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My Friend the Chocolate Cake
Other

"Home Improvements - Out now on Liberation"

Melbourne, Victoria
Australia

Profile Views:  20847




Last Login:  7/21/2008
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   Contacting My Friend the Chocolate Cake

 MySpace URL: 
  http://www.myspace.com/officialmftcc  

   My Friend the Chocolate Cake: General Info
Member Since2/21/2007
Band Websitemftcc.com
Band Members

David Bridie
piano, singing, harmonium

Helen Mountfort
cello, backing vocals

Xani Kolac
violin

Andrew Carswell

mandolin, tin whistle

Greg Patten

drums, ukulele, bvs

Dean Addison

double bass

Andrew Richardson

acoustic guitar

Record LabelLiberation Music
Type of LabelMajor





   Upcoming Shows ( view all )
Jul 29 2008 7:00P
Courier-Mail Spiegeltent Brisbane, Queensland
Jul 30 2008 7:00P
Courier-Mail Spiegeltent Brisbane, Queensland
Aug 3 2008 3:00P
Morning Star Estate Mount Eliza, Victoria

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   About My Friend the Chocolate Cake
My Friend the Chocolate Cake

You could call it ambush pop, if you like. Like the proverbial cake with a file inside, it's camouflaged by a sweet, innocuous facade, but under the rich strings, mesmerising piano melodies and the occasional flourish of mandolin, tin whistle or something stranger, My Friend the Chocolate Cake smuggle some of the most potent themes and sentiments found in contemporary pop. HOME IMPROVEMENTS is the fifth studio album by the Melbourne acoustic ensemble since they formed, as a side project to Not Drowning Waving, in 1989. As always, it's an incredible study in contrasts, from sumptuous orchestral pop songs to fragile ambience; from wild, exotic instrumentals to poignant and potent Australian stories from the 'burbs and the outback. "They're all parts of what this band does," shrugs singer-pianist David Bridie. "Sometimes it really belts, other times it's beautifully layered pop and other times you can hear a pin drop. We've been doing it for 17 years now. You get to know yourself after a while. With this album I think we've learned to really appreciate what we have."

Much of the Cake's mercurial brilliance is evident between the first two tracks. "Hymn for the Carnies" is a slow, cinematic pan across a summer fairground: a melancholy melody weaves through the colourful carnival images as if to reveal the secret hearts of the folks who keep the Ferris wheel turning. "Home Improvements" is another skilled sketch of modern day ambivalence. Its universal daydream of escape recalls the band's hit of '94, "I've Got A Plan", but its dancing pizzicato and huge, cascading, car radio chorus disguise a howl of exasperation from the treadmill of consumer culture.

Then there's the unabashed indulgence of "She Dreams All Different Colours", a stage-trashing rocker in the tradition of "Throwing It Away"; and "Pentecostal Girl", a comical childhood romance moulded into some of the sweetest pop in the Cake repertoire. "It's a great band for pop songs," says David. "It's great having the strings and we got into backing vocals in a big way this time. We wanted to really complete the songs, which we haven't always given ourselves the time to do. We weren't over finicky but we made sure every song was fully realised." That said, "We're not afraid to keep it sparse either, to let the texture of the strings come through, let a piano note ring out, or let a vocal phrase linger." Hence the huge, empty atmospheres of "5 Sisters" and "The Weather Coast", two songs of place so evocative you can almost catch the crickets and touch the fog. "The Weather Coast is a real place, in the Solomon Islands, south of Honiara," David says. "It's a phenomenal place, dark clouds, 80 per cent rainfall to sunshine, black volcanic sand, really dense jungle. It's a really cool groove to play. That's Greg's forte. Dean sets it up, too."

Double bassist Dean Addison is the new kid in the band, relatively speaking. Drummer Greg Patten joined in '94; cellist Helen Mountfort, violinist Hope Csutoros, guitarist Andrew Richardson and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Carswell have been part of the Cake's wide spectrum of instrumental colours from the outset. Together they effortlessly fine-tune the familiar ache of David's journalistic social sketches - "This Life Tonight", "Seek", "Let's Go Walk This Town"; the rhythmic global invocations of Helen's "Athletes of Persia"; and the resonant, filmic ambience of the closing instrumental, "Malaise". And still there's new ground to break, from the hell-for-leather swamp rock of Hope's dramatic "Opus Lagavulin" to the island string band romp of "J Patap", a song borrowed, story, style and energy, from the Junior Devil String Band of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. "I'm really happy with the way the record works in terms of the moods it creates," says David. "For me as a lyricist, it's the best band you could hope to write for cause the instrumentation and personalities are so strong. The weighty side of Chocolate Cake has always been prominent in what we do but ultimately, these songs are a hell of a lot of fun to play."


