Cardiacs--where to start?

[aith01]

I always loved how Tim chose to open that album with a breath. Like ... here we go! *deep breath* So unprog.

Haha! I didn't notice that before, but after you mentioned it and I went back and listened again. Pretty great.

What a great album opener!

The closing song -- I was not expecting such a majestic piece after the sometimes-frenetic (but in a good way) stuff that came before.

They are addictive.

[zombywoof]

The closing song -- I was not expecting such a majestic piece after the sometimes-frenetic (but in a good way) stuff that came before.

THERE IS LIFE! IN ME YET.

[aith01]

Listened through the whole thing twice today, repeating multiple songs several times, and starting on my third listen soon.

I'm kicking myself for taking so long to get with the program.

[chalkpie]

Listened through the whole thing twice today, repeating multiple songs several times, and starting on my third listen soon.

I'm kicking myself for taking so long to get with the program.

Better late than never, and there are MANY dudes out there that will never get with the program for whatever reason(s).

Welcome to Cardiacs

[chalkpie]

Listened through the whole thing twice today, repeating multiple songs several times, and starting on my third listen soon.

I'm kicking myself for taking so long to get with the program.

What albums do you have right now besides 'On Land'?

[NogbadTheBad]

I'm kicking myself for taking so long to get with the program.

I have a feeling that there are a lot of us feeling that way, they were touring the UK when I was seeing lots of lesser bands. Never heard of them until a few years ago.

[zombywoof]

Listened through the whole thing twice today, repeating multiple songs several times, and starting on my third listen soon.

I'm kicking myself for taking so long to get with the program.

Sounds like me when I got my intro disc - A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window. I listened to it on repeat for days, because it was just so different and refreshing. Kicked me right out of my complacency.

[aith01]

Better late than never, and there are MANY dudes out there that will never get with the program for whatever reason(s).

Welcome to Cardiacs

What albums do you have right now besides 'On Land'?

Thanks. I'm glad to be here.

Right now the only one I've got is On Land. Thinking about getting Little Man next though.

[aith01]

I have a feeling that there are a lot of us feeling that way, they were touring the UK when I was seeing lots of lesser bands. Never heard of them until a few years ago.

You're probably right.

[aith01]

Sounds like me when I got my intro disc - A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window. I listened to it on repeat for days, because it was just so different and refreshing. Kicked me right out of my complacency.

Yeah! It's a great feeling -- I love it when that happens.

[chalkpie]

Thanks. I'm glad to be here.

Right now the only one I've got is On Land. Thinking about getting Little Man next though.

Save on shipping - when you beg Uncle Steve to send your next order, get these:

'A Little man.....'
'Songs For Ships...'
'Sing to God'
'The Special Garage Concerts'

That'll simultaneously keep you busy for a few weeks AND change your life

EDIT: I added the Garage Concerts. Its not great for the Visa bill, but its amazing/essential for the Cardiacs fanatic. It covers the OLDE material in gorgeously modern live sound with ultra-ballsy, on-fire-energetic performances in London (the location adds to the flavour). You get to hear Sir Kavus and Tim TEAR, and I mean TEAR this shit up. It hurts leaving other albums out but that will all come in time.

[zombywoof]

Save on shipping - when you beg Uncle Steve to send your next order, get these:

'A Little man.....'
'Songs For Ships...'
'Sing to God'

That'll simultaneously keep you busy for a few weeks AND change your life

Frankie speaketh truth.

Oh how I envy the budding cardiacs fan who has yet to hear "RES" and "Fiery Gun Hand". Do keep us updated, yes?

[aith01]

Save on shipping - when you beg Uncle Steve to send your next order, get these:

'A Little man.....'
'Songs For Ships...'
'Sing to God'

That'll simultaneously keep you busy for a few weeks AND change your life

Thanks for the advice. I like the way you think.

[aith01]

Frankie speaketh truth.

Oh how I envy the budding cardiacs fan who has yet to hear "RES" and "Fiery Gun Hand". Do keep us updated, yes?

I'm grateful for all the great advice in this thread. Thanks to you all I've finally taken the plunge.

Are those both songs from Little Man...?

I will definitely post updates on my Cardiacs progress.

[Gazoinks]

It warms my heart to see more people getting into this band.

Save on shipping - when you beg Uncle Steve to send your next order, get these:

'A Little man.....'
'Songs For Ships...'
'Sing to God'

That'll simultaneously keep you busy for a few weeks AND change your life

This is good advice, you won't regret it.

