Amanda Palmer - Goes Down Under (Album Review)

AMANDA PALMER * GOES DOWN UNDER

(Liberation)

The ever-quirky Amanda Palmer has been on a whirlwind as of late. Between her solo career, her work with Dresden Dolls or her side project/circus act/delusional nightmare Evelyn Evelyn, she hasn't slowed down in years. Her latest is another concept album of sorts, but nowhere near the oddity that was last year's Evelyn Evelyn record. Goes Down Under's concept is simple. Australia. Why not write an entire record about Bindi Irwin's homeland?

Goes Down Under starts with a handful of cheeky live songs, just as you'd expect from Palmer. "Makin' Whoopee" is simple in both its lyrics and its structure. For anyone that's had the terribly terrible terribleness of Australia's condiment of choice, "Vegemite (The Black Death)" is a standout track. Palmer begins with a sad, contemplative piano and lamenting lyrics before she bluntly declares (in front of an Aussie crowd, mind you), "it tastes like sadness, it tastes like batteries, it tastes like asses. I cannot hold a man so close who spreads this cancer on his toast." Palmer's always had a knack for comedic musicianship, and she shines in that role. It's unfortunate that the rest of Goes Down Under doesn't follow on the same track.

"Map of Tasmania" featuring The Young Punx comes across as a modern electro-cross between Chumbawamba and OMC. No piano, no ukulele, completely out of place. Luckily Palmer comes back with that ukulele on "In My Mind" and gives us that signature introspective look at her life, completely opposite her Twitter feed (which I had to block...sometimes she just doesn't shut up). Still, the curious choice of these two pre-recorded songs at this point in the record boggles my mind. It's as if Palmer needed a brief respite before hitting us with the next batch of live songs, beginning with "Bad Wine & Lemon Cake," a solid collaboration with Tom Dickins of Jane Austen Argument, Australia's answer to the Dresden Dolls.

But then, another in-studio recording, which immediately takes Palmer's charm out of the album. If she wanted to release a live album, she should've done it in full...not half-hearted tracks sprinkled throughout.

Palmer's a natural frontwoman with a weird aura you can't help but love, but that  is only showcased on about half of the new record. It might behoove her to tone down her release schedule and combine the best parts of each of her records into one solid output...and lay off the concept albums for awhile.

Grade: B-

Destroyer - Kaputt (Album Review)

DESTROYER * KAPUTT

(Merge Records)

For anyone that's followed Dan Bejar's career, they know him to be an eccentric artist who has always marched to the beat of his own drum. With Kaputt, his latest release under the Destroyer moniker, he relishes the opportunity to boast this preconceived notion of him.

Kaputt is a bit tamed down compared to Destroyer's last few releases. This definitely focuses more on Bejar's mastery of the English language than on musical accompaniments. First and foremost, Bejar is a poet...and Kaputt highlights just that. At times, Kaputt seems less like a Destroyer record and more like a soundtrack to a Red Shoe Diaries reboot. Translation? My 13-year old self would like this as much as my current self.

While some of Destroyer's releases of late (i.e. Destroyer's Rubies and Trouble in Dreams) have had  folk-like arrangements to complement Bejar's vocals, the musical accompaniment on Kaputt leans more towards synth and tamed down drum loops with the occasional shot of brass. Destroyer has always been about Dan Bejar the wordsmith, not Dan Bejar the instrumentalist...his vocals have a way of softly massaging your scalp, soothing your mind and putting you into a welcome trance. You know that feeling when you set out butter for just long enough, where it sort of melts as you're spreading it on your dinner roll? That smoothness is what Bejar embodies. For a dude that would not have a difficult time dressing up as Sideshow Bob for Halloween, that's an impressive feat.

Kaputt is not going to be a radio album, because Dan Bejar doesn't write radio singles. The almost 8 1/2 minute "Suicide Demo for Kara Walker" melds Bejar's lyrical style with one hell of a musical intro that goes by all too quick and culminates in a gorgeous duet. The title track, although a bit monotonous, provides an appropriate backdrop for looking out a picture window on a cloudy, slushy day. "Chinatown," "Blue Eyes" and "Poor in Love" aren't going to knock your socks off, but they also won't make you feel guilty for sitting on your couch while Bejar's words have their way with your cochlea. Why Bejar opted to close the [non-vinyl] album with a redux of 2009's "Bay of Pigs" is a bit beyond me, though. It would've been more appropriate to maybe give us something a bit more sped up, especially since he's always been keen on the bait-and-switch musical mentality. The BPM commonality throughout Kaputt gives off a bit of a Gayngs feel, and one can only handle so much of that.

