My Friend The Chocolate Cake
Encyclopedia
My Friend The Chocolate Cake is an Australia
n musical group based in Melbourne. They have recorded seven albums since being founded in 1989 by David Bridie
and Helen Mountfort, members of Not Drowning, Waving
. The band has won two ARIA Music Awards for Best Adult Contemporary Album, for Brood
in 1995 and Good Luck in 1997
Like their former band, My Friend The Chocolate Cake's music can be seen to straddle the worlds of ambient
and world music
, with an emphasis on piano and violin-led acoustic music. Influences range from the obvious, such as the Penguin Cafe Orchestra
and Celtic folk music
, to the less obvious, such as John Cale
and Talk Talk
.
In 1989 Bridie and Mountfort were playing in globally acclaimed ambient/world music ensemble Not Drowning, Waving
when they opted to unplug and unwind with a few more breezy compositions. The idea of the band began when Bridie took a holiday in New Zealand and wrote a collection of songs that did not fit into the Not Drowning, Waving style. He and Mountfort then began My Friend The Chocolate Cake with the intention of playing all acoustic music.
From the inception My Friend The Chocolate Cake emerged as an enjoyable ensemble, as musical friends and colleagues came together one by one to form their own unique sound. Hope Csutoros, a violinist with a Hungarian background and a flamboyant stage presence to match, was an inspired early accomplice. Mandolinist Andrew Carswell and guitarist Andrew Richardson added to an exotic web of acoustic textures. Russell Bradley was the first of several percussionists, filling a position currently held by Greg Patten.
The band's collective musical influences are diverse and include: Penguin Cafe Orchestra
, Irish
and Scottish folk music
, Joy Division
, Arvo Pärt
, and folk / pop / rock performers such as Billy Bragg
, Talk Talk
, John Cale
and Michelle Shocked
. My Friend The Chocolate Cake write songs of lyrical and musical mastery about people, characters and their community. Defying categorisation the band perform emotive musical pieces that move from subtle chamber instrumentals to frayed acoustic pop and songs of wry observation.
By no means formal in their presentation, My Friend The Chocolate Cake travel between atmospheric and ambient through to full scale romps and ballads. In addition to Bridie and Mountfort the band includes Greg Patten, Dean Addison, Andrew Richardson and Hope Csutoros. Previous members have included Russel Bradley, Michael Barker, David Abiuso, Xani Kolac (who replaced Csutoros in live shows from 2007 to 2010) and Andrew Carswell (a long-time member who retired from performing on July 23, 2010).
In 2006 an EP also titled 'Home Improvements' was released. It contained 6 songs including the song 'Home Improvements' as well as a remix and 3 new tracks.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n musical group based in Melbourne. They have recorded seven albums since being founded in 1989 by David Bridie
David Bridie
David Bridie is a musician from Melbourne, Australia. Bridie first rose to prominence as a member of Not Drowning, Waving, which he started in the early 1980s with guitarist John Phillips. They released four albums on Australian independent labels to some level of critical acclaim and very limited...
and Helen Mountfort, members of Not Drowning, Waving
Not Drowning, Waving
Not Drowning, Waving were a musical group formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1983 by David Bridie and John Phillips...
. The band has won two ARIA Music Awards for Best Adult Contemporary Album, for Brood
Brood (album)
Brood is the second studio album by Melbourne band My Friend the Chocolate Cake. The album was released in 1994 and won the 1995 ARIA Music Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album...
in 1995 and Good Luck in 1997
Like their former band, My Friend The Chocolate Cake's music can be seen to straddle the worlds of ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
and world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
, with an emphasis on piano and violin-led acoustic music. Influences range from the obvious, such as the Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
The Penguin Cafe Orchestra was a collective of performing musicians created by classically trained British guitarist, composer and arranger Simon Jeffes...
and Celtic folk music
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
, to the less obvious, such as John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
and Talk Talk
Talk Talk
Talk Talk were an English musical group, active from 1981 to 1991. The group had a string of international hit singles including "Today", "Talk Talk", "It's My Life", "Such a Shame", "Dum Dum Girl", "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World"....
