Cardiacs - Sing to God / Deep Cuts Essentials #11

This month’s essential is the madcap double album from cult band Cardiacs - Sing to God!

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[iamdamosuzuki_]

I can hardly think of a single other group that combined extreme breakneck compositional complexity, unexpected tonal whiplash at every corner, and schizophrenic genre hopping with incredibly catchy and well written pop songwriting as Cardiacs. They managed to perpetually be in about twenty directions at once while simultaneously staying incredibly conceptually and sonically consistent with an incredibly laser focused and sharp ear for great hooks, melodies, and lyrics. Cardiacs are probably the closest thing I’ve ever heard to a fully actualized musical paradox. Tim Smith truly was one of the greatest songwriters in modern music and will be a continuing inspiration.

[johnscott]

It was John Walters, not Peel that hated Cardiacs. Peel got them in a couple of times for sessions under different guises, so Walters wouldn't realise what was being done.

[vantrickpaughney]

A Man And A House And The Whole World Window is easily my favorite album of 1980-s

[OurFoundingLiars]

On a real note, the Cardiacs are one of my favorite bands, it’s cool to see them get love. A guy I met at a Melvin’s show told me to check them out, and then nothing was the same.
Knifeworld is cool too, lead singer was in Cardiacs in the later years

[itskoile]

After my shift at the Bar where I work, there were only my colleague and a couple left. They drank drank profusely until I joined them. The guy of the couple, a dutch whose name escapes me and I started to talk about music quiet enthusiastically and I asked him if he played an instrument. He told me he is a church organist - I told him I am a drummer and composer. He looked me up and down and said - you like weird music don´t you... I was looking like always, a metalhead with a sprinkle of punk. We savagely discussed our favorite bands, especially from the 70s and 90s and as liqueur poured more and more we naturally played the music in the bar. And at some point, he jumped up and declared, that he must show me his favorite album. And that was when I heard the first serene tones of Sing to God. That was over a year ago. And I listened to everything Cardiacs have made, that I could get my hands on. There is rarely a day going by when I don´t listen to them. I feel a connection with that music in a way only Queen or Pink Floyd or Atomic Rooster or Daath and the likes where able to. I just want to thank you, weird dutch church-organ player who drunkenly showed me this terrific piece of art in a bar in Berlin at 6:30 in the morning.

[postlude]

The almost Blakean sense of innocence that underpins much of Tim's creative output is what makes it really endearing for me. There's a special purity to how totally uninhibited the vision is across his and the cardiacs' entire career. The continual blurring between fact and fiction surrounding the band's history only adds to a presence of childlike play and mischief...

[LowQualityCheese]

Cardiacs is some of, if not the most creative music I've ever heard.

[skabbonica]

Cardiacs are the only band I can't wait to recommend to anyone I get into a conversation about music with. There's massive variety from album to album, and I can't consider any of them less than a masterpiece. I evangelize them like they're an undiscovered religion, mainly because I want to bring the sheer joy they brought to my life to other music lovers. Tim Smith was an unparalleled genius, and his absence is an unbearable loss.

[TheInfiniteThreeMusic]

Excellent choice! I was in a band with tiny Bob Leith for a few years and can confim he is both lovely and bald. And a great drummer. I met him in a windowless basement filled with x-rays (long and surreal story that I won't go into here)

[calinpetrescu]

Two days ago, I have received a copy of this record. I have never been so nervous about any other record I have bought. The moment I have dropped the needle, the whole world around me completely disappeared. You were the one who helped me discover this amazing band too, among many other bands. Thank you, Oliver!

[waterguyroks]

Amazing album, glad that it seems to be getting more recognition these days though still criminally underrated on my opinion. Like many others I heard about it not on the internet but via word of mouth. I think that if it had a more eye-catching album cover it might have done better in the digital age.

Also, best wishes to Tim Smith. A real tragedy what happened to that man. His artistic vision was truly, truly unique. No one else writes music like he does and his lyrics are somehow at once both hilarious and faintly repulsive in a way that really gets under your skin. The scant insights we get into the mind that wrote those lyrics are really valuable things I think.

[CaJoel]

I feel like this is the way music was meant to be

[gpowell]

"Eat It Up Worms Hero" is simply the greatest song of all time. The melody that gets repeated in the second half just puts the biggest smile and my face and creates a fuzzy warm feeling inside.

[noelpmkstorey]

Not even a mention of Dirty Boy. The Crown jewel in this epic! But still, great review. Thank you.

[theloserof]

Wow, was not expecting this video to show up while searching Cardiacs. Glad that you covered them, they need as much attention as possible and I hope more people can support Tim.

Sing to God is the greatest album of all time for me and as someone who has trouble with articulating well enough on why I enjoy things, this video is godsend.

[davegoldthorpe]

Bought StG back in 1997. To say this is a work of genius and incredible talent is an understatement. Nothing will prepare for it if you haven't heard it. It's one of those albums that will stay with you for life.

[gydckn]

I love this album. It overflows with ideas. Each track is like a new genre from a parallel universe one over.
Subbed.

[oiporter]

Truly the greatest band to have graced this fair world. The Pondies love affair is strong

[Miniike]

when i saw the thumbnail i squeaked in joy.

[CaseyChristopher]

It is complex enough to egg on the idea of prog but it is done in the spirit of pop in that the songs are still meant to have hum along bits. Even though Fiery Gun Hand has the darting time movements one usually associates with prog there is still the air of stereo echoed guitars that take off to one two keyboards that are quite reminiscent of 80s pop. Yes, Timmy is right. Psychedelic Pop to be sure... but then again... we usually associate psychedelic tracks with prog era work. Timmy's primary point though is that if you compare any mainstream prog rock band you will find little if any true proximity to the feel of Cardiacs.

Also, yes. Dirty Boy. The magnum opus. It is a cycle of crescendos breathing in and out of each other to such an extent that you'll honestly wonder how such chord progressions and vocal maneuvers were possible if you tried to find your way using music theory. More like... Conspiracy music theory.