Cake- Fashion Nugget

Fashion Nugget is Cake's second album. It was released in 1996, two years after Motorcade of Generosity.

Frank Sinatra is a brilliant opening song. It is almost an instrumental, and I really like the way it plays with layering whilst maintaining a laid-back groove. On the other hand, The Distance has a much more determined and energetic groove than most other Cake Songs, as driven by the lyrics.

I Will Survive is a great twist on Gloria Gaynor's hit- somehow the seriously funky bass and drums, deadpan lyrics and smooth trumpet combine brilliantly. Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps is given a similar treatment, although its fragmented style makes it less catchy.

There are also some silly songs which don't take themselves seriously: Friend is a Four Letter Word, Daria and Race Car Ya-Yas. Personally, I enjoy the gentle whimsy. Then things go completely silly with a tongue-in-cheek country song (Stickshifts and Safetybelts and She'll Come Back To Me) and waltz (Sad Songs and Waltzes).

As for recording quality, on the surface it sounds fine. But listen closely and it reveals itself as pretty lo-fi: the drum sounds lack polish, the bass can be muddy and in general it can sound pretty cheap and cheerful. Perhaps it's a deliberate choice to keep things lighthearted, but I tend deal with it by thinking of it as a live album.

It's hard to tell whether the heavy funk of Nugget is meant to be tongue-in-cheek or not. But they make the funk less serious for the tale of consumerism nirvana, Italian Leather Sofa, which results in my favourite Cake song.

It seems that history will remember the band Cake with Short Skirt Long Jacket off their 4th album,  however there are also many gems on Fashion Nugget.

Favourite songs

Frank Sinatra, The Distance, Open Book, I Will Survive, Stickshifts and Safetybelts, Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps, Its Coming Down, Italian Leather Sofa, Sad Songs and Waltzes

Would I Buy It Again?

Yes. It's unique, and fun.