Kaputt isn't a record that will put Destroyer on any new level, but it's definitely an achievement. Dan Bejar has shown us that innovation comes naturally and surprisingly easy.

Grade: B+

Ben Folds @ First Avenue 1/23/11 (Concert Review)

Anyone that's seen Ben Folds in concert typically knows what to expect when he makes his rounds throughout the country. Raucous piano mixed with enough cursing to make Mr. Pink blush have always been his trademark, and last night at First Avenue, that tradition stayed intact. Ben Folds has received a ton of press lately...maybe the most he's gotten his entire career. Thanks to Lonely Avenue, his recent collaboration with wordsmith Nick Horby, and the a capella centric competition The Sing Off, the horn-rimmed heartthrob turned host has been introduced to a whole new generation of fans. Being that I've seen him (or his dearly-departed "Five") a solid eight times, I went in with some higher expectations than much of the sold out First Avenue crowd.

After Sing Off Runner-ups Street Corner Symphony surprisingly got the crowd buzzing, Folds took the stage with every intention to showcase Lonely Avenue heavily. He kicked off his set with "Levi Johnston's Blues," arguably the most talked about track on the new record, thanks to its digs at Sarah Palin, her uncoordinated daughter Bristol and the major toolbox for whom the song is named. 30 seconds into the song, Folds was improvising lyrics as his bass player was seen but not heard. After attempting to salvage the song, Folds just abruptly ended it, allowing for the tech crew to make the bass operational again. To fill time, he did the only thing that made sense....told us about a nightmare he had, which somehow involved Sting forgetting the names of his Police bandmates.

While Folds has been known to stop in the middle of songs, the technical difficulties on the very first one of the evening seemed to rattle him just slightly. The next few songs seemed a little shaky as he was trying to make up for what happened early on. He played a couple more tracks off the new record before he was able to get the crowd pumped again...and that was thanks to a cover...of Ke$ha's "Sleazy." Yup. You read that correctly. After Folds and the four musicians that accompanied him ripped through a rearranged version of a Top 40 hit, they really hit a groove. Excellent renditions of "Cologne" and "Still Fighting It" were followed by boisterous versions of "Effington," "Annie Waits" and "Zak & Sara."

As expected, Folds did his improvisational "Rock This Bitch" near the end of the evening, immediately followed by his biggest crowd-pleaser, the participation-warranted "Army." The quick encore that followed included "Rockin' The Suburbs," a brief and curious take on "Hava Nagila," and his go-to closer of late "Not The Same."

While the concert got off to a rocky start, Folds recovered admirably and provided the crowd an entertaining evening filled with at least 350 f-bombs. I can't say it was his best Minneapolis performance (and it's going to be hard for him to ever top his night with the Minnesota Orchestra on Halloween 2009), but he didn't disappoint.

Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean (Album Review)

IRON & WINE * KISS EACH OTHER CLEAN

(Warner Bros. Records)

One of the most anticipated albums of early 2011 is also one of the most surprising in its delivery. Over their [his] first three albums, Iron & Wine [Sam Beam] has certainly created a distinct image and sound. With his fourth LP, though, Sam Beam takes us in a new direction that doesn't feel forced, doesn't feel out of place and doesn't feel like we should be hearing anything else.

Kiss Each Other Clean cannot be pigeonholed into any single genre. Beam's distinct folky delivery is heard on each track, but this time around, the accompaniments seem to be the stars. Taking a page from the Sufjan Stevens playbook, Beam fills the background of much of the new material with some crazy sound effects, unique percussion and [yes] jazz flute....oh, and some of the best saxophone you'll hear in modern music since Morphine first (and last) hit the scene.

Many of us were first introduced to Beam's new direction with "Walking Far From Home," which also kicks off Kiss Each Other Clean. Its swirling vocals and shimmering soundscapes give way to an epic crescendo centering on a perfectly distorted organ. The rest of the new tracks also display the same kind of ingenuity. "Tree By The River" exudes the best kind of yacht-rock vibe, with the female back-up vocalists ideally complementing Beam's tenor. 

