The Sea and Cake appreciation thread (1 Viewer)

[travispickle]

Have to agree on the whole Chicago scene thing; loved it too. Tortoise, Chicago Underground duo/trio, Jim O' Rourke - O' Rourke's Eureka is a great album, I still play it fairly regularly. That Jeff Martin (? think thats right) album Spoons, owes it big time.
I only have 'the fawn' - meh; just didn't do it for me at all.

 

[nlgbbbblth]

heh

a guy in HP used to swear to me that I would this record

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chicago_Transit_Authority_(album)

should probably check it out

That's an amazingly good record. Especially considering it's a debut.

The golden era 1969 - 1978 is soooooooo far removed from the 1980s power ballad stuff that people tend to associate them with.

I'll do you a copy of CTA. Would be interested to see what you think.

 

[billygannon]

Didn't they do that Oui album. That's pretty cool... they're like a nice pair of trousers.

 

[potlatch]

Here, why did I only find out about this thread now?

Dang it.

I *heart* the Sea and Cake. The Biz still does it for me, every time. A love that will never die. Any chance they'll come over?

 

[Nate Champion]

I once had a copy of 'Nassau', was really into it. I lost it though.

I think they're pretty good, but the records sound very polished and slinky.

However, their guitarist Archer Prewitt is an amazing songwriter and his voice - ah, stop! His album 'Wilderness' is a beauty. I lost that too though.
He played support to Grubbs a few years back in Whelans during the day on a Saturday. He was quite good, although I wasn't that familiar with him at the time.

I must try and track down that 'Three' album.

Never heard the Shrimpboat. But there's time yet.

 

[Jerry Twig]

I appreciate the Sea and Cake very much indeed.
However, they are not as good as Arcwelder and this thread is longer dammit.

 

[mitochondrian]

i know i'm a bit late but i also love the sea and cake prolly in the top three fave bands.all the albums i have are amazing.oui, one bedroom, the fawn the sea and cake and the glass ep all excellent.sam prekops solo stuff is cool too.that song on the double velvet toilet paper ad where everyone is falling asleep in the factory is him.

 

[Nate Champion]

I've only heard Prekop's stuff in other people's gaff. It's pleasant enough.

What about Prewitt's other band the Coctails? I have one album. I'd say I'd be interested in more of their stuff. Anyone get their boxset that came out last year?

 

[bogmanfan]

I once had a copy of 'Nassau', was really into it. I lost it though.

I think they're pretty good, but the records sound very polished and slinky.

However, their guitarist Archer Prewitt is an amazing songwriter and his voice - ah, stop! His album 'Wilderness' is a beauty. I lost that too though.
He played support to Grubbs a few years back in Whelans during the day on a Saturday. He was quite good, although I wasn't that familiar with him at the time.

I must try and track down that 'Three' album.

Never heard the Shrimpboat. But there's time yet.

I was never a huge Sea and Cake fan, but Three by Archer Prewitt is a cracker.

 

[Vinnie]

I think Sea and Cake both deserve appreciation threads of their own.

I bought CTA a while ago (as a Chicago fan) and I nearly smashed the stereo trying to get it off as quickly as possible.

 

[Pantone247]

I think Sea and Cake both deserve appreciation threads of their own.

I bought CTA a while ago (as a Chicago fan) and I nearly smashed the stereo trying to get it off as quickly as possible.

I really have to hear this record...

I'll drop you a line nngglbth once I get Ivor on a disc for you

 

[nlgbbbblth]

I bought CTA a while ago (as a Chicago fan) and I nearly smashed the stereo trying to get it off as quickly as possible.

what did you not like about it?
II, V and VII are my favourites.

 

[psycho]

Have to agree on the whole Chicago scene thing; loved it too. Tortoise, Chicago Underground duo/trio, Jim O' Rourke - O' Rourke's Eureka is a great album, I still play it fairly regularly.


One of all time favourites.'Something Big' says it all!!

Keith
http://www.myspace.com/psychonavigation

 

[barrypeak]

my favourite records in this general area are directions in music (bundy k brown's band) and the third rex album.
the sea and cake are great. i also rate the two sam prekop records but the one by archer prewitt is horrible.
i know it was a while ago but if you like the whole chicago thing you should check out the photos on the touch and go site from their 25th anniversary show. v strange seeing scratch acid and big black as old(er) men.
​

 

[bogmanfan]

my favourite records in this general area are directions in music (bundy k brown's band) and the third rex album.
the sea and cake are great. i also rate the two sam prekop records but the one by archer prewitt is horrible.
i know it was a while ago but if you like the whole chicago thing you should check out the photos on the touch and go site from their 25th anniversary show. v strange seeing scratch acid and big black as old(er) men.
​

Agreed. The Directions album is fantastic. On a side note, since lots of people have mentioned Jim O'Rourke, have ye heard the album he made for Mego? Blissful stuff...

