoming B-Sides and Rarities disc, wonderfully titled B-Sides and Rarities. It was only after I saw it used at Permanent Records in Brooklyn a few weeks back, that I even remembered I ordered the damn thing in the first place.
Well it arrived last week and I just got around to listening to it today. The album flows like a regular full-length (which only a few rarities comps can say, ie: Life Of Agony's "1989-1999, Megadeth's Japanese import of "Hidden Treasures", Clutch's "A Slow Hole To China") and proves just how metal they are. The disc kicks off with a cover of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs". Best cover of "War Pigs" ever, and Faith No More is my favorite band. Their cover doesn't hold a candle to this. It's done in the traditional Cake way: 70's easy rock drum sound, thumping basslines, retro guitar licks and a trumpet solo to take the place of Mr. Iommi. Blashphomy some might say. Fuck them. This rules. I thought it might suck, but it blew me away.
Cake has always been consistant. Some records are better than others (Best: Fashion Nugget, Comfort Eagle) but they don't ever let down and they always put just enough sex, humor and underappreciated musicianship into their songs.
They did a fan video contest for "War Pigs". This my favorite one so far:
And the classic "Friend Is a Four Letter Word" clip...
No comments:
Post a Comment