B Sides & Rarities

Cake | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 2, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Upbeat
• ASIN: B000TSTTYG
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,930 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #80 in Music > Alternative Rock > American Alternative > Post Grunge

Editorial Reviews

Since breaking on to the music scene in the early nineties, CAKE has not only survived, but thrived in a tumultuous industry where major labels have continued to merge themselves out of existence, indies are regaining power, and the average band's life span is a meager two albums. CAKE's distinctive brand of music has transcended scene and genre alike for over a decade, garnering the band several platinum records and a dedicated following. The band now brings forth a unique collection of "b-sides and rarities", their first release since 2004’s studio album "Pressure Chief". Songs on the album were originally sung by legendary singers such as Frank Sinatra, Barry White, Buck Owens, George Jones, Ozzy Osborne, and Kenny Rogers. The band has used these songs to find new creative elements within themselves, producing eloquently accomplished tracks that simultaneously maintain the band's own unique stamp. CAKE's "b-sides and rarities" comes complete with a collectible "scratch and sniff" CD package and features re-mixed and re-mastered tracks, plus an exclusive live bonus track of "War Pigs" with Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice companion, October 27, 2007

By 

E. DeCota (Buffalo, NY, 14150) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: B Sides & Rarities (Audio CD)

Cake is a band that doesn't break a whole lot of new ground. The production values have gone up significantly since their Motorcade days, but the overall sound is much unrefined, at least in spirit. This album is a collection of B-sides, meaning if you have done your homework, you should have heard most or all of this before. It contains almost entirely material that was not included on previous studio albums, and then a few live cuts. I really like their version of 'Strangers in the Night' as well as 'Subtract One Love (Multiply the Heartaches). Also notable are 'War Pigs' and 'Conroy' for some good instrumentation. Also it has a alternate take of one of my favorites 'It's Coming Down.' I will say again, most of this stuff you can find in other places but is fun nonetheless.

There are some live cuts that in my opinion, add very little to the album. 'Short Skirt' is a song I was tired of the first time i heard it, and 'War Pigs' is unecessary, even considering the Flaming Lips cameo. A studio take and a live take together on one collection is filler to me.

So I dunno buy the album if you like cake. Its not expensive. It's good. The liner notes smell nice.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I like it, but not a ton.., June 4, 2008

By 

William Hoffknecht "SC2NewSCast com" (Fernley, NV) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: B Sides & Rarities (Audio CD)

So I love Cake and have been waiting for this release for a long time, but I was sort of disappointed when I finally got it.

I like some of the covers, those are cool, but really, there is not much substance on this disc.

If you are Cake fans, pick it up because this is the first truly indie release by Cake since they got away from a horible record company and I will always support them, but if you are not that big of a fan, this is not a needed disc.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not A-Sides, But Collectively Worthwhile, November 16, 2007

By 

Robert Szarka (Norwich, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: B Sides & Rarities (Audio CD)

In addition to rarities and live versions of their own songs, Cake covers artists as diverse as Black Sabbath, Johnny Darrell, Piero Umiliani, Buck Owens, Frank Sinatra, George Jones, and Barry White! Depending on your perspective, the good or bad news is that all the tracks end up sounding like Cake. But, while Cake doesn't transform any of these songs into something truly new (like Jimi Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower" or Fountains of Wayne's "Baby, One More Time"), the covers aren't parodies, either. It all adds up to a surprisingly credible Cake album, and I'd recommend it to any of their fans.