MFTCC Timeline

1989 Band forms for casual Sunday night residency in Melbourne.
1991 Debut album, My Friend the Chocolate Cake, accredited Gold.
1994 Brood album spawns radio staple, "I've Got a Plan", wins ARIA for Best Adult Contemporary Album.
1996 Good Luck album wins second Best Adult Contemporary ARIA.
1998 Live at The National Theatre CD.
1999 19 Easy Pieces: a selection of film works, B-sides and oddments.
2002 Fourth studio album, Curious.
2004 Parade: The Best of My Friend The Chocolate Cake, includes three new songs.
2005 All seven albums re-issued by Liberation.
2007 Home Improvements released through Liberation.

 

mftcc.com | liberation.com.au


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My Friend the Chocolate Cake's Friends Comments
Displaying 50 of 104 comments  ( View All | Add Comment )
Simon





Jul 20 2008 11:37 PM

visited the 'Beagletent' (an old, embarrassing joke, ask Helen...) on the weekend and looking forward to seeing you lot in there!
Sonny





Jul 9 2008 5:46 AM

I love you, as you're one of my fave groups!
daniele di giovanni chipster





Jul 8 2008 2:52 AM

Thank you!!!
Scotty(dotty)





Jul 7 2008 8:14 PM

G'day Chocie Cake crew! You guys have the most eclectic top friends around. Just borrowing 'Home Improvements' again, such a cheeky song, wrapped in a cute melody. Enjoy the 'Fringe', lucky Edinburgh. Let them eat cake. Shalom!
The Boat People ("Chandeliers" OUT NOW!)





Jul 3 2008 10:56 PM

NEW ALBUM "CHANDELIERS" OUT JULY 5th

From JB HiFi and all good record stores.
gray is red





Jun 18 2008 8:35 PM

hello on the other side of the world. i love your band. i play your music at my coffee shop so that other people can hear and love you too. perhaps someday you will come play in atlanta. :)
Richard





Jun 11 2008 8:15 PM

Um. So you're heading to Edinburgh. It only makes sense for you to stop in the States on your way back, and finally play over here. Yes, that makes perfect sense. I can even set up the most perfect, tiny, intimate venue in Baltimore for you. Aaaargh, when will I ever see you perform live again???

OK, freak-out over. But come to the States!!!
Moth Jam





Jun 11 2008 3:14 AM

Brisbane then Mt Eliza without a Sydney stop in between? Poor us! We'll wave as you fly by.
Wayne Gillespie





Jun 11 2008 2:23 AM

Thanks for the add -good luck in Edinburgh.

WG
Andy





Jun 10 2008 9:26 AM

My aus trip is coinciding with your gig on the 3rd of August - I'm so freaking happy that I might actually get to see you folks live :)
Douglas Kay Band





Jun 10 2008 7:31 AM

You're coming back to Edinburgh at last - fantastic!!!!
MISC3LLAN3OUS





Jun 10 2008 2:05 AM

hey!
thorpy says you guys are fully sick!

ahhh i love your jam its mad...
i want to see you live that would be
even madder!

one day i will tell stories to my many
grand children about my band of favouritism...

ok im probley weirding everyone out.

stay beautiful

xxx

julie
Max X





Jun 9 2008 2:09 AM

Happy to be added as a friend. Enjoy the music! - Max X Max X Blogs- feed://blog.myspace.com/blog/rss.cfm?friendID=165184859
Art Groupie





Jun 2 2008 10:14 PM

Art Groupie - Calling For Submissions

Art Groupie is on again this year in Sydney town. Below is info for those that may be interested in participating or know someone that might.

The concept behind Art Groupie is musicians who crossover into visual art. We do this project for fun and take no profit, but give back to the artists involved.

We ask that at least 5 images (no less than two) be emailed to us for selection. Email to dadada [at] groovescooter.com

Submissions close on Monday June 30.

Each artist is required (after selection) to supply us with their art work for hanging. Art groupie take No fee or commission, however the gallery does - usually around 25%. Artist are responsible for costs of postage of their pieces to and from the show. We ask each artist to name the price that they want for their piece and they get all money back (bar gallery commission). We also ask artists to try and keep the price of work to a reasonable amount so that it is accessible for people to purchase. The last time we capped it at $500, but are looking at a cap of no more than $1000 this time around.

