Cardiacs--where to start?

[Gazoinks]

I prefer To Go Off and Things and RES by a pretty wide margin to the Garage Concerts versions. I can't help being what I am.

Different story on Jibber and Twitch though, but my favorite version is the rehearsal video with the barking dog bit. Always makes me laugh so hard my belly hurts.

Honestly, my favorite versions of To Go Off and RES are probably the Mare's Nest ones.

[zombywoof]

Honestly, my favorite versions of To Go Off and RES are probably the Mare's Nest ones.

Oooh, yeah, good calls. I have a bad habit of forgetting Mare's Nest exists sometimes. I prefer The Seaside version of "To Go Off and Things" for sure, but I really get a kick out of that big Gong-ish bit at the end that segues into "Baby Heart Dirt".

[Steve F.]

Guns I was very curious about -- with it being the last Cardiacs disc, what are all of your opinions on it? How does it compare with StG, seeing there were only a few years separating them? The cover artwork is... interesting. Love the dogs.

I like Guns over-all more than Sing To God, which, now that I think about it, is one of my least fave Cardiacs albums.

But my favorite quartet album is Special Garage concerts.

YMMV.

[zombywoof]

I like Guns over-all more than Sing To God, which, now that I think about it, is one of my least fave Cardiacs albums.

But my favorite quartet album is Special Garage concerts.

YMMV.

My mileage does very! I'm the exact opposite. But then, in general I'm not a huge fan of live records, while StG is probably my favorite Cardiacs album (along with the rest of them - except Heaven Born which is merely a good album among a catalog of great albums).

That opinion on live albums still doesn't change the fact that I love Garage Concerts like crazy, though. I'm a fanboy, what can I say?

[zombywoof]

I'm probably as irritating as one of the Genesis fanboys when it comes to these guys, except my band is better.

[chalkpie]

I'm probably as irritating as one of the Genesis fanboys when it comes to these guys, except my band is better.

T-Shirt:

"Your Favourite Band Sucks Ass Compared To Cardiacs".

[zombywoof]

T-Shirt:

"Your Favourite Band Sucks Ass Compared To Cardiacs".

Haha!

[Steve F.]

But then, in general I'm not a huge fan of live records

I do like live albums. Always have.

I especially like live Cardiacs albums. They have an extra coating of 'crazed' over and above the studio albums that appeals to me.

[aith01]

I like Guns over-all more than Sing To God, which, now that I think about it, is one of my least fave Cardiacs albums.

But my favorite quartet album is Special Garage concerts.

YMMV.

Interesting. This makes me even more curious about Guns now.

The idea of pre-recorded keys on Special Garage Concerts doesn't bother me; in fact, having played in a couple of bands, I can understand why that might be used in some circumstances. I have a hard time imagining Cardiacs without keyboards and saxophone, since that was how I first heard them.

[zombywoof]

I have a hard time imagining Cardiacs without keyboards and saxophone, since that was how I first heard them.

What's strange about that is that despite having left the group, Sarah appears on vocals and sax on just about every Cardiacs album.

My advice? Get Guns. I don't like it as much as StG, but I like it enough to recommend it unconditionally.

[Lieto]

Guns is amazing, get it and listen. no expectations. You'll love it, its a way of life

[aith01]

I'll definitely get Guns -- maybe even next time I place an order at Wayside. Sounds like I also need to get Special Garage Concerts then too.

Had StG disc 1 on repeat for the last several days, and still thoroughly enjoy most of it. The first two tracks I tend to skip, but once Dog-Like Sparky kicks in it's pretty much all killer for me.

[chalkpie]

Any opinions of "Dirty Boy" yet? (first track disc 2)

[zombywoof]

I'll definitely get Guns -- maybe even next time I place an order at Wayside. Sounds like I also need to get Special Garage Concerts then too.

Had StG disc 1 on repeat for the last several days, and still thoroughly enjoy most of it. The first two tracks I tend to skip, but once Dog-Like Sparky kicks in it's pretty much all killer for me.

