By GARRET K. WOODWARD
Contributing Writer
BURLINGTON — Amid the vast abyss of "could be," "will not," and "has been," a small vestige of ensembles maneuver with a persistence and proficiency to withstand the choppiest of waters.
Riding high on their current tour, idiosyncratic alternative-rockers CAKE will be pulling into port at the Higher Ground Ballroom in Burlington on Sunday, Sept. 12.
"We still exist probably because we've always stayed outside of current trends, watched them inflate and deflate," said John McCrea (lead vocals/piano). "We've never been invited to the party, so we've never had to leave the party when the police arrived. It's a sad and beautiful world."
Along with McCrea, the quartet — which includes Vincent DiFiore (trumpet/euphonium/keyboards), Xan McCurdy (electric guitar/acoustic guitar/synthesizer) and Gabriel Nelson (bass guitar/electric guitar/rheem/bandalero) — recently put the finishing touches on their latest, self-produced record, due out in early 2011.
"I think real engineers know all about the equipment and by default find sounds that are sort of perfect in a textbook sense," Nelson said. "With musicians at the helm, it is more likely that a substandard sound is used in a way that a trained engineer wouldn't allow. But the results are more pleasing and expressive to musicians. Hopefully music listeners agree with the band instead of the trained engineers."
'I WILL SURVIVE'
Emerging from Sacramento, Calif., in 1991, the group quickly garnered a buzz within the underground scene, eventually heading west on I-80 toward San Francisco. Their unique brand of "country funk" evolved and found its own identity, especially through the trumpet of DiFiore — a sound that has become the band's signature.
"It takes strong songwriting, a consistent work ethic, an ability to adapt, and a recognizable sound to survive," DiFiore said. "Of the greatest importance is a band that has strong individualism, plus a strong recognition of the need to cooperate."
Though they found mild success on their debut record, it wasn't until the subsequent release of Fashion Nugget in 1996 that blew industry doors open with "The Distance" and an unusual rendition of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive."
With the 1998 release of "Prolonging the Magic" ("Never There," "Sheep Go To Heaven") and 2001's "Comfort Eagle" ("Short Skirt/Long Jacket"), the group secured their place among iconic rock acts. It is a position they hold on to with great pride and strength in moving forward into the next phase of their fascinating journey.
"I don't think hits matter. Hits are chewed on like gum and then tossed aside," Nelson said. "I think a song that moves the emotions or provokes a new thought is what is important. Finding a way to optimize the song, to present it or arrange it in the best possible way, that is the goal.
"If it's a hit, great, but who can predict what the world will like? It's all about competing against yourself."