When the decision is made on the art we will then move onto the music component. Each person is asked to contribute a track (free of licensing/publishing fees - these CDs are giveaways and not for sale). The reason we do the discs is so that people can see the art you produce and hear the music you make. We understand that some artist might be tied to a contract, so ask that they supply us with a track that is free of any legal obligations to their label or publishers. The CD is a momento (and only limited numbers will be available) it will be under the dadAdA imprint on Groovescooter Records. Each artist that is in the show receives a free copy of course!

If you are keen then please feel free to email some images through. Here are some images from the last exhibition Art Groupie @ Myspace

Look forward to seeing your work!

Georgie & Paris
Naive Artist





Apr 28 2008 12:03 AM

Thanks for the add , love your music ,Cheers Wayne Elliott
lolrin





Apr 20 2008 6:30 AM

hey i wrote a massive email about my love for you guys as a child....sadly without reply. however i was recently conversing with tosca loyd and we have the appreciation in common, it was good. come back to wollongong!!!
MISC3LLAN3OUS





Apr 3 2008 3:48 AM

my favourite band ever!!!

id die if i went a single day
without listening to you guys

XD
Tammy





Apr 1 2008 2:38 PM

hey Helen, David, Andrew and Andrew, Greg, Xani and sexy sexy oh my sexy Dean... do you have any plans to come up to Queensland or Northern NSW anytime soon?? We miss you!!!!
Estelle





Mar 3 2008 10:51 PM

Hi My Friend the Chocolate Cake! Thanks for adding me. Hope to catch a gig soon. Hi to Dean Addison too!

Hugs

Estelle
tom





Feb 28 2008 12:51 AM

come back to perth please!
its almost been a year
Bilby





Feb 24 2008 4:33 AM

Had a great time at the amphitheatre today - it's exactly the type of gig I think Chocolate Cake was made for - casual, kids running round, a few beers in the sun and a chat and some music. It was our daughter's third birthday and her first MFTCC gig - hopefully we can bring her to a few more!
Aqua





Feb 23 2008 2:38 AM

Hey My Firend The Chocolate Cake!

Thanks for the add...

your sound is awsome!!!

i stole a friend's ipod the other day and went looking through it to see what the most embarrising song she had on there was and i saw the words CHOCOLATE and CAKE and i just had to take a listen to it and i was in AWW =O

SOOO GOOD SOUND!!!! next time i'm up in melbourne and u guys r on i'm gonna come lookin for you! or else u could make my life a bit easier and come down to adelaide and play here and let EVERYONE KNOW HOW GOOD YOU GUYS ARE!...

cheers and keep up the good work...

Aqua ;P
DJ SARCASMO





Feb 20 2008 6:06 PM

thanks for the 'add', was/is a delight to experience your sound (whilst i R&R on my day off)
in grattitude and respect,
~Sarcasmo
♥K[∞]dॐline ۞ K[1♥]ate[\|||/]♥ ~ ♥Stormy Blue♥ ~





Feb 20 2008 5:52 PM

So rich! I can see why you chose Chocolate Cake to describe your music! It's so so yummy! More please!!

Sending you light, love, peace and happiness for the year ahead.

Thanks for the add...

Toodles...

Love Love Love

One Love

oxox
**Allison**





Feb 16 2008 8:27 PM

i just wanted to tell you that i love your song "amidlifes tale"!!!
Great Northern Hotel





Feb 14 2008 11:55 PM

YOU LOT ARE ACE! CHUFFED WE TRACKED YOU DOWN, you music is fab!

see you live in 1994 at a UK festival
cracking gig, with songs that stuck with me for all this time

peace
Will
Nat





Feb 6 2008 6:37 PM

Thanks for the add. I really appreciate it! I have been a fan of your music for so many years now and have a heap of your albums in my collection. You are some of the most truly gifted and talented musicians in Australia.
Natalie





Jan 15 2008 1:43 PM

I'm so glad to hear you're playing at The Rose in Torquay!! I'm taking my family along for sure; I've grown up with your music and been to many of your gigs, I even remember the first time I saw you guys at Port Fairy when I was probably about 5!! Really looking forward to seeing you again!!
Dreamweaver





Jan 13 2008 5:53 PM

Hey guys, how was Woodford fest?
Looking forward to some other tracks being posted up ;-}
Teaganism