Small "Cakes" cd (Rockville/1993)

Seeing that my old band Dude Japan just did a reunion show this past Saturday in support of our posthumous release "Will You Meet Me There" on Rok Lok Records and that on the cd their is a cover the band Small's "Vega and Boston", I saw it only fitting to share some music by Small, or as they are sometimes referred to as Small 23 as per a feud with another band named Small, in this space. And while Small was never really a "big time" indie rock band like some of there contemporaries of the day from Chapel Hill, NC like Superchunk, Archers of Loaf and Polvo, they did have a following of sorts but I would wager to say that this early ep release is a bit more obscure as far as their discography is concerned. If you never heard Small before I highly recommend that you seek out their three full lengths on Alias Records, specifically their swan song, Silver Gleaming Death Machine, which in my opinion is them at their absolute best and catchiest. To give a context of what they sound like, Small (or Small 23) were cut from the same cloth as bands like Superchunk and Archers of Loaf, in that they played super hook filled, melodic indie rock. And probably not a coincidence both Chuck Garrison, original drummer for Superchunk and Erich Bachmann, who went on to front Archers of Loaf and Crooked Fingers, were both involved in Small. And on this six song EP the lineup featured includes Garrison (drums) and Bachmann (guitar and vocals) as well as Mike Kenlan on guitars and vocals and Matt Walter on bass. Shortly after the release of Cakes, Bachmann left Small to concentrate on Archers of Loaf full time and was replaced by Dave Hollinghurst. While I am partial to Small's last to full length efforts, Chin Music and the aforementioned Silver Gleaming Death Machine, I can't deny how damn awesome Cakes is, a short powerful punch of perfect buzzing guitar indie rock with punctuated backing vocals that sum up what I love about music from that region in the 90s. The tracks that Bachmann offer lead vocals on, "Cakes" and the Dinosaur Jr sounding "Chuck's Buzz" are the highlights for me though the Kenlan lead track "Empty Room" isn't too far behind with its wonky guitar lines in front and Bachmann's energetic backing vocal in the chorus. Well enough of me yapping...if you like Superchunk and Archers of Loaf there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't like Small.


Small Cakes tracklisting

1. Empty Room
2. Cakes
3. Chuck's Buzz
4. The Big U Without Me
5. He Who Cannot Be Bathed
6. Every

Download Here

And if you are interested in checking out Dude Japan and our cover of Small's "Vega and Boston". Check us out on Bandcamp.