jeru

CAKE is a band defined by Americana, adopting various American styles and symbols of Americana into their music and style. The most notable symbol of which is the automobile, and is used many times like in The Distance, a broad metaphor for the race of life through vehicle wordplay; or Stickshifts and Safetybelts to at once represent another time that’sz since been lost and also romanticize it through the lack of “bucket-seats” in his “Malibu;” or Satan Is My Motor, a commentary on Christian values regarding sin by representing the intention behind the actions one can take through the vehicle’s motor being “internal combustion.” It’s obvious from this illustration that CAKE has a bit of a fascination with the automobile.

Another set of Americana symbols comes from their stylistic choices and their relevance to American music culture of the 60s and 70s. Funk and Soul elements are represented in the bass, the background vocals, as well as some covers they did, while the guitar often has a more Rock & Roll tone to the playing and sound of the instruments. It gives an interesting dynamic with the stylistic difference. The best example I can think of is The Distance in regards to the sound of each instrument lending its own piece to the puzzle. The drums hold down a great beat alternating open and closed hi-hats while the guitar plays a Zeppelin-esque riff with a good amount of distortion, and the bass is laying down a syncopated line that plays with rests and stuttering plucking. They’ve got a curious use of Country/Folk music elements too, such as on She’ll Come Back To Me with the slide guitar and the guitar riffage on Stickshifts and Safetybelts.