Alternative Weekend: Cardiacs
I have never heard anything so crazy, and they are getting into me. How I managed to click on a Cardiacs link I don’t know…, but I am happy I did.
They are impossible to pigeonhole. Each song is quite different from the last, except for Tim Smith’s vocal, and I never know what to expect.
As another video mentioned, it's 'Cardiacs', not 'The Cardiacs'. I would have preferred 'The' but it's not for me to dictate!
Digging a little deeper, many important bands such as Radiohead and Blur regard the band as influencers. Steven Wilson, a rare current artist who I respect is also a fan. They must have something then?
Blur invited them to be a support band during the 90’s, but they had to abort as the fans of this ‘premier’ brit-pop band were not impressed throwing bottles at them on stage. They didn't get it, and that was the same as me after my first listen of 'Tarred and Feathered’.
Cardiacs – Tarred and Feathered (Big Ship – 1987)
If you can get past this then you are doing well. I can’t stop laughing at the absurdity of it all, and when you watch one of those American watcher[reaction YouTube clips with the solemn stoic faces, it makes me laugh all the harder.
This song is not to be taken too seriously, and for that, I love it all the more. I mean talk about Britain from another period; it's like Madness on steroids. I can't see anyone from the other side of the pond getting this at all.
Everyone wears glasses, some at odd angles, with greasy hair and what looks like chocolate on their faces, pulling faces, big teeth… . is it progressive music?, it sounds very much like it to me, but very different from the usual tropes.
The end somehow reminds me of that emo classic (is that what it is?), ‘My Chemical Romance - Welcome To The Black Parade', even though it's totally different. That's makes no sense... a little like this crazy mad song.
Cardiacs – Manhoo (Sing to God – 1995)
'Sing to God' appears to be the most revered album from this band, and although I have yet to figure it all out I have listened to 'Manhoo' over ten times now and it's really setting in well.
It's been mentioned this is Cardiacs in full 'Sergeant Pepper' mode, and I can hear that a little with the brass that adds a lot. Don't expect anything resembling close to normal when listening to this one, as it sways all over the place changing direction when you least expect it to.
'Manhoo' was released as a single but this is far from single material and the unsuspecting public would dismiss it for being 'far too weird'. The only thing is has going for it in that respect is the length, which is radio friendly.
It's no surprise that the song failed to chart, and with the band insisting on using their own record label, the cost of almost zero publicity was always going to cost them.
Cardiacs – This is the Life (A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window – 1988)
The song that got my attention from just one listen, and I tell you, that’s extremely rare for me. One commenter says ‘this is the most normal 'Cardiacs' song ever'. At the time I didn't understand this but after listening to many more, it makes complete sense.
If you listen to only one of these songs then this should be the one. A rousing guitar harmonic minor chord riff section kicks this off to a great start.
If you can get accustomed to Tim Smith's vocal style then this one will go down very well, and that guitar solo at the end.., fucking great and forces me to play air guitar Butthead style though I wish I could find a better copy as it truncates a little quickly.
The comedy is there again, dressed in slovenly suits from a different period and pulling faces all the way through. Is there a little influence being pulled in from Angus Young of AC/DC? Or is it just me?
Did these guys influence the advent of Brit-Prop? That vocal.. and yet released in 1988.
This last is one for you @detlev, the end will have you rocking out!
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I see what you mean by the third song. Its like from a different band entirely. I quite like the riff. Just tried it on my acoustic, a sure sign of a thumbs up! The firs two are fucking gash to my ears though :OD
The third song, the one that got me right away. I keep listening to it, though I should not, lest it will settle in my ear and start growing roots.
Lol, it is a bit! A colloquial term for vagina 🤣🤣
I can see how that fits... 😀..
Excellent.
Yes.
They are hard to pigeonhole. I guess they are in a British tradition of quirky bands. I remember them being on the scene and as I have told you they played at Coventry Poly when I was a student there. The guitar society would gather in whatever rooms were available in the student union. One time there was a load of food in the room we used and it turned out to be the rider for Cardiacs. We were told we could help ourselves and then some of the band came in. That was one of the gigs I didn't go to. I can see from this list that it was November 1987. I know bands I saw there around then included Lloyd Cole, Blow Monkeys, Hawkwind, Hanoi Rocks, Boomtown Rats, Gary Glitter(!), The Sweet and many more. A mix of current and has-been acts on the uni scene :)
Very quirky and after listening to more I can see it's going to take some effort to digest them. The 3 tracks above I already have, and there's a decent back catalogue to go through.
I thing you missed out, I have watched some live performances and they are great, taking the piss out of the audience and hitting each other, just mad!
Marillion was the other band the joined as a secondary act, and just like Blur.., they got booed off stage and had to pack it in after 3 performances.
Great memories, I wish I could have been there too see all these, maybe not Mr Glitter.. 😅..
We didn't know how bad Glitter was, but he had been a feature of our childhoods. I'd go and see some bands whose music I didn't really know and some were good.
I would have gone to them all, the me of now that is!
Later I went to lots of gigs when I lived in Germany, mostly minor bands I didn't know. Most famous was probably Wilko Johnson. Such gigs and the Poly ones were cheap, so no big deal.
Sound like a blend of Ok Go with some punk (thematic) inspirations. I realize that's imperfect since they predate Ok Go with by decades.
The opening riff of "Is This the Life" reminds me a bit of The Cult. That's one is catchy. Proto Tenacious D?
She Sells Sanctuary? Now you mention it.., I can hear it and The Cult did it first!
Going back to listen to them both it's close. I used to have the Cult's Sonic Temple on a cassette tape and wore it out.
I'll have to check this out when I am back in the office on Monday. For some reason the sound stopped working on my laptop and I haven't been bothered enough by it to figure out what is going on. I may never get it fixed. I'm looking forward to seeing if I can get past Tarred and Feathered.
LOL.., impossible. You would need to live in the UK for at least 20 years to qualify!
I don't know this band, but from everything presented, they are very crazy :)
That last song could be like the beginning of Brit Pop.
But a few days ago, I heard something crazier than the first Cardiacs song. It is brutally bizarre and heavy mental... if you make it to the end, congratulations :)
One Frenchman...
Igorrr - ADHD
I got almost to the end before giving up. Some vocals might be useful. The French have vert different ideals to the English, one of the reasons we don't mix too well. I picked up a little Aphex Twin from the electronic sounds.
It's a bit different approach, yes, especially the time difference when something was shot and the use of AI (which I find very creative), but, madness is madness :)
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Cardiacs
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I can't understand what they are saying. However, I do like their in-your-face irreverence. Than again, I'm a sixties creature and we were all about in-your-face. I love their energy. The slovenly bit...I have to admit that's off putting :)
An interesting group. Never would have heard of them if I hadn't read this blog.
Is suspect its all an act, and you must admit.., they are very different.
I figured it was an act 😆
I love the fact that they are different. Rattling the cage, as it were. No point in watching something that looks and sounds like everyone else.
I'm not British, of course. I'm sure I missed a lot of the cultural clues, but their off-balance zaniness seemed like a less (much less) visually appealing version of Monty Python. :))
Yes, I think they must have been fans. Myself, I never got into Monty Python, though I am a fan of Mr Cleese.
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