Cake - Comfort Eagle
List Price:
Our Price: $5.11
You Save: $2.88 (36%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.00 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
CD Details
Artist: CakeEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2001-07-24
Music Label: Sony
Soundtracks:
- Opera Singer
- Meanwhile, Rick James...
- Shadow Stabbing
- Short Skirt/Long Jacket
- Commissioning A Symphony In C
- Arco Arena
- Comfort Eagle
- Long Line Of Cars
- Love You Madly
- Pretty Pink Ribbon
- World Of Two
Music reviews of Comfort Eagle
Music Review: Fantastic
Rating: 5 Stars
All things considered, Cake, the highly independent band of four albums to date, should be one of the highest ranked bands of all time. Cake is renowned to be the world's refreshing break from vast sell-outs, remixes, adrenaline and overall decreasing artist dignity for the past ten or more years, and their most recent album, Comfort Eagle, is no different -- as a matter of fact, it defines the band perfectly. Ranked by most fans as their most ingenious album yet, Cake is quickening it's once-slow ascent into the elite level - into the souls of modern music listeners who reject what is now often a sickening definition of "modern music." Between Slipknot's steadily decaying vocal chords and Blink 182's sound getting closer to the Backstreet Boys with every album, Cake, the "Goats" of recent music*, continue using their kooky instruments, continue using wry humor and intellect in their lyrics, and continue the once proud ideal that the best music comes from artists who don't change for anyone.
The messages that Cake incorporates into their songs are many and impressive. The title track is a mockery of a society where being a part of a collective growing "religion" that seems to have no ideals but a limitless line of products ("we are now accepting callers for these pendant key chains!") can make the member feel free, cushy and happy in a more "perfect" and united world, even while giving support to this growing corporate monster that squelches individual thought. The song is written with a heavy electric background and McCrea's whimsical "chants" in the foreground. The lyrics of this and other songs are the epitome of wit, cleverness and ironic articulation. Still, other songs simply describe ideas about life and how ridiculous it's rules can be: "Shadow Stabbing" is a theoretically autobiographical song about how McCrea feels when writing "outside the wall". Another, "Love You Madly" contains strangely direct poetic verse about how conflicted the whole idea of "love" is.
As great as the lyrics for these songs are, they would be nothing but rambling without a good solid medium to pass through and lace the album together. Therefore, what really gives Cake the step up above all else (holistically, of course) is it's sound. Many people I know don't even care about lyrics at all, because they sort of blank out thought when they listen to the music and let it touch them deeper. Even these people who can't appreciate Cake's lyrics (if you can't appreciate Cake's lyrics, you can't appreciate any lyrics, because McCrea is probably the most crisp and distinct vocalist I've ever heard) still wouldn't be totally disappointed by Comfort. They are stunningly innovative with the sounds they produce. Just about every song has it's own sound, style and feel. Cake seems very willing, in my opinion, to do whatever it takes to get the best sound: Trumpets, keyboards, moogs, maracas, piccolos, all coordinated in beautiful unison with regular instruments. It's almost embarrassing to point out how great such things sound.
Last, but certainly not least, I also have to mention the beautiful arc that each song builds. Many of my favorite "different" bands feel that to be this way they have to create lengthy anticlimactic songs. Sure, this is marginally successful, but it gets old a lot quicker than a well-structured song. Listen to this; I kid you not: Just about every song captures me with the same buildup technique. The song will start with a good beat and some creative sounds to get you into it, then the vocalist grabs you into his little world of lyrics with a good strong statement. His skill seems to flair up as the song progresses. This is when you hear what I consider McCrea's writing genious. Slowly, from this, the band's tune builds up powerfully, and I can only describe listening to a song 3/4ths of the way through as some kind of euphoria. It's like you're hearing everything that makes music music in a huge blast. Just about every song blew me away, even if for only a few seconds. Note that this probably can't quite be captured by MP3's. As much as I enjoyed listening to MP3's before I got it, I could only bask in the way it sounded when I got the CD. Do I sound like a salesman or what? After listening to 2 tracks, neither of which I had heard before, neither of which were famous, I found myself thinking Even if this album wasn't 1/3rd hits, I'd still be okay with listening to this. I've rarely been so satisfied.
