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Lounge meets punk is the best way to describe the unique sound of the band called Cake. Even labeled the garbage can Sinatra, these four musicians have a singular sound that is all their own. Fashion Nugget was Cake’s second album released in 1996. The first track, "Frank Sinatra," is a dry homage to lounge singers. The next song, "The Distance," is the most famous on the record with a hard beating rhythm that is perfect for rush hour driving. The main themes on Fashion Nugget are cars and women, two things everyone can appreciate. "Friend Is A Four Letter Word" is a great little vicious song for people who hate people everywhere. "Open Book" is the next track, a song about the complexities of the creature known as woman and the men who can’t figure them out. Sarcastic and witty the song raises the insipid vocals up a notch with some great harmonizing between man and instruments. "Dharia" is the next track on the record and it is another love song of the Cake variety. Another traffic song comes next with "Race Car Ya-Yas." This track had some brief play on alternative stations across the country and is quite a fitting song for a band from Los Angeles. The album’s most notable song is "I Will Survive," an incredible cover of the Gloria Gaynor hit. This is how this song was meant to play, I’m not sure if it is a twisted tribute to disco or a sarcastic twist on it. Bitter, angry, and unyielding, this version lets the listener know that this is someone that doesn’t need to find strength, but already has it in the first place. This song alone is worth the cost of the entire album. Another notable track is "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps." One more notable cover on a tune from the ‘40s. "It’s Coming Down" is a menacing look into a romantic meltdown. "Nugget" is the album’s most punk intended song with a chorus of F-word anger; it’s also one of my favorite tunes on the record. There is also an edited version of this album for the faint of heart and the underage. I’m sure this song has been omitted entirely, it would be almost impossible to listen to in it's entirety. My favorite tune on Fashion Nugget is "Italian Leather Sofa," a lighthearted portrait of the loving couple, so shallow and so happy. I’m not sure weather these two are a drug running man and wife or just two yuppies living the life. Despite being virtually ignored, even by alternative outlets, this album has gone platinum. It is the kind of music that you either love or hate. But, with their unique sound and dry humor Cake created a rich tapestry of modern day love and manhood. --The Dude |
Regressive Music Review