Looking ahead, "Half Moon" could be the new go-to wedding song for many a young couple sick of Ray Lamontagne's overexposure. For me, though, Kiss Each Other Clean shines when Beam loses himself in "Godless Brother In Love," a beautiful ballad featuring classical guitar & harp, a simple walking piano line and Beam's spine-tingling falsetto. Unlike previous Iron & Wine albums, though, we're not presented with a similarly structured song. Instead, out comes "Big Burned Hand," a funky little number that wouldn't be out of place on a Dolemite soundtrack.

As a closer, we're given the 7-minute masterpiece, "Your Fake Name is Good Enough." Somehow, Beam manages to tie together the varying themes of the previous 9 songs to wrap up the record in a driving jam that would pump you up for a wedding as well as a funeral. A simple handful of notes from a baritone sax is the curtain closer, yet we all know that the stage is just being set for Iron & Wine's new direction.

Grade: A+

89.3 The Current's 6th Birthday Party (Concert Review)

Over the past couple years, Minneapolitans (and you crazy St. Paulites) have become accustomed to The Current Effect. Ever since our beloved public radio station started pushing and promoting concerts a little heavier than in their infant years, those live performances have been selling out at a rapid clip, and it's created a lot of disdain in the local concert-going community that tickets have to be snatched up as soon as they go on sale. Boo-freaking-hoo. You can't have one with out the other, and I for one am thrilled with the amount of attention some of these bands & musicians have received on account of The Current. Last night at First Avenue, The Current continued to give back and be thankful for their success by presenting their [very affordable] 6th Birthday Party, which to nobody's surprise, sold out in about 22 seconds.

While it was a bummer that Cloud Cult had to bow out of the opening slot due to Craig Minowa's health, 11th hour replacements Trampled by Turtles filled in more than admirably...and provided fodder for some of the best tweets of the night (thanks to the #CurrentBday hashtag). While the manic Duluth bluegrass band blew through song after song and worked the early evening crowd into a frenzy, a tremendous amount of pride was in the air. We all knew that this was going to be a great night featuring our community's best. After absolutely shredding the stage with Current favorite "Wait So Long," the moonshine-sippers tipped their collective hat to the band they unfortunately had to replace on the bill, closing with a fantastic rendition of Cloud Cult's "The Ghost Inside Our House."

I'm pretty sure that once Trampled by Turtles left the stage, 86% of the First Avenue crowd instantly felt bad for Roma di Luna. They had some big overalls to fill, and despite getting the all-important Mayor R.T. Rybak introduction, they ultimately fell flat. After our ears were fiddled to oblivion, Roma di Luna just seemed a little out of place. Their sultry sounds are more than enjoyable, but it was one difficult room for them to play. The crowd did get into the closer "Before I Die," but it all seemed too little too late. Now, if The Current ever decides to expand their annual celebration into all of the building's digs, Roma di Luna would have been a perfect fit for a mid-evening set in the 7th Street Entry.

Jeremy Messersmith, arguably the strongest singer-songwriter currently calling Minneapolis home, was up next. And thankfully, he had the full band with him. After making the local television rounds Friday morning promoting the gig, Messersmith got to show off why The Reluctant Graveyard was one of the best local releases from 2010. With a slow and steady build-up that featured each of his band mates joining him onstage donning all white, Messersmith immediately grabbed and held the crowd's attention. Featuring a string quartet (or at times, trio) in the large majority of his set was the spectacled singer's wisest decision. His entire half-hour went all too quickly, but he made sure to enjoy the rest of the evening, culminating in this early morning tweet (via @jmessersmith):

3am. Trophy in hand. Slightly inebriated. Eating pie. Some days are too much rock and roll. Thanks for the love tonight Minneapolis.

The trophy he references was one of the many "Current Awards" handed out throughout the evening. Messersmith won for best album. Also staking claim to one of the bowling trophies handed out by Current DJs were Dessa (best local tweeter...who ripped off a sweet 140 character rhyme) and Adam Levy (best dressed...although he said his wife says he looks like a "blind Jewish man"). While the awards were fairly entertaining and made for some solid memories (i.e. Mark Mallman's "Weird" award), the presentations took a little too much time away from the music off the evening.

Enter Brother Ali. Taking the stage as if he rightfully owned it, the North Minneapolis rapper instantly gave the crowd a kick in the pants. After Messersmith's soothing set, Brother Ali brought the second wind many of us very much needed. Very few people can command a room the way Ali did, but two songs in, I resigned to the fact that I would do whatever he told me to. After his mic cut out during the third verse of "Fresh Air," Ali commented that he had always had that exact nightmare, but now that it happened, "it ain't that bad." He didn't skip a beat and ripped through rhyme after rhyme, song after song. Ali's positivity is indicative of the Minneapolis hip-hop scene, and he had to have won over a ton of new fans last night. To wrap up his set, he provided one of the more poignant moments of the night, covering the late Eyedea's anthem "Smile." Awesome.

