Customer Reviews

Cake and Pie

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lisa Loeb has always made good records, not great ones. Until now. Since she burst onto the music scene with her massively successful song "Stay," Loeb has been achieving only moderate success, both artistically and commercially ("I Do" and "Do You Sleep?" being her only other Top 40 hits). Her first two CDs featured many terrific performances, but the overall effects of the albums were weighed down by down-tempo songs that never seemed to tell the listener much that really stuck. Still, Loeb possesses an enjoyable voice and terrific phrasing abilities, and she certainly has a talent for writing a catchy song. All her talents shine brightly on her third album, "Cake and Pie." True to its title, the CD offers twelve delicious songs...all made with the familiar but refreshed Loeb recipe. The artist delivers her most brilliant moments on up-tempo numbers like the current single "Someone You Should Know," the energetic "You Don't Know Me" and the soaring "We Could Still Belong Together," but she also achieves new maturity and excellence with the CD's slower songs, like "Payback" and the wonderful "She's Falling Apart." Loeb's new lyrics are sophisticated without being contrived or stilted, and surprisingly honest, insightful and interesting. (Strangely enough, I purchased this CD the same day I bought Alanis Morrissette's "Under Rug Swept," thinking Morrissette's effort would be the intriguing, edgy one and Loeb's being the lightweight of the two titles. Needless to say, I was quite shocked to discover that quite the opposite was true!) So, yes, boys and girls, this is a wonderful new Lisa Loeb. And I have a feeling she is just getting started. I highly recommend this album. If you have only one Lisa Loeb CD in your collection, this one should be it.

When an artist we think we know takes a dramatic turn off her established path, it's a touchy thing for fans. Newbies come to the party with a different frame of reference (like folks who first heard U2 after Zooropa), but for long-time listeners, such a departure can usher feelings both of elation and betrayal. I admit vacillating between the two before concluding that Cake And Pie is a tasty disc indeed, more consistent in theme, yet more musically diverse than Lisa Loeb's two previous releases.

The elements that define her body of work thankfully remain intact: intelligent personal lyrics, courageous bare vocals, exquisite guitar playing, and infectious pop arrangements - but there's a broadened level of musical experimentation that takes us outside the familiar turf of Tails and Firecracker.

Lyrically, the songs delve into the mysteries of human incompatibility; of how, whether in a relationship or not, we fail to see plain truth before our eyes; and finally why we crave impossible ideals that inevitably disappoint. As is often the case with Loeb's compositions, her solid pop sensibilities make the songs easy to swallow and belie the depth of longing within.

With this new recording, her first for A&M, Lisa has expanded her level of collaboration to include such heavyweights as Glen Ballard and Randy Scruggs. Dweezil Zappa adds a crispy electrified influence to several tracks. The result is a richly textured stew, full of nuance and spice, but at a cost. It's a difficult to define subtlety, part recording and part performance, that I would call intimacy. Make no mistake - this is real, honest songwriting, but this album is a larger production than Lisa's earlier one-on-one sessions with producer Juan Patino, and as such, the flavor is different.

Still, it's great sound: exceptionally clean drumming, crisp acoustic guitars, and tastefully applied distortion. Splendid dynamics abound - Loeb is really good at this. And the best part: she's not afraid of a microphone, or of recording her vocals dry. In fact, the reverb on the single "Someone You Should Know" is an uncharacteristic surprise. Also unexpected is the Wurlitzer electric piano on many tracks - a convincing condiment.

In the confessional "The Way It Really Is," obsessive analysis of a relationship drives Loeb from pole to pole (panning from speaker to speaker) as she questions the validity of her own perceptions. Smothering vines of doubt and dreams twist from her imagination, fertilized by an unwillingness to accept anything at face value, and nurtured by the truth that we can never really know someone else. In the end, Loeb's sole voice amidst a sparse bed of strings is lovely, fragile, and utterly alone.

Twin acoustic guitars paint a gorgeous stereo image in "Underdog," a heartbreaking song about being invisible and misunderstood, and craving love. These sonic and emotional themes continue in "Everyday," where a moving Calypso beat and a surprising chorus mate with delicious percussion to deliver a standout performance. This is Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories in full band mode, and from gleaming Fenders to delicate woodblocks to pounding floor toms, the dynamics are stellar.

