The Sea And Cake Coolly Captivate, Broken Social Scene Exuberantly Motivates
By Michele Lenni in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 4, 2010 6:00PM
Saturday was a night where we were taken on a journey through musical extremes at the Riviera when The Sea and Cake's lackadaisical approach nicely juxtaposed alongside Canada's baroque-pop collective Broken Social Scene's energized and exuberant set.
The Sea and Cake, a band best known for having members of the Chicago experimental musical institution Tortoise and critically hailed solo-artist, Sam Prekop, took to the stage on this rainy, cold October night to play songs that relaxed us into submission. The band submitted their jazz and '90s indie formula to a restless crowd of aging hipsters to minimal applause and interest. Yes, we understand that this is Sea and Cake's usual fare, but it seemed a great deal of the audience couldn't wrap their brain around that particular sentiment. Most of the set was filled with songs from their 2008 record Car Alarm accompanied by conversation and the audience's waning interest for their more intellectual and reserved brand of music. We suspect the main reason for this was most of the crowd was there for the more spirited sounds of headliner Broken Social Scene.
We have to admit, though we were really excited to see Broken Social Scene at The Pitchfork Music Festival, we were disappointed with what came to pass there, mainly due to sound problems and other technical difficulties that plagued the band's set. This time around every extraneous technical component was in place and the band played a pitch-perfect set for the enthusiastic sold-out audience.
Enthralling doesn't even really begin to describe the band's hour-plus, sonically charged set. Two drum kits, four vocalists, guitar, drums, bass, horns and strings made for an explosion of sound that had the band members leaping across the stage and audience members singing and clapping along with the band's canon of songs. We thrilled that the majority of the set was comprised of songs off the bands pop-tastic 2010 release, Forgiveness Rock Record. Highlights included staples off the new effort including Texico Bitches, World Sick, Chase Scene and the album's thematic anthem, All to All. The radiant Lisa Lobsinger and Kevin Drew's harmonies soared above a cacophonous collision of sound that had the audience just as passionately engaged as the musicians themselves. Definitely one of the most exciting shows we've seen in 2010 thus far.