By the time Free Energy took the stage a little before 1am, several hundred people had already decided to call it a night. They lose. The Philadelphia (by way of MN) party rockers proved why they were chosen to close out the evening. Opening, as expected, with their self-named jam, Free Energy were the perfect end to a night showcasing the Minnesota music scene. Not only did they feature a bunch of tracks from last year's Stuck On Nothing, but they also introduced us to the newly-christened rocker "Backscratcher," as well as a throwback from their Hockey Night days, complete with all original members on stage. By the end of their set, they really made the crowd thankful for the free earplugs supplied at their merch table.

Before Free Energy's set, Jill Riley teased a "special encore," which turned out to be an all-star rendition of the Lipps Inc. classic "Funky Town." Joining Free Energy on stage were Jeremy Messersmith, David Campbell, members of Roma di Luna and others. I know I'm not the only one that wanted to see Brother Ali come back on stage and lay down a few more rhymes during the breakdown, but sadly, that didn't happen.

As trendy as it's become to knock on The Current and its "effect," we all have to be thankful that we have a station that gives us nights like these. Five uniquely different acts for $12? Plus a copy of Local Current V1? Plus a young couple dry-humping in front of me during Free Energy's entire set?

Yeah, more than worth it.

Tennis - Cape Dory (Album Review)

TENNIS * CAPE DORY

(Fat Possum Records)

Husband & wife hop on a boat and set sail for 7 months down the Eastern seaboard. Upon their journey's completion, they sit down to write & record their debut LP. Yup, that's the [true] back story. Tennis has achieved a ton of buzz and anticipation surrounding their first full length record, but now that it's finally been released, we can see if any of that aforementioned hype is deserved.

Frankly, I'm still trying to answer that question myself.

All of the songs on Tennis' debut are well put together and charming, but like Best Coast before them, there's no discernible difference from track to track, and that makes me question the passion of the duo. It's true that lo-fi musicianship typically offers little room for variation, but Cape Dory is pleasant enough that you desperately want to see Tennis get to the next level; however, the whole record listens like one long plateau. From the opening "Take Me Somewhere" to the closing "Waterbirds," you definitely feel the vibe Tennis intended. The whole album gives off a certain degree of warmth, something that is welcomely out of place as we are currently nesting in Winter's nether regions.

I can see this being an album that grows on me. Maybe it's because of the season, but I'm just not quite ready for it yet.

Grade: B

Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde (Album Review)

SMITH WESTERNS * DYE IT BLONDE

(Fat Possum Records)

Over the past several years, there's been an unwelcome trend in rock music of not focusing enough on the guitar, which is arguably the star of that genre. Smith Westerns stick up a giant middle finger to that tendency with their sophomore record, Dye It Blonde. Kicking off the album is "Weekend," the first single, a punchy track that shows us just what we should expect from the rest of the record...perfectly fuzzy guitars, dreamy vocals and hook after hook after hook.

The way this whole record defies timelines is one of its most defining traits. Smith Westerns give us a history of rock & roll without forcing a vintage feel. The distinctive wailing guitar on the appropriately named "Still New" provides the soundtrack for what you'd expect to hear if you were lucky enough to make out with Jodi Kramer. Immediately following is "All Die Young," which gives us a 90s style singalong vibe, with pop sensibility that seems too easy to sound this good. After Smith Westerns fit us into a comfortable guitar-rich vibe, they then throw out "Dance Away," which would make even the squarest of squares tap his foot in rhythmic delight.

Every song on this record is perfectly polished, but not overproduced. We get a complete sense of what type of band they are, not what they think they should be...and the fact that the young Chicagoans still can't drink at their own shows makes this sophomore effort even more impressive. When I was a 20, I was befriending whomever had a fake ID or could loan me $5 for a keg cup...these babyfaces are making legit rock music and proving that they've got one hell of a future ahead of them. They win.

Grade: A

Smith Westerns - Weekend from Fat Possum Records on Vimeo.

The Decemberists - The King is Dead (Album Review)

THE DECEMBERISTS * THE KING IS DEAD

(Capitol Records)

In recent years, Colin Meloy has made it a habit of being unpredicatable. Just when The Decemberists were carving out a comfy little segment of the ever-fickle indie rock world with Picaresque and The Crane Wife, he went ahead and commissioned his fellow 12th-monthers to do the unthinkable...release the modified rock opera, The Hazards of Love. After that [surprisingly] satisfying experiment, one would think that The Decemberists would jump back to the feel of albums prior...well that couldn't be more incorrect.

