The Sea and Cake: Oui : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Over the past ten years, the city of Chicago has managed to spew out even more mind-bogglingly awful jazz-fusion dreck than Chicago the band. The Sea and Cake used to be typical Windy City indie diddlers, but on 1997's The Fawn, they started to sculpt their lush keyboards into warm, beautiful songs like "Sporting Life," rocking out with emotion, wit and even a sharp beat. On Oui, the Sea and Cake continue to pursue their instrumental excursions as they evolve decisively into an art-drone groove band. Sam Prekop breathes the delicate melodies of "Afternoon Speaker" and "The Leaf" like a bookish indie boy who's been hibernating with a stack of Joao Gilberto records, and you don't have to notice the words for the emotion to come through. His voice is just another element in the mix, fading behind the pulse of his and Archer Prewitt's guitars and keyboards, John McEntire's drums and Eric Claridge's both-ends-burning bass. With the songful elevation of Oui, the Sea and Cake make the competition sound like Chicago XXIV. (RS 851)

ROB SHEFFIELD