Cake: A unique blend of ingredients

Cake, with special guests Dieselhed, will appear 7:30 p.m. this Tuesday at Memorial Auditorium. Tickets can still be purchased on campus or at most BASS locations. Matthew Welch/Capricorn Records

On February 16, Cake rolls into town bringing its own brand of modern rock to the Memorial Auditorium. Their one night stop in Sacramento continues a successful tour that has led them around the globe in support of their latest album, Prolonging The Magic, a follow up to 1996's Fashion Nugget which contained the ever so popular surprise hit, “The Distance.”

For years, Sacramento was called home to the band, which became a local favorite on the music scene before it unleashed its unique style into the ears of music listeners around the world.

Many would think that a home cooked crowd would be a refreshing change for them, and an alternative to the demanding lifestyle on the road.

Surprisingly enough, Cake drummer Todd Roper, who spoke via telephone before a recent show in Houston, doesn't get the warmest of feelings when it comes to his hometown, despite having grown up in Sacramento.

“Sacramento is a soap opera I can do without,” said Roper.

Roper is referring to much of the negative attitude conveyed towards the band because of its growing success on the international music scene in the past few years.

“Many people want to say that we “sold out” because of our success, but the bottom line is that we've stayed the same about our music and who we are as a band,” said Roper.

Roper contends that Cake has probably lost a few fans from Sacramento along the way, but knows that the band has earned a lot of respect from some new ones, and he can't let the nay-sayers bother him.

The proof is in the pudding, or in this case the Cake, because the soap opera hasn't seemed to slow down the band one bit. Tickets for the Sacramento show are selling fast, and the album sales keep pushing upward. And, despite rumors of a possible disbanding of the group, or the worries of becoming a “one-hit wonder,” Cake has shed all doubters with its latest release which includes the catchy dance tune “Never There.”

Led by vocalist/guitarist/songwriter John McCrea and his signature deadpan voice, Cake puts forth a solid array of music on “Prolonging the Magic.” They continue in their tradition of blending rock, funk, and in some cases country to create a sound that is like no other.

“I know that John has a real love of songwriters, especially in country music, so guys like Willie Nelson and Hank Williams, Sr., not only helped to influence the lyrics, but helped to influence the music as well,” said Roper.

Roper attributes much of his own style of playing to his influence of the music he listened to while growing up. “I was a top 40's junkie,” Roper confessed. Roper even admitted that the only album he remembers listening to as a child was “Barbra Streisand: Live At Central Park.”

“I knew all the words to that album!” said Roper.

Besides McCrea and Roper, Cake consists of trumpeter (and graduate of CSUS), Vince DiFiore, and has added new bass player Gabe Nelson as well as new guitar player Xan McCurdy, who plays along side many other guitarists on the album, which include locals Tyler Pope and Jim Campilongo.

The band shifts gears at several points on the album, dealing with human motive and religion on “Satan is My Motor,” to love ballads like “Mexico.” What differs from their previous albums, is that the band is not afraid to try adding new elements to the music. This is evident on songs like “Mexico” which adds pedal steel and “Guitar” which is accompanied by a musical saw. These additions are definite signs of growth even though Cake has not strayed far from the overall sound that has made them successful-gritty guitar sound, trumpet and raw grooves.

“We just keep plugging along, trying to come up with new ideas, and hoping that they work,” said Roper.

The “live” sound on the album also helps to create a distinction of their music and is a nice alternative to the digitally enhanced and ultra-studio produced music you find on most albums nowadays.

All and all, Cake demonstrates with their words and melodies that there is still room in the world of rock music for at least one more.