The King is Dead is a far cry from The Decemberists of old. Trading maritime themes for songs of lament, anthemic arrangements for country twang, Meloy & gang show us that they really can do anything they want...and we will listen. From the harmonica-rich opening to R.E.M.'s obvious influence (which Meloy had said many times over would be prominent), The Decemberists crafted a record that will simultaneously please their existing fan base, while also exposing the Portland residents to a whole new crowd.

For anyone that follows Colin Meloy on Twitter, you know that he in no way lacks confidence or robust opinion. There are times on The King is Dead where I really wish that attitude would've shined through a bit more. The structure of the album is a bit puzzling as the strongest tracks are definitely placed near the beginning; it seems to lose a little steam as it goes on...or maybe I'm just expecting to be dazzled track after track. The song order can be forgiven, though, thanks to the brilliant choice of featuring Gillian Welch throughout the album. The casualness of her sultry vocals complement Meloy's perfectly.

The King is Dead can't really be classified a departure for The Decemberists, but rather just the next step in the guessing game that is their career.

Grade: A-

British Sea Power - Valhalla Dancehall (Album Review)

BRITISH SEA POWER * VALHALLA DANCEHALL

(Rough Trade Records)

Valhalla Dancehall sounds exactly like a British Sea Power record should. Moody yet energetic; calming yet loud. The band hasn't been shy at saying that their latest is their most ambitious record yet (although it's hard to imagine something more ambitious than 2008's fantastic Do You Like Rock Music?). When I listen to Valhalla Dancehall, though, I don't think it's really that ambitious compared to their previous records, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Heard throughout the record are the band's signature songs within a song. They have a way of crafting a pensive intro into a punchy verse into a reflective chorus into an enraged outro, all with a layered sound that makes it seem like 4 cloned Phil Spectors were all behind the soundboard, instead of out murdering actresses. Also pleasantly present is the band's love of tongue in cheek lyrics. Hell, when you hear "sometimes I wish that protesting was sexy on a Saturday night" in the opening track, you know you're not dealing with a band that takes themselves too seriously...maybe that's why Pitchfork hated this record so much.

The down points are when the band forgets about the sound that earned them praise in the first place. "Baby" is just out of place..it would have been better suited at half its length...and as part of another song. It's a good thing that "Living is So Easy" and "Observe the Skies" immediately pick up its slack.

Rumor has it that British Sea Power will be hitting the road and in Minneapolis late this March. I'm still kicking myself for opting out of their Triple Rock show a few years back, so time to make amends, because Valhalla Dancehall just oozes a solid live vibe.

Grade: B+

Wire - Red Barked Tree (Album Review)

WIRE * RED BARKED TREE

(Pinkflag)

In all fairness, and with full disclosure, I lack a decent amount of formal knowledge on Wire as a whole...probably because their first record came out a few years before I was born. During their formative years as a band, I was in my formative years as a human being. 'Nuff said.

Red Barked Tree is one of those records I expected myself to embrace. It's a backstory that I enjoyed reading. Post-punk pioneers getting back to their roots, in sound, style and substance. Sitting down, I cranked up the lead track "Please Take" and eagerly anticipated where this record would take me...then it was 20 minutes later, and I was still waiting for something to happen. Now the first half of the record wasn't bad, it was just kind of there. For an influential band such as Wire claiming that they were going to get back to their roots, this was not a step in the right direction. I persisted, because anyone that knows me knows that I must give an album a full two listens before I let myself properly critique it. The second listen for me didn't differ too much, although it did allow for a previously unnoticed highlight, the blistering 2:01 track aptly titled "Two Minutes." It's really a shame that this was just one of the very few bright spots in an overall lackluster record.

In a year where they're doing a substantial tour of the States (and are rumored to have an enviable time slot at Coachella), Wire better make up for their latest effort on stage.

Grade: C

Tapes 'N Tapes - Outside (Album Review)

TAPES 'N TAPES * OUTSIDE

(Ibid Records)

If you take the praise given to Tapes 'N Tapes since their 2005 debut, The Loon, and throw it on a line graph, it would look something like Katie Holmes' smile....super high at first, then steadily declining as it reaches the other side of the teeth, and for some reason it never goes back up. Something like that.