To conclude a lengthy preach on these pariahs' perfection, Cake may not be extreme enough for some people, and I'm sure they expected that in making it. You can't headbang to it, nor can you really dance to it. Not everyone will make sense of the lyrics and not everyone will like the wide variety of strange sounds the album produces. But I know I'm not (I can't be) alone when I say that there's something very charming and classy about the way Cake approached this album. They don't get inspiration from what's Bangin' the Charts on MTV, they don't want to bring back The Grateful Dead, they don't breed a new type of teenage identity crisis. They aren't necessarily part of a great timeless legacy or a revolution. But. If art was just speaking, and all artists wanted just to be heard, the world would be full of rebellious screamers, lost mumblers and shrewd manipulative politicians. In the middle of the chaos, there's Cake, just talking like a normal person. While the screamers demand attention, the mumblers demand pity and the politicians demand resistant willpower, Cake demands nothing, and if they keep on talking a crowd will gather, marveling at how simply and crystal clear they did what was impossible for so many others. Cake is pure art to those who seek it.
A+
Update March 19, 2005: As my music collection expands my views on things change slightly.
There are a few drawbacks that have become apparent in Cake's style after many, many repeated listens. The biggest is overconsistency; most of the songs have the same general intruments used in their (what I now consider) fairly minimalistic approach. I'd say my original review was probably a bit overdramatic; the music is closer to "fun" than "brilliant."
A-
Description of Comfort Eagle
All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.Alternative Rock CDs
Music Genres
Bestsellers in Alternative Rock CDs
Bouncing Souls - Maniacal LaughterRelease date: 1996-01-26; Music CD
Best price: $30.00
Blondie - Parallel LinesRelease date: 1994-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $149.98
Doors - L.A. WomanRelease date: 1993-04-09; Music CD
Best price: $99.99
Amon Duul - Phallus DeiRelease date: 1997-04-08; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Tangerine Dream - MelroseRelease date: 1990-10-02; Music CD
Best price: $74.98
Tangerine Dream - Private Music of Tangerine DreamRelease date: 1992-11-10; Music CD
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops:
![Ska Explosion [VHS] Image](/images/Ska-Explosion-VHS-6303381014-X.jpg){kind=small}
Ska Explosion [VHS]Cleopatra; Release date: 1995-02-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
![Little Earthquakes [VHS] Image](/images/Little-Earthquakes-VHS-6302488664-X.jpg){kind=small}
Little Earthquakes [VHS]Atlantic / Wea; Release date: 1992-11-10; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.50
Price in other shops:
Exileby Geoffrey Oryema
Music CD
Best price: $4.95
![Louder Than Live [VHS] Image](/images/Louder-Than-Live-VHS-6301627865-X.jpg){kind=small}
Soundgarden - Louder Than Live [VHS]A&M Video; Release date: 1991-07-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $202.44
Similar CDs
The Strokes - Room on FireRelease date: 2003-10-28; Music CD
Best price: $4.19
Price in other shops:
Strokes, The Strokes - First Impressions of EarthColumbia; Release date: 2006-01-03; Music CD
Best price: $5.84
Price in other shops:
Foo Fighters - Colour & The Shape (Exp)RCA; Release date: 2007-07-10; Music CD
Best price: $6.72
Price in other shops:
Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album)Release date: 1994-05-10; Music CD
Best price: $5.11
Price in other shops:
Cake - B Sides & RaritiesRelease date: 2007-10-02; Music CD
Best price: $6.44
Price in other shops:
Cake - Showroom Of CompassionRelease date: 2011-01-11; Music CD
Best price: $9.25
Price in other shops:
Cake - Pressure ChiefRelease date: 2004-10-05; Music CD
Best price: $12.87
Cake - Motorcade of GenerosityRelease date: 2009-06-09; Music CD
Best price: $6.57
Price in other shops:
Cake - Prolonging the MagicRelease date: 1998-10-06; Music CD
Best price: $5.54
Price in other shops:
Cake - Fashion NuggetRelease date: 1996-09-17; Music CD
Best price: $4.84
Price in other shops: