Everybody

The Sea and Cake

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 8, 2007)
• Original Release Date: May 8, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Thrill Jockey
• ASIN: B000O170Y4
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #109,213 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A new record from the Sea and Cake is like a cool breeze, floating in off the water after a hot, sunny day. Unlike the dark, cerebral vibe of label-mates Tortoise (for whom drummer/producer John McEntire also plays and produces), The S&C plays loose. Still, the new record from Sam Prekop and company is especially relaxed, with songs that melt down into colorful smears. While 2003's One Bedroom was pointing in a more pop-oriented direction, Everybody is even more straightforward and stripped down, with only peripheral references to the jazzier sound of past efforts like 1995's The Biz. They're still capable of it though. Check out the free-form, jam-band vibe of "Left On," as McEntire's rollicking percussion dissolves over Prekop's gentle fadeout. But songs like the lead track, "Up on Crutches" are more representative, full of momentum and dynamics. Even the instrumentation is simpler; listen to the hand claps and the fuzz pedal on "Crossing Line." The Sea and Cake have never sounded uptight, but at times their beachy sound has seemed a little forced, like they were straining to suppress their experimental chops. But in challenging themselves to simplify, the band finally achieves a state of laid back clarity. It's the perfect soundtrack to lazy Sunday afternoons, letting Prekop's breathless voice dissolve like vapor against diffuse melodies and gliding guitars. Put on Everybody and tune out of the world. --Matthew Cooke

Product Description

Their first full-length in over four years continues to perfect their singular brand of dreamlike, hot-buttered pop music that sounds delicately handcrafted, yet effortless all the same. Sheets of glowing guitar tones skip along propulsive percussion underscored by gently funky, introspective bass lines, all adorned by breathlessly delivered lines of lyrical poetry.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars , May 11, 2007

By	Glenn "Glenn" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

Spring is in the air and for me there's nothing better then sitting outside with a couple of friends while listening to the Sea and Cake
It has been 4 very long years since the last Sea and Cake album but with Everybody it was well worth the wait.
I've been a Sea and Cake fan for a long time and I know a lot of people are probably going to disagree with me when I say this but this is their best album to date.
Just like previous Sea and Cake album's Sam Prekop's smooth breathy croon draws you in but this time around his lyrics seem to be more audible and easier to understand and you'll easily find yourself singing along with every song.
Musically the band has never sounded better, with Everybody the Sea and Cake gracefully move away from the electronic synth sound that has been present on their last three albums but instead focus more on the up tempo post-rock pop style that brings back fond memories of Nassau and the Biz.
Also gone are the slower instrumental songs that at times would have a tendency to slow down the pace of the album. From guitar driven songs like "Crossing Lines" and "Exact to Me" to the airy sounds of "Middlenight" and "Transparent" or the very poppy "Too Strong" and my personal favorite," Lightning" the Sea and Cake deliver on what they do best and that's making great music.
The Sea and Cake has been a staple in the indie music scene for close to 13 years now and with their 7th release I truly hope this band gets the recognition they so rightfully deserve. Whether you've been a long time fan or if you're just getting in to the Sea and Cake for the first time this truly is an amazing album that "Everybody" will enjoy

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another masterpiece from a great band, August 20, 2007

By	Scott Hedegard "Scott" (Fayetteville, AR USA) - See all my reviews

If I hadn't stumbled on a review of "One Bedroom" on NPR's "All Things Considered" one afternoon, I may well never have heard, or heard of this wonderful band. That accidental exposure to The Sea and Cake" started a love affair with their music, and it's high time others besides a cult audience latched onto this brilliant band.
"Everybody" is the long awaited followup to "One Bedroom", although singer and guitarist Sam Prekop submitted "Who's Your New Professor" between CD's to help us weather the wait for new S & C material.
"Up On Crutches" sets the tone, a tad bit more direct perhaps than the last two efforts, the aforementioned "One Bedroom" and the outstanding "Oui", which everybody who has any interest in beauty with a jazz flavor pop music should own. The new music still floats, caresses and soothes. Prekop's breathy vocals and the coolness of the guitars and keyboards defy gravity, and add new dimensions to jazz "cool", which only Steely Dan had previously understood as far as rock bands were concerned.
Even the feedback of "Left On" doesn't carve any ragged edges, and the closer features some very nice harmonies at the end.
This world isn't getting any safer, the pressures aren't getting any easier. We are in desperate need of tranquility that can settle our jagged nerves, and nobody does it better than the Sea and Cake.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Soundtrack for a Slow Summer Day, June 19, 2007

By	Marcus Tullius Wardo - See all my reviews

I am new to The Sea and Cake, having bought the CD based on a strong review on The Onion's AV Page. I like this band's sound a lot. No song really jumps out at you, but they are all good. Their sound is not radio-friendly, you'd probably find them on a "light jazz/easy listening" station if at all, but that does their music a disservice. Their sound fits a slow drive through the wine country, or a breezy afternoon on the patio while reading a good book. The music is gentle without being boring. They sound like nobody else, probably best described as a mellower Sonic Youth, with less dissonance and more melody, with a little Modern English mixed in, only with more emphasis on mood rather than beat. The lead vocalist, Sam Prekop, has a soft, mid to high octave voice that sounds somewhere between a '70s folk-rocker and a present-day EMO warbler. In short, everything about this band is balanced and multi-influenced in a way to make their sound unique, accomplished, and worth hearing. I recommend this CD for everyone.