Tom Lynch

Sometimes we all need a break.

To recuperate, to recharge or to, well, do something else—no one can do the same thing continuously forever. Chicago’s seminal The Sea and Cake, a band that, in many people’s eyes, belongs in the indie-rock pantheon on the same level as Guided by Voices or Pavement, has characteristically taken a long hiatus between records (at least since the turn of the century), with both leader Sam Prekop and guitarist Archer Prewitt making solo records to fill the void. The band’s last album, "One Bedroom," released in 2003 on Thrill Jockey, was a bit of a disappointment—the band didn't seem to be interested in evolving. The same breezy, jazz-inspired instrumentation and songwriting approach dominated the album as it did its predecessors, from the self-titled debut on.

The Sea and Cake’s new record, "Everybody," while not necessarily boasting a new sound, feels alive. Still very subdued—sometimes Prekop’s vocal parts are barely audible—and still very light, the record suggests that the particles have settled and the band’s more comfortable than ever with its place in the world. The Sea and Cake is not going through the motions—the band’s doing what the band does best. Look no further than opener "Up on Crutches"—which could be one of the finest songs the band has written—as its warm verses and choruses swim amongst lushly delivered guitars and a heavy bass.

"It was strange once we actually started playing," Prekop says of the band getting back together after nearly four years. "I was worried about it, before we got back together. It freaked me out how we sort of instantaneously snapped back into it. It was kind of bizarre. One thing that helps facilitate this off and on, taking somewhat long breaks, is that Archer and I always play together in the interim, to keep that sort of thread of continuity. If we didn’t do that it would be…maybe not impossible, but more difficult in some way. It’s strange to me how it snaps back into focus."

Prekop says that when he writes, he’s simply writing, not specifically penning songs for one project or another. "I think this new batch of material, I guess, in a sense, is a continuum of my last solo record [2005’s "Who’s Your New Professor"]. It can’t not be affected by my experience recording that. When I write stuff, it ends up being for one project or the other, in general it’s cut from the same cloth. I don’t put different hats on for different records."

He says that the band had some idea of what kind of record it wanted to make, or, at least, an idea on how to approach it. "There will usually be some fairly broad guidelines, [at least in] reaction to the last record, which was more of a studio project," Prekop says. "A lot of the songs were realized in the studio. What we had brought in was changed in the studio. This time I think we wanted to get back to functioning like most bands would—they would know the songs, then record them. That was our basic modus operandi on this one. Sort of get back to certain cohesiveness that is four people playing in a room, playing songs, documenting the process."

He says he and his bandmates have grown weary of the accusation of being "mellow." "We find it quite baffling," he says. "I don’t think we could ever pretend to be a straight-up rock band, that wouldn’t really make sense. I’m usually baffled by the whole ‘forever-mellow’ tag, but I guess naturally what I hear is gonna be different."

Prekop also contends that, despite many claims, the band has grown and progressed over the years. "[That’s] another thing we’re accused of, not changing very much. I would beg to differ. I think it’s been an organic progression. We’ve never been stylists in terms of attempting different genres for no reason. I feel like it’s been a long, natural progression. I don’t know if it’s better, but it’s definitely different."

How, specifically, is it different? "I think it’s been a real linear progression," he says. "I don’t sort of listen back very often to the earlier stuff, on occasion when I hear a really old song, it takes me back in an interesting sort of way, how different it sounds…in terms of basic things, I’m better at singing in tune compared to the earlier days."

So, it’s safe to assume another long break for the band after this tour? "We’ve been thinking that we should not do that. We should actually make another record—mainly because I’m not sure what will happen in another four years."

The Sea and Cake play May 31 at Empty Bottle, 1035 North Western, (773)276-3600, at 7pm and 10pm. $20.

(2007-05-29)

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