 

[Nate Champion]

Ditto for the Directions in Music album (came out in '96). An unsung gem. Doug Scharin and Ken Brown (as I believe he is known now) -sure you couldn't go wrong.

Rex are o.k, never clung to me.Some gems there too though - like that version of 'Further Along' with Curtis Harvey and his mom.Sweet. I have that 'C' album. Jesus, Doug Scharin sure did play in a lot of bands.

Anyone for Pullman?

 

[bogmanfan]

Yeah, loved the first Pullman album, esp. tracks 1 and 7. Absolutely gorgeous stuff. Wasn't as keen on the second one. On a similar note, first Brokeback album was superb, not so keen on the other 2.

 

[Nate Champion]

Yeah, loved the first Pullman album, esp. tracks 1 and 7. Absolutely gorgeous stuff. Wasn't as keen on the second one. On a similar note, first Brokeback album was superb, not so keen on the other 2.

Only had the second one - it got played a good bit. Once again a great line-up - McCombs, Brokaw, K. Brown, Harvey.

Brokeback's version of Running Scared is nice. I only had that album 'Morse Code in the Modern Age : Across the Americas' which features James McNew. Didn't get too much airplay, but it's nice for a change.

What about the band that members of Rex and Red Red Meat formed called Loftus, a once off album by the same name where they sent four different people into a room to create a song (they actually pulled the names out of a hat!)?The whole record was recorded in this fashion. Around 1996. Perishable Records reissued it back in 2001 and it's been enjoying a growing cult ever since. It's meant to be mesmerising.

 

[Nate Champion]

New album on the way.


ALBUM RELEASE DATE OF MAY 8, 2007
The Sea and Cake are back with Everybody, the band’s first full length in just over four years. The record finds the band continuing to perfect their singular brand of dreamlike, hot-buttered pop music that sounds delicately handcrafted, yet effortless all the same. Sheets of glowing guitar tones skip along propulsive percussion underscored by gently introspective bass lines, all adorned by breathlessly delivered lines of lyrical poetry. As always, the band is made up of Sam Prekop (guitar and vocals), Archer Prewitt (guitar), John McEntire (drums) and Eric Claridge (bass).
“It’s a rock album,” says Prekop, though its certain that only The Sea and Cake could make a rock album like this. Sam cites rock’s standard bearers The Kinks as an influence on this, “the most straight ahead, even ‘rootsy’ record we’ve ever made,” and one hears it right away in the driving opener “Up On Crutches,” with its dual guitars meditatively strumming and tolling like bells. The band has focused on bringing more of a live sound to Everybody, employing very little overdubs, and emphasizing sudden contrasts within songs. “A live cut and paste technique,” Sam says, borne out of the band’s meticulous songwriting process. The band moves away from their standard sound on a number of tracks here, including the jittery “Exact to Me” with its percussive guitar lines blending African highlife and rocksteady rhythms, and on the intimately spare “Lightning”, a song that went through several rewrites and, in the process, revealed the title of the album. “It was such a hard won battle, I don’t think most tunes would have stood up to such abuse.” The result is a hauntingly simplified song that serves as a fine centerpiece on this sprawling album.
For the first time in their 14-year career since their 1993 self-titled debut, the band has enlisted the recording efforts of someone other than McEntire, this time calling on the talents of Brian Paulson, a producer with a miles-long resume that includes work with Slint, Wilco, and TJ’s own Angela Desveaux, among hundreds of others. The change offered the band a chance to perform more as a unit without McEntire pulling split duties behind the board and the drumkit. “We came together with a concentrated effort, as a band playing the songs with total commitment,” Archer says. After rehearsing the songs for nearly a month, the band holed up at Key Club Studios in Benton Harbor, MI with engineers Bill Skibbe and Jessica Ruffins. “A kind of rock-and-roll boot camp,” Archer remarked of the studio known for its extreme isolation and lack of distractions. “We knew we were there to make an important record. We ate and slept there and did little else.”
Outside of the band, the members of The Sea and Cake continue their cosmopolitan pursuits apace. Sam released his second highly praised solo album in 2005 and will have a book of photography released by Press Pop Gallery in Japan. Archer has a grip of solo recordings under his belt, and has earned a reputation as a visual artist with his Sof’ Boy comic published by Drawn and Quarterly Press. Eric has also garnered high acclaim for his art and has a solo record in the works. When not running Soma Studios, John McEntire is playing drums with Tortoise and appears on the Exploding Star Orchestra record released earlier this year on Thrill Jockey. The band plans to tour both coasts in support of this record, and has a few festival appearances in the works for the summer months. The Sea and Cake have made a record for Everybody, and we’re excited to bring it to you.

 

[La La]

ever heard modest mouse's cover of jacking the ball? 'tis good.