Album Review: Free Cake For Every Creature - Talking Quietly of Anything With You
By Devon Hannan, Features Editor
[Double Double Whammy; 2016]
Rating: 6.5/10
Key Tracks: “All You Gotta Be When You’re 23 is Yourself,” “First Summer in a City,” “First Storm of the Summer”
Philadelphia seems to be a breeding ground for up and coming DIY bands. Likewise, Philly’s own Free Cake For Every Creature also seems to have a knack for compiling short and sweet little pop songs. Just in time for the warm weather, Free Cake For Every Creature’s newest release Talking Quietly of Anything With You is sure to coax you outside to enjoy some sunshine.
The album opens with the the title track. Katie Bennet’s whispy, quiet vocals carry lightly over echoing instrumentals within the first couple seconds and then continue throughout most of the album. Though every song clocks in at under three minutes, each one carries a punch. Powerhouse track “All You Gotta Be When You’re 23 is Yourself” sums up the album’s fun-loving and buoyant nature. With elements of surf rock, “First Summer in a City” is a steel guitar-infused summer jam so sweet that it’s sure to make you want to head over to your local lemonade stand.
However, sometimes the album is just a little too sweet. While there is a ton of emotional diversity in the lyrics, a lot of that gets lost between the upbeat and dreamy tempo. This tactic can often work really well, however in this case most of the tracks end up losing their density. When the bouncy pop rhythm is turned down a notch in tracks such as “Susie (Now I’m Cryin’)” and “First Storm of the Summer,” a much clearer motif is reached.
All in all, Talking Quietly of Anything With You is a feel-good, get up and dance album. While it may not be fit for a rainy day in, it is an essential for all of your summer antics. The band’s energetic and charismatic essence makes them a must-see this summer if you manage to catch a show.
