*** Cake, “Comfort Eagle,” Columbia.

Cake’s droll blend of melody, irony and postmodern romance remains intact, despite the exit of half the original band to feisty offshoot Deathray. Singer John McRae decorates his Beat-style phrasing with the usual cheap keyboards, trumpet squeaks and sharp beats, while lifting the guitar riff from Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane” for the funky “Short Skirt/Long Jacket.” It’s all fodder for McRae’s arch examinations of modern society. Sarcasm and affection for the common man.

*

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two (fair), three (good) and four (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.