[chalkpie]

^ I added one more to the order.......whoops.

[zombywoof]

I'm grateful for all the great advice in this thread. Thanks to you all I've finally taken the plunge.

Are those both songs from Little Man...?

I will definitely post updates on my Cardiacs progress.

One is from Little Man, the other is from Sing to God! I recommend taking Frankie's advice - get them while they are available, but take your time! I listened to On Land something like every week last summer. Sing To God was more a fall record! Then I discovered Ships and Irons and it felt almost like discovering a great lost album and it just blew me away, too, because I didn't expect an album of EPs and B sides to be THAT great!

[zombywoof]

EDIT: I added the Garage Concerts. Its not great for the Visa bill, but its amazing/essential for the Cardiacs fanatic. It covers the OLDE material in gorgeously modern live sound with ultra-ballsy, on-fire-energetic performances in London (the location adds to the flavour). You get to hear Sir Kavus and Tim TEAR, and I mean TEAR this shit up. It hurts leaving other albums out but that will all come in time.

I agree. There is some GREAT material and performances on Garage Concerts, plus it features the ultimate rendition of my favorite Cardiacs song "Gibber and Twitch". I use it all the time to turn newbies onto the band, because it represents just about everything I love about them - the rocking riffs, crazy time changes, alternating shouty vox with an INFECTIOUS chorus, and an ending that sounds almost classical in its pomp. Plus it's got this whole charming "we're playing tough music but we don't take ourselves too seriously" quality to it that makes it such a blast.

I love this band.

[Gazoinks]

I agree. There is some GREAT material and performances on Garage Concerts, plus it features the ultimate rendition of my favorite Cardiacs song "Gibber and Twitch". I use it all the time to turn newbies onto the band, because it represents just about everything I love about them - the rocking riffs, crazy time changes, alternating shouty vox with an INFECTIOUS chorus, and an ending that sounds almost classical in its pomp. Plus it's got this whole charming "we're playing tough music but we don't take ourselves too seriously" quality to it that makes it such a blast.

I love this band.

Whenever I'm alone, I can't help but flail wildly to Gibber and Twitch. Definitely one of my favorites too, especially on SGC. TRY TO RELAX ME NOW BUT THEN AGAIN OH NO!

[aith01]

Loving On Land and In the Sea so far. Have played it all the way through quite a few times now, and the songs are beginning to stick with me -- I'll find myself humming or singing them throughout the day absentmindedly.

Still trying to make sense of Tim's lyrics. I get the impression that a lot of them are absurdist/surreal, and maybe I'm looking at them too closely. lol

[zombywoof]

I see Tim's lyrics to be about as intelligible and worth the effort of understanding as Kobiaian. They are there for effect and the accentuate the music, for the most part. The true meaning is in the music - don't let the words get in the way of the meaning.

[aith01]

I see Tim's lyrics to be about as intelligible and worth the effort of understanding as Kobiaian. They are there for effect and the accentuate the music, for the most part. The true meaning is in the music - don't let the words get in the way of the meaning.

Seems like sound advice. I was beginning to lean in that direction, so it's good to know I'm not alone.

[zombywoof]

IMO, the best thing in the Cardiacs catalog, lyrically is "A Little Man and a House". That seems very planned and with a definite (and direct) meaning in mind of the 'little man' vs 'the machine'. As far as I know, most of the rest of Tim's lyrics were cut and paste jobs from various sources - almost a word collage. Kavus, by all means correct me if I'm wrong.

[Gazoinks]

IMO, the best thing in the Cardiacs catalog, lyrically is "A Little Man and a House". That seems very planned and with a definite (and direct) meaning in mind of the 'little man' vs 'the machine'. As far as I know, most of the rest of Tim's lyrics were cut and paste jobs from various sources - almost a word collage. Kavus, by all means correct me if I'm wrong.

Yeah, the Little Man album as a whole is fairly clear lyrically (for Tim). I feel like a lot of Tim's lyrics do have a meaning in his head, despite being really oblique, but that meaning is more about a mood than specifically telling you something. There are some later songs that I think are relatively clear, though (Mare's Nest, Will Bleed Amen).

[zombywoof]

Yeah, the Little Man album as a whole is fairly clear lyrically (for Tim). I feel like a lot of Tim's lyrics do have a meaning in his head, despite being really oblique, but that meaning is more about a mood than specifically telling you something. There are some later songs that I think are relatively clear, though (Mare's Nest, Will Bleed Amen).

I agree. Many of the songs on Guns are directly influenced by the film Night of the Hunter.