Yeah, these dudes formed in Chicago. And yes, no one is going to give Kansas City much cred for this band. But hey, they have roots here. I promise.
The Sea and Cake was brought about as project Sam Prekop and Eric Claridge after the band Shrimp Boat broke up. Together, they recruited Tortoise drummer, John McEntire, as well as former Coctail and multi-instrumentalist, Archer Prewitt. None of these folks are from Kansas City. However, Sam Prekop attended the Kansas City Art Institute as did Archer Prewitt. Prewitt played in numerous local bands, including the Coctails prior to that band relocating to Chicago. Prekop, not known to play in KC bands and he hasn't really come back here, but he did have this to say in a September 24th, 2012 issue of Pitch Weekly on the formation of the Sea & Cake:
"Archer and I had met in Kansas City. We weren't really friends-- more like acquaintances. Somehow I decided he would be the right person to recruit. I had no idea we were going to become a band at that time-- I thought we'd just try it and see what happens."
So there you go, 2/4 of this band kind of, sort of met up in Kansas City. Albeit years before the band's formation, they met first in KC. Making Kansas City the beginning of all things cool in Chicago, IL. (I sound like Milwaukee now, don't I?) And, I know, Prekop moved around a lot, but his roots are clearly in Chicago, but, I'm pretty proud of Kansas City for introducing the two.
If you haven't heard the Sea & Cake, you're missing out. Truly one of the first post-rock bands, they effortlessly blend jazz, soul, pop and electronic. However, they are not like the bands now being labeled post-rock such as Sigur Ros, Mogwai, or Godspeed You Black Emperor, they're much more bubbly and pop-oriented. But, the ambiance and electronic influence are prevalent and marks them as heavily influential in the current scene.
All the band's music is worth exploring. This album is representative of the early half of their career and is just as good as any. It's heavy on the electronics and cited as the first Sea and Cake album to do so, there is drum machines and synths, but they don't stray far from their previous work. The newer stuff they have done is also incredible. Whereas the first few albums tended to have similar weight and feel, in the 2000's the band explored different song writing techniques and instrumentation. Some albums came out very electronic, some much more experimental, yet there's even some guitar heavy stuff. All undeniably the Sea and Cake, but not as immediately recognizable as their work in the 90's.
Civilise
Sporting Life
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