You'll make peace with the first two, promise. "Eeeeeven"

[aith01]

Any opinions of "Dirty Boy" yet? (first track disc 2)

Actually listened to this yesterday. It's interesting, the way it continually seems to build and build as the song goes on.

[Gazoinks]

You'll make peace with the first two, promise. "Eeeeeven"

Eat It Up Worms Hero took me the longest to get along with of maybe any Cardiacs song. Love it now, though.

[aith01]

You'll make peace with the first two, promise. "Eeeeeven"

You're probably right.

Eat It Up Worms Hero took me the longest to get along with of maybe any Cardiacs song. Love it now, though.

For me, it's difficult to hold onto any melodies in that one. It's very... jagged, maybe? I'll keep at it though.

[Gazoinks]

For me, it's difficult to hold onto any melodies in that one. It's very... jagged, maybe? I'll keep at it though.

Certainly. It's probably the most abrasive the band ever got. There is stuff in there, though, you've just gotta search it out. :P "Make eyes pretty wear clean dress."

[aith01]

Certainly. It's probably the most abrasive the band ever got. There is stuff in there, though, you've just gotta search it out. :P "Make eyes pretty wear clean dress."

Yeah, just about every song off theirs I've heard has things that make me want to go back and listen again, to pick up on all the details.

So, I was smacked upside the head by Flap Off You Beak; I love that one. Wonderful music.

[chalkpie]

There is so much depth to this band, that you'll find yourself going back to a 2-minute song *years* later and something will hit you that wasn't apparent before (maybe a melody, chord structure, riff, arrangement, vocal, sound effect, etc). I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me. Off the top of my head, on "To Go Off and Things", there is an instrumental break that maybe had just flown under my radar the first 15 or 20 times I spun that tune, and then ironically enough I was watching a cover band on YT doing it and when that section happened, I was thinking "Hmmm.....is that authentic to the original or did they just make that shit up?" Sure enough, it was there on the original, and that tune has been an absolute favorite ever since. In all fairness, this can happen with a lot of quality, complex music (see Bob Drake for a great example), but this is a Cardiacs trait for sure.

Tim.

[chalkpie]

Guns is amazing, get it and listen. no expectations. You'll love it, its a way of life

Guns is an amazingly deep record on so many levels IMO. Between this and Spratley's, Tim was heading in a beautiful and very unique direction.

[Gazoinks]

There is so much depth to this band, that you'll find yourself going back to a 2-minute song *years* later and something will hit you that wasn't apparent before (maybe a melody, chord structure, riff, arrangement, vocal, sound effect, etc). I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me. Off the top of my head, on "To Go Off and Things", there is an instrumental break that maybe had just flown under my radar the first 15 or 20 times I spun that tune, and then ironically enough I was watching a cover band on YT doing it and when that section happened, I was thinking "Hmmm.....is that authentic to the original or did they just make that shit up?" Sure enough, it was there on the original, and that tune has been an absolute favorite ever since. In all fairness, this can happen with a lot of quality, complex music (see Bob Drake for a great example), but this is a Cardiacs trait for sure.

Tim.

I actually just listened to the Seaside version of To Go Off and Things because Ian kept mentioning it, and now I feel bad for forgetting about it! It's actually pretty different from the live versions, with less punk face-smashing and more bizarre electronic noises. "Take it Sarah!"

I don't listen to The Seaside enough.

[zombywoof]

Guns is an amazingly deep record on so many levels IMO. Between this and Spratley's, Tim was heading in a beautiful and very unique direction.

This, 100%. And that began on StG - disc 2 mostly. He was developing his own unique palette and songwriting vocabulary. I really believe that some of the best things were still ahead and it breaks my heart.

[chalkpie]

I don't listen to The Seaside enough.

Yeah, I'd say that Seaside and Archive get the least amount of play time around these parts (if we're talkin' studio works), but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the crap out of them. They just have some terribly amazing company to compete with. I have actually been spinning 'Mr and Mrs Smith..' more than those records. I'm lucky just to be able to spin *anything* else besides this band....well you know!

[zombywoof]

My least played Cardiacs? Mr and Mrs Smith and Spratleys. Need to fix that.