Cakewalk
Studio album by
House of Freaks
Released1991
GenreAlternative Rock
LabelGiant Records[1]
ProducerDennis Herring
House of Freaks chronology
Tantilla
(1989)		 Cakewalk
(1991)		 Invisible Jewel
(1994)

Cakewalk is an album by the American alternative rock duo House of Freaks, released in 1991.[2][3] It was the duo's first album for a major label.[4]

"Rocking Chair" peaked at No. 11 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.[5] The album was a commercial disappointment.[6]

Production

The album was produced by Dennis Herring.[7] The duo brought in Bob Rupe, of the Silos, to play bass; Mark Linkous also contributed to the recording.[8][9] Johnny Hott sang his first lead vocal on "My House".[10]

The former Long Ryders guitar player Stephen McCarthy joined the band for the tour in support of the album.[11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Chicago Tribune[13]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[1]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[14]

The Indianapolis Star wrote that "Bryan Harvey's guitar glides while Johnny Hott seems to have just found his drums in the garage, infusing hyperactive beats and even pounding on garbage can lids."[15] Trouser Press determined that "the diverse, often busy (but occasionally spare, as in the offhand acoustics of 'Magpie Wing') arrangements could have dandified even plain material, but the pair’s writing, notwithstanding a lyrical shift to more personal reflections, is right on track."[16] Entertainment Weekly called Cakewalk a "strikingly nuanced, pristinely produced" album.[14]

The Washington Post thought that "the lyrics still have a Southern gothic quality, but they've lost their literary density and better resemble the country and blues sources Harvey draws on."[8] The Milwaukee Sentinel deemed the album "lively and occasionally even rowdy, but it's also a mature piece of work that draws gently on the roots of everyday life in a Southern town."[17] The Chicago Tribune concluded that "an off-handed charm pervades Cakewalk, which has a similar feel to Paul McCartney's first solo album but skirts overbearing preciousness."[13]

AllMusic wrote that "the charming, Jules Shear-like 'Honor Among Lovers' and the Waitsian drinking song 'Remember Me Well' stand out."[12] The Calgary Herald included Calkewalk on its list of the 20 best albums of 1991; The Morning Call considered it one of the year's 16 best, while the Milwaukee Sentinel considered it one of the 10 best.[18][19][20]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."..." 
2."Rocking Chair" 
3."I Got Happy" 
4."I Confess" 
5."Hymn" 
6."A Good Man" 
7."Magpie Wing" 
8."Cakewalk" 
9."This Is It" 
10."Honor Among Lovers" 
11."My House" 
12."Ants" 
13."Never" 
14."Remember Me Well" 

References

  1. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 380.
  2. ↑ "House of Freaks Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. ↑ Hall, Dave (18 Oct 1991). "SLICE OF DIVERSITY". St. Petersburg Times. Weekend. p. 17.
  4. ↑ "Now Hear This". Style Weekly.
  5. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (December 20, 2008). "Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008". Hal Leonard Corporation – via Google Books.
  6. ↑ Piccoli, Sean (March 19, 1992). "Freaks like their bad old House". The Washington Times. p. M15.
  7. ↑ "Album Reviews -- Cakewalk by House of Freaks". Billboard. 103 (36): 66. Sep 7, 1991.
  8. 1 2 "COZYING UP TO HOUSE OF FREAKS". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  9. ↑ McLeod, Harriet (August 22, 1991). "HOUSE OF FREAKS' ALBUM TO HIT STORES TUESDAY". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. A8.
  10. ↑ Anderson, Julie (November 24, 1991). "House of Freaks' latest release...". Omaha World-Herald. Entertainment. p. 14.
  11. ↑ Considine, J.D. (27 Sep 1991). "House of Freaks goes for unexpected". The Baltimore Sun. Features. p. 5.
  12. 1 2 "Cakewalk - House of Freaks | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  13. 1 2 Caro, Mark (3 Oct 1991). "House of Freaks Cakewalk". Chicago Tribune. Tempo. p. 6.
  14. 1 2 "Cakewalk". EW.com.
  15. ↑ Miley, Scott L. (11 Nov 1991). "House of Freaks Cakewalk". The Indianapolis Star. p. B5.
  16. ↑ "House of Freaks". Trouser Press. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  17. ↑ "Freaks find Giant home on new label". Milwaukee Sentinel. 11 Oct 1991. p. 2D.
  18. ↑ White, Mary Lynn (29 Dec 1991). "The year`s best albums". Calgary Herald. p. C4.
  19. ↑ Righi, l (27 Dec 1991). "BEST Series: 91 - the year in review - pop music". The Morning Call. p. D1.
  20. ↑ Higgins, Jim (27 Dec 1991). "Top 10: Freaks, U2, soul, Timbuk 3". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 10D.
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