User ratings in Music are temporarily disabled. More info

Showroom of Compassion
by
Showroom of Compassion Image
Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 25 Ratings

  • Summary: After a seven-year hiatus, the Sacramento band's long-awaited album mixes alt-country sounds of steel guitars with their trademark bass-and-horn combination to create their sixth playful pop/rock record.
Buy Now
Buy on

Top Track

Got to Move
You have always got to move You’re always trying to prove that There is something new in Everything you do You are mostly in your car You always... See the rest of the song lyrics
See Full Track List »
Powered by

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. The A.V. Club
    Jan 11, 2011
    83
    Fans of the band's old stuff should find plenty to love, even though it all feels pretty familiar.
  2. Q Magazine
    Jan 10, 2012
    80
    Seventeen years on,... Cake have lost none of their bite. [Feb. 2012 p. 101]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Paste Magazine
    Jan 14, 2011
    77
    Retaking the reins and returning to their indie roots, Cake delivers after the lengthy hiatus. New, old, different or not, Cake fans will have plenty to appreciate.
  4. Boston Globe
    Jan 10, 2011
    70
    There's more than just the Cake sound here, however, with forays into Beatles-esque day-tripping and mariachi-style border-jumping broadening the sonic scope and serving as a testament to how the band has stayed viable, one-trick pony misnomer to the contrary.
  5. AllMusic
    Jan 11, 2011
    70
    2011's Showroom Of Compassion, still finds John McCrea writing like he's tossing off random thoughts as he struggles not to be overwhelmed by the voices in his head, and singing as if he's waiting for that grilled cheese sandwich he ordered to finally show up.
  6. Urb
    May 9, 2011
    60
    Following a seven year gap between studio albums, Sacramento's CAKE is back with the compelling, yet inconsistent Showroom of Compassion.
  7. Consequence
    Jan 11, 2011
    50
    Production value has upped the ante sonically, and while there are those who might scoff at such a thing because lo-fi makes you cooler, Showroom Of Compassion does not shoot you in the eardrum with loudness battling, or undue sound effects and segues.

See all 17 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. kejaby
    Jan 30, 2011
    9
    Cake shows signs of maturity on their long awaited follow up to 2004's Pressure Chief. Although the single "Sick of You" is reminiscent ofCake shows signs of maturity on their long awaited follow up to 2004's Pressure Chief. Although the single "Sick of You" is reminiscent of Cake's biggest hits, songs like Mustache Man (wasted) and Bound Away show that this band is maturing and moving in all the right directions. If you haven't seen Cake live. You're missing a great show.… Expand
  2. mlathb
    Oct 20, 2011
    7
    I liked this album. More than most Cake albums. Great sound and production values. Nice flow to the album and saw them on this tour and was aI liked this album. More than most Cake albums. Great sound and production values. Nice flow to the album and saw them on this tour and was a great show. I would suggest this show to any Cake fan. Solid 7… Expand
  4. NolanLundgaard
    Apr 10, 2020
    7
    Showroom Of Compassion by CAKE: 6.69

    Federal Funding: 0.75 Long Time: 1 :) Got To Move: 1 What’s Now Is Now: 1 Mustache Man (Wasted):    Showroom Of Compassion by CAKE: 6.69

    Federal Funding: 0.75
    Long Time: 1 :)
    Got To Move: 1
    What’s Now Is Now: 1
    Mustache Man (Wasted): 1 :)
    Teenage Pregnancy: 0.5
    Sick Of You: 1 :)
    Easy To Crash: 1 :)
    Bound Away: 0.75
    The Winter: 0.5
    Italian Guy: 0.5

    9/11 ~ .818 -> 6.69

    Showroom Of Compassion is CAKE’s most recent album, and it’s also one of their weakest. It gets the same score as Pressure Chief, though I am not sure which one I would favor in a comparison. Pressure Chief is more consistent in its song scores, but I have more favorites in this album. Either way, I wish that CAKE would produce more songs that resemble their older days, or at least in the Comfort Eagle era. That being said, I did really enjoy Mustache Man and Sick Of You, though there were a couple bland songs (odd for CAKE, as their music is usually unique). Of course, this wasn’t a bad album per se, it just was not as good as previous work by CAKE (I definitely think that this was a good album). If CAKE keeps producing music (which I hope they do), I hope they will revert back to some of their older stuff, as this is not quite as good compared to what they had made in Fashion Nugget and Prolonging the Magic. Highlights: Long Time, Got To Move, What’s Now Is Now, Mustache Man, Sick Of You, and Easy To Crash.    … Expand
  5. bigj452
    Jan 22, 2011
    6
    I like cake. Cake is good. Cake cake cake. Yum yum yum.

    Cake is smooth and easy especially when you don't listen very hard. When you do,    I like cake. Cake is good. Cake cake cake. Yum yum yum.

    Cake is smooth and easy especially when you don't listen very hard. When you do, however, you discover its not as good as when you were only passively listening.    … Expand

Current Music Releases

Full List »
99 Band on the Run [50th Anniversary Edition] - Paul McCartney & Wings
95 The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow - Charles Lloyd
92 This Could Be Texas - English Teacher
92 COWBOY CARTER - Beyoncé
91 The Carnegie Hall Concert - Alice Coltrane
90 1989 (Taylor's Version) - Taylor Swift
90 Iechyd Da - Bill Ryder-Jones
89 I Got Heaven - Mannequin Pussy
89 Black Bayou - Robert Finley
89 Tigers Blood - Waxahatchee
88 Only God Was Above Us - Vampire Weekend
88 What Now - Brittany Howard
88 Hey Panda - The High Llamas
88 Orquídeas - Kali Uchis
88 The Past Is Still Alive - Hurray for the Riff Raff
87 Filthy Underneath - Nadine Shah
87 i/o - Peter Gabriel
87 Blue Lips - ScHoolboy Q
87 Bright Future - Adrianne Lenker
87 Bite Down - Rosali
All Current Music »