The Top 100 Songs of 2011 -- #94: "Sick of You" -- Cake

Cake has always been an enigma of a band. A rock band, with simplistic instrumentation, trumpet and those random percussion noises that you can't quite pinpoint but can identify as classic Cake. Add in John McCrea's often-monotonous vocals, and one might think you have a recipe for one or two big hits at best -- if that.

But Cake has proved time and time again that their alt-rock relevance is nothing to be scoffed at. That said, the mid- to late-2000s was a quiet era for the band, with no studio albums released since 2004. The band returned in 2011 with a new album, Showroom of Compassion, and not only did it exceed expectations simply by being released, but it also shocked quite a few people when it landed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

"Sick of You" was the first single from that album, and it's classic Cake. Semi-spoken-word vocals from McCrea, the most basic-yet-endearing bassline from Gabe Nelson, the bursts of Vince DiFiore's trumpet, and shouted group vocals from the rest of the band.

There's actually not much else to say about the song -- its allure is simple. It's an embodiment of Cake that we've all come to know and love. It was a return to form for a band that many hold dear to their hearts, and to see them back on the charts -- including on top of them -- was incredibly rewarding.

Oh, and check out the video for the song. It's fairly nonsensical, but I think we've all come to expect that from McCrea and Co. at this point.