By comparison, the sparse "Drops Me Down" recalls the Beatles, with a guitar solo that is positively Harrisonian. More derivative still is "You Don't Know Me," an eighties time warp with razor guitars and a metallic snare that sounds like a Brian May / Go-Gos collision. In "Too Fast Driving," squashed unison vocals reference nineties power pop, and there's a dreamlike break with fat bass and a flanged wall of sound that descends into something mental. "Payback," a soulful seventies jam must have been a blast to record, with nods to Rick Wright and Stephen Stills. Showing my age, I wish this one were longer!

Certainly some listeners will find these odd songs incongruous, and they might make the album seem schizophrenic, but Loeb explains that these diversions pay homage to artists she grew up on. It's a dense, unusual grouping, but ah, the bookends...

By far the most striking songs on Cake And Pie are a pair of acoustic ballads. "She's Falling Apart" is an unsettling tale of a girl's eating disorder, and "Kick Start," which pleads with raw honesty for action against inertia, is a lyric that strikes chords universal about the state of the human condition. It's a wonderful a song that could transcend even this magnificent performance where drone flattops and subtle percussion leave air for Loeb's vulnerable, close vocals.

Having two desserts implies too much of a good thing, but Cake And Pie is not overly sweet. Inside each song is a woman desperate to connect. And while Lisa Loeb begs our indulgence of her experiments, we are ultimately rewarded with courses that comprise a full and varied meal. This is no mere confection.

I don't care how good you sound, how well your lyrics are written, or how well you can play an instrument....if your album is weakly produced, it will shatter everything you have tried to create and propel you from potential listeners and fans you once had. This scenario is pretty much what can make or break a singer/songwriter's potential and album progressions. Or sometimes, you can have good lyrics and good production, but the vocals lack an overpowering effect. All of this drama initially applies to Loeb's latest album, 'Cake & Pie'. But after a few more complete album listens, the music is worthwhile.

Lisa Loeb's previous two albums were tremedously good, which made me become a fan of her music. For this third album, it seems that Dwezel Zappa has enhanced, and yet, slightly also screwed up Loeb's musical sensibility. Loeb can't make up her mind on what she's trying to present here. Is she siren folkie, a pop wannabe gyrator, or a loose college rock rehasher? Don't get me wrong...you can input a myriad of musical stylings into an album. But, if it's not tied well together, the results are more than likely unbearable. Also, Lisa Loeb's voice is lacking in its overall usual tone and quality.....on some tracks.

Because of all this, 'Cake & Pie' takes a couple of listens to get used to Loeb's updated arrangements. So, once that issue has been rectified, most of the tracks on this album do in fact reveal their listening staying power (in fact, all but two songs: "Everyday" and "The Way It Really Is").

The best songs, by far, are "Underdog" and "Kick Start"!

So by comparing this album to her two previous ones, you'll be slightly put off at first, but you'll eventually be smiling after a few more thorough listens.

It's good to see that Lisa Loeb continues her nice musical journey, while some of her other fellow female contemporaries are putting out lame tracks.

Enjoy :-)

My teenagers hate Lisa Loeb. They complain whenever I play her CDs. They say she's "Pop" ( the ultimate insult). They complain they don't understand her lyrics. This leave me with the question, "What did I do in raising my children that would make them be so wrong?"

Cake & Pie was the first CD by Lisa I bought after reading a review of it in the newspaper. The biggest reason I bought it was because Dweezil Zappa was on it and I am a huge fan of his father. I was blown away. The lyrics were insightful and adult. The rhythms, choruses, and bridges were far from predictable. This was too intelligent to be "Pop," yet the melodies are engaging and memorable without being trite or simplistic.

Overall, Cake & Pie is her best overall effort, although Tails and Firecracker have some songs, such as Taffy and Dance with the Angels, that are supperior to any thing on this offering.

Her songs are well crafted, not over-produced, and have an authentic edge to them. I hear many "pop" artists trying to sound like Lisa, but their attempts are so pathetic. I also appreciate that Lisa has spaced her offerings until she can fill them with memorable songs rather than cranking out pulp on a yearly basis.

