"We are building a religion"

Ah yes Cake. The catchy hooks, the hollow electric country-esque guitar riffs, the moving trumpet solos, the booty shaking beats, the sad lyrics put to happy music, and lead frontman John McCrea's vibra-slap in your ear. What more do you need?

I found Cake as a lot of people did with "Going the Distance" off of the Sacramento, CA group's second release Fashion Nugget in 1996. This track was all over the place and probably to this day still one of their most memorable cuts. However since that time I have kept up with this fantastic group during all 6 releases that they have to date. Yes that's right, 16 years performing and only 6 albums. So it goes without saying that when a new one gets released, it's kind of a big deal.

I first saw the group open for No Doubt on 4/28/97 in Birmingham, AL. What a fantastic display of energy and cohesiveness; and No Doubt was pretty good too. Anyway.

We will now turn our attention to 2001's Comfort Eagle. The fourth release from the band fell straight in line with previous albums and debuted at #13 of the Billboard 200. Not bad for a group singing songs about love gone wrong and political undertones. Let's take a look at what we've got:

"Opera Singer"- Pretty straight forward, an opera singer who is and knows exactly who he is and that he's a good opera singer.

***Disclaimer: for those that don't know, many of Cake's songs are completely easy to sing along with. Just so ya know***

"Meanwhile, Rick James"- an odd ball tune of sorts, but hey, it's Cake.

"Shadow Stabbing"- one of my favorite upbeat tunes from the group that tells a peppy little story (my guess) about a guy in jail writing about how he'd like to get out of the slammer and go stab someone. But the words "Say it all, say it all".

"Short Skirt and a Long Jacket"- Ah yes, the hit single! If you haven't heard this song then you have been living under a rock. It's just about a guy who's pretty picky about the women he dates. One of the best things about this tune is obviously the video: Robert Clark is my favorite test subject by the way

"Commissioning a Symphony in C"- about a lonely Austrian nobleman that writes a symphony that no one really pays attention to.

"Arco Arena"- how many songs do you know that are written about a sports and event complex? Exactly.

"Comfort Eagle"- a clear cut (or is it?) political statement probably about 'the man' or 'the system' and how commercialization has ruined religion OR- Is is about a crazy guy that "calls you dude" and "grooms his poodle"? I have no idea, but it's silly, and I like it!!

"Long Line of Cars"- I feel this tune is a love song and a metaphor about how relationships get things that build up between partners. Call me crazy

"Love You Madly"- don't get excited Doors fans, it's not a cover tune, but yet an oddly phrased 'let's get it on' love song including lyrics like "All the dishes rattle in the cupboard when the elephants arrive". Regardless, Cake likes to think of it as theme music to a cook-off show featuring celebrity chefs Rick James, Phyliss Dillar, and the Gourmet Chef.:

"Pretty Pink Ribbon"- could be a jealous notion that if the girl in the song wasn't a girl, then she couldn't get free tickets or wear tight denim---OR--- could have a cancer spin stating that the pink ribbon protects her from the weights that cancer brings with it. You decide.

"World of Two"- lyrics: "there's only room for you, in your world of two". Here McCrea goes on about how his partner seems selfish in the relationship.

So if you look at this release on paper, pretty weird stuff huh? But it keeps us Cake fans coming back for more. I listen to this record in heavy rotation BUT........

This one's going into iTunes.

Gotcha, I have two copies! I'm not giving up any of my Cake collection.

"You're either with us, or against us"- John McCrea