There is absolutely nothing wrong with One Bedroom, the latest from Chicago post-rockers The Sea And Cake. Each of the album’s ten songs is the logical continuation of the band’s brand of blissful, heady pop. Sam Prekop’s vocals still melt into the guitar lines, and there is still that straight and clean guitar strumming that provides rich harmonic landscapes for downright beautiful melodies.
It’s hard, though, to advance beyond perfection, which was The Sea And Cake’s self-titled 1994 debut. That is, the band hasn’t changed much at all. Those who liked the formula The Sea And Cake have used from the beginning will probably enjoy One Bedroom—particularly the opening track “Four Corners” and its wonderfully tight instrumental, as well as John McEntire’s impressive drumming on “Hotel Tell.”
Anyone hoping for more than a recapitulation of 2000’s stunning Oui, however, will probably be disappointed this time around. The Sea And Cake fan knows quite well how the band can play, what they play and how perfectly they play it. But at this point, one would almost rather hear the band fail in the midst of an experimental disaster than stagnate in One Bedroom’s complacency. —Roger Rossier
Out Hud
S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D.
(Kranky)
There’s a lot of pressure to give Out Hud’s first full-length effort S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D. a flattering review. With several obscure vinyl releases over the past years, the band has built a cult following of indie hipsters and has accrued plenty of critical hype.
Indeed, S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D. is pretty good. Along with Phyllis, their trusty drum machine, the Sacramento-turned-NYC based quartet breeds unique and complex instrumental rock that might be described as post-rock given the remix treatment by disco-nouveau duo Metro Area. Though indie heads inevitably hail Out Hud’s music for being “danceable,” the band is neither as danceable or as explosive as their parent group !!! (pronounced chik-chik-chik).
Yet the tracks on S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D. are quite enjoyable in their own right. “Dad, There’s A Little Phrase Called Too Much Information” speaks to the band’s keen sense of texture and musical climax. The skillful interplay between Pope’s guitar, Molly Schinct’s electronically tweaked cello and Vandervolgen’s synth work is breathtaking. “The L Train Is A Swell Train And I Don’t Want To Hear You Indies Complain,” the twelve-minute genre-jumping epic that has garnered the most hype, exploits Schinct’s cello to pleasant effect at its conclusion. “Hair Dude, You’re Stepping On My Mystique” is perhaps the disc’s most exciting track and an embodiment of the band’s versatility.
S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D. is a beautiful and worthwhile listen, and quite original at that. Fans of !!! might bemoan the band’s relative lack of energy, but the album is sure to land more than a few “best of the year” accolades. —Roger Rossier