Cake and Pie is without a doubt the best effort to date by Lisa Loeb. Her past albums have all been wonderful, but Cake and Pie takes it to the next level.

Every song is beautiful, melodic, and her soft and perfect voice is only icing on the 'Cake'. On this album, Lisa's wonderful guitar playing comes through more than ever. The flowing rhythms and acoustic work is breathtaking.

From catchy pop songs like "Someone you Should Know" to deeply emotional songs like "She's Falling Apart", you feel every song in your heart.

My recommendation: Buy this album. In fact, buy two - because you will listen to the first one so much you'll wear it out.

I've got all three of her albums now, and I have to say this is the best one. The others are very good too, but this one ventures out of the acoustic-y coffee bar style a little more. It's still the same style, but a little less wordy and FINALLY some electric guitar (thank, you, Dweezil). Dweezil (one of my favorite guitarists) plays on about 60% of the album. Dweezil and Lisa make a great musical combo : (1) Lisa's album needed a little extra kick and (2) SOMEONE needed to calm DZ down a little on the shredding. There are the nice pop sounding tunes like "Someone You Should Know", "We Could Still Belong Together" (My favorite), and "You Don't Know Me". Ya get ONE coffee bar song w/"Kick Start", a few darker tunes like "The Way It Really Is" and "Everyday", and other memorable tunes. If this is the style of her albums to come, I will be VERY excited. If you're into Lisa, then you've probably already bought this one. If not, then get it ... you'll enjoy it very much. Thanks Lisa, thanks Dweezil.

An admitted fan of Lisa since before her first album finally hit the shelves, I have always admired the way she infuses the sinfully trashy sounds of pop with a certain class. Her deceptively simple lyrics hook me into her songs only to discover a certain hard wrought wisdom amidst the sticky sweet bubbliness. This latest album is probably her best and most solid album. Whereas her band Nine Stories provided the instrumental depth on earlier albums, it is Lisa who has risen musically to provide a "thicker" sound. And, if you are at all a fan, I definitely recommend spending the extra money for this version with the bonus track -- how can you pass up the lyric regarding love that goes: "What could be sweeter? Pie, of course."

I have to say, I have up until recently always been one to keep my artists in the comfortable little boxes they started in. It is still difficult for me to let them grow in their own directions. All too often it is the unpolished sound that drew me to them in the first place that is the first to go when they start evolving as artists. That said, this is one of the first albums I have heard by a beloved artist where I was really able to appreciate the change of direction on the first listen. It seems like a natural progression to me, although obviously not everyone feels the same on listening to it. My impression, though, is this: I was extremely impressed by this album.

This album is great!!!! It has hard-hitting guitar driven rock songs as well as soft sad love songs. It is a return back to the artists roots, sounding much more like her debut album - Tails - than her last project - Firecracker. She has grown as an artist and a lyricist and it shows. If you liked Tails, I think you will absolutley love this CD!! It's one of those albums that you can put in the player and let play over and over and never get tired of it. It grows on you. My own favorites are Underdog, Bring Me Up, and Drops Me Down. I think that Someone You Should Know, We Could Still Belong Together, and You Don't Know Me have real radio playability.

I'm assuming you already know Lisa Loeb's style, and want to know if this CD is the one to buy. Basically: Yes. This CD is arguably better than her debut "Tails". The most popular songs on it are "Someone You Should Know" and "You Don't Know Me", I heard them and I had to have them. In case you don't recognize those songs, "Someone You Should Know" has an irresistible melody, and its chorus has many Lisa voices (overdubbed) singing "What you want isn't what you needed..." The song "You Don't Know Me" is a bouncy tune (about a teenage girl who gets her first boyfriend and is a little too proud of it); it has a whistling break near the end. The third best song on the CD is "We Could Still Belong Together", a more energetic rocker in the style of "Waiting for Wednesday" from Tails. (If you are choosing between this CD and "Hello Lisa", I'll point out that the first two songs are on "Hello Lisa" but "We Could Still Belong Together" is not.) The rest of the songs are in her usual contemplative/ironic style, based on honest observations of the cruel paradoxes of desire, with occasional poetic turns of phrase, all honest and no cliches. But definitely too contemplative for guys who want hard rock'n'roll.