.
In 1989 Bridie and Mountfort were playing in globally acclaimed ambient/world music ensemble Not Drowning, Waving
Not Drowning, Waving
Not Drowning, Waving were a musical group formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1983 by David Bridie and John Phillips...
when they opted to unplug and unwind with a few more breezy compositions. The idea of the band began when Bridie took a holiday in New Zealand and wrote a collection of songs that did not fit into the Not Drowning, Waving style. He and Mountfort then began My Friend The Chocolate Cake with the intention of playing all acoustic music.
From the inception My Friend The Chocolate Cake emerged as an enjoyable ensemble, as musical friends and colleagues came together one by one to form their own unique sound. Hope Csutoros, a violinist with a Hungarian background and a flamboyant stage presence to match, was an inspired early accomplice. Mandolinist Andrew Carswell and guitarist Andrew Richardson added to an exotic web of acoustic textures. Russell Bradley was the first of several percussionists, filling a position currently held by Greg Patten.
The band's collective musical influences are diverse and include: Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
The Penguin Cafe Orchestra was a collective of performing musicians created by classically trained British guitarist, composer and arranger Simon Jeffes...
, Irish
Folk music of Ireland
The folk music of Ireland is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres in Ireland.-History:...
and Scottish folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
, Arvo Pärt
Arvo Pärt
Arvo Pärt is an Estonian classical composer and one of the most prominent living composers of sacred music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs his self-made compositional technique, tintinnabuli. His music also finds its inspiration and influence from...
, and folk / pop / rock performers such as Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg
Stephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...
, Talk Talk
Talk Talk
Talk Talk were an English musical group, active from 1981 to 1991. The group had a string of international hit singles including "Today", "Talk Talk", "It's My Life", "Such a Shame", "Dum Dum Girl", "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World"....
, John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
and Michelle Shocked
Michelle Shocked
Michelle Shocked is the stage name of Michelle Karen Johnston, an American singer-songwriter.-History:Shocked received her first international exposure in Europe, particularly Britain, with her debut album The Texas Campfire Tapes .Her first U.S...
. My Friend The Chocolate Cake write songs of lyrical and musical mastery about people, characters and their community. Defying categorisation the band perform emotive musical pieces that move from subtle chamber instrumentals to frayed acoustic pop and songs of wry observation.
By no means formal in their presentation, My Friend The Chocolate Cake travel between atmospheric and ambient through to full scale romps and ballads. In addition to Bridie and Mountfort the band includes Greg Patten, Dean Addison, Andrew Richardson and Hope Csutoros. Previous members have included Russel Bradley, Michael Barker, David Abiuso, Xani Kolac (who replaced Csutoros in live shows from 2007 to 2010) and Andrew Carswell (a long-time member who retired from performing on July 23, 2010).
Discography
- My Friend The Chocolate Cake (1991; re-released in 1995 and 2005)
- BroodBrood (album)Brood is the second studio album by Melbourne band My Friend the Chocolate Cake. The album was released in 1994 and won the 1995 ARIA Music Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album...
(1994; re-released in 2005) - Good Luck (1996; re-released in 2005)
- Live At The National Theatre (1996; re-released in 2005)
- Review (1997; UK Compilation)
- 19 Easy Pieces (1999; re-released in 2005)
- Curious (2002; re-released in 2005)
- Parade - The Best Of... (2004; re-released in 2005)
- Home ImprovementsHome ImprovementsHome Improvements is the sixth studio album by Melbourne band My Friend the Chocolate Cake. The album was released in 2007.-Track listing:#"Hymn for the Carnies" – 5:14...
(album, 2007) - 25 Stations (Single, 2011)
- Fiasco (2011)
In 2006 an EP also titled 'Home Improvements' was released. It contained 6 songs including the song 'Home Improvements' as well as a remix and 3 new tracks.