After the former Pitchfork darlings lost the love of the means-too-much indie rock blogosphere with 2008's Walk It Off, Outside was supposed to be their explosion back into credibility. The lead single, "Freak Out," proved that Tapes 'N Tapes still had it in them...that they knew how to break the right amount of ground while still maintaining a certain amount of pop sensibility. It's a damn good track and it got me super excited for the rest of Outside.

Consider my balloon popped.

While "Badaboom" is a good way to start a record, what follows doesn't deliver on its implied promise. "SWM" and "One in the World" just seem lazy...with the latter embodying some sort of wannabe Vampire Weekend tribal vibe at times. The curiously named "Outro" in the middle of the record really wants to be an epic jam, but the band decides to cut it short right when the guitars are at their angriest. For this being a self-released album, it seems awfully restrained.

There are a handful of really good songs on the album, but Tapes 'N Tapes would've been better off releasing Outside as an EP.

Grade: B-

Cage the Elephant - Thank You, Happy Birthday (Album Review)

CAGE THE ELEPHANT * THANK YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY

(Relentless Records)

I was first introduced to Cage the Elephant in August of 2009, when they held the opening slot at a State Theatre show featuring Manchester Orchestra and headlined by Silversun Pickups. My brother and I got there early (which is very much unlike us), right near the beginning of Cage the Elephant's set. I had heard a bit of 93X-ish buzz about the young Kentuckians, and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of verve frontman Matt Schultz displayed. At one point, the spastic leader climbed into one of the faux theatre boxes perched near the sides of the stage (ya know, the ones that are usually reserved for Statler & Waldorf) to perform a track...then he got stuck and had to be rescued by a not-so-glamourous crew member.

That aside, let's talk about their sophomore effort Thank You, Happy Birthday. While Cage the Elephant's collective stage presence is definitely positive, it does not translate on a recording. From the lazy opener "Always Something" to the unnecessarily over-the-top "Indy Kidz" to the sad attempt to be retrospective closer "Flow," Cage the Elephant really had no idea what they wanted to do with this album. Well, the one thing they did do consistently was create simple, repetitive vocal patterns on virtually every track which bore you into a daze. For a band that commands respect on account of their constant touring schedule, they really don't deserve much of it for this album.

Grade: D+

Cake - Showroom of Compassion (Album Review)

CAKE * SHOWROOM OF COMPASSION

(Upbeat Records)

Wait. Cake has a new album? Really? Let's take a look at what was going on the last time the loveable dessert-named quintet released new material:

1 - John Kerry was a Presidential hopeful

2 - Hurricane Katrina had yet to happen

3 - Evanescence was popular

Yeah, it's been 7 long years since John McCrea & company released Pressure Chief....and 7 short years since we all escaped Bring Me To Life. Cake's jump back into modern music was a slow and steady one, with Showroom of Compassion taking almost 2 years to write & record (all within Cake's earth-friendly studio, powered 100% by solar energy). A few months ago, the album's first single "Sick of You," started making its rounds, and upon first listen, I was immediately reminded why Cake has always struck a chord with me. Fuzzy guitars, bold trumpets, and that ever-present vibraslap were all there, along with McCrea's oh-so-noticeable talk-sing style. Despite McCrea's claims that this wouldn't be a typical Cake record, the first single proved otherwise...and that's ideal.

Starting off the album is "Federal Funding," a purposefully restrained tune that really feels like an appetizer...one of those small ones...like when you only get a half-dozen mozzarella sticks and all 6 people in your group want one. You know you're going to have to be patient with that first nibble, but it will all be ok because you know the courses that follow will fill you up and satisfy you more than additional mozzarella sticks could...the same mozzarella sticks that the jerks around you are consuming so feverishly....even though it was YOUR idea to order the mozzarella sticks in the first place. Yeah, that kind of appetizer.

Patience is a virtue, and Showroom of Compassion rewards that throughout. From the welcome back opening of "Long Time" where McCrea sheepishly declares "It's been a long time since I've seen your smiling face," to the poignant reflection of "The Winter," Cake gives us exactly what we want. Standing out above all the rest, though, is "Got To Move," with its [intentional?] ode to "A Groovy Kind of Love" (yeah, the Phil Collins version).

Despite the fact that a couple of the tracks seem a tad unfinished (which is surprising given the years that were put into recording), make it a priority to give this album some time. Seven years after Pressure Chief, it's as if Cake never left.

Grade: A-