Review: The Sea and Cake, May 18, 2011

The MMR crew had been eagerly anticipating The Sea and Cake performance at the Frequency, and it certainly lived up to our expectations! The ‘post-jazz-rock-quartet’ Chicago indie darlings were in Madison mid-week on tour with the release of their new album The Moonlight Butterfly. They opened the show with their first live performance of “Covers” and “Up On the North Shore”, both on the new album, and great songs well received by an appreciative full house.

The Sea and Cake is is one of those bands in which each member contributes significantly to the delicate and intricate woven compositions that are the groups signature, and they all have plenty of chops. It’s not often that I leave a show thinking about how much I “loved” the drummer. But John McEntire and Eric Claridge (on bass) keep a strong, weaving rhythm going with business-like intensity. Stoic was the term overheard when an audience member (admiringly) commented on McEntire’s facial expressions as he gave the drums a pummeling. The pictures tell a different story though, a tight intensity evident in eyes squeezed shut, tongue poking out in concentration, while the taut muscles maintain a relentless beat. Of course, the guitar work by Archer Prewitt and Sam Prekop is always admirable. And I’m a fan, so I admired.

All Tiny Creatures established a nice mood with their fine opening set. It was a fun fun night that will undoubtedly land on my Best of 2011 show list – words by Mr. Bill and Ankur