Cardiacs--where to start?

[chalkpie]

Try to imagine Heaven Born with the production of Guns......yummy.

[zombywoof]

I know this will get my "hardcore Pondie" card ripped up, but I still think Little Man is not only their best work, but one of the all time great rock records ever. Should be in every serious music collectors library.


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[at least 100 dead]

Listening to Sing To God yesterday on a walk, pretty much, but jumping around on the order. I find that helps me hear things I might have overlooked in prior listenings. Anyway, focused on Horse's Tail. That tune is absolutely batshit nuts -love it!!

“A Horse’s Tail” has clawed its way into my Cardiacs top twenty lately. Great, whacky track.

[at least 100 dead]

I know this will get my "hardcore Pondie" card ripped up, but I still think Little Man is not only their best work, but one of the all time great rock records ever. Should be in every serious music collectors library.

It’s an amazing album. Not sure if it’s their best, but if it’s your favorite, who’s to argue with that?

[at least 100 dead]

Try to imagine Heaven Born with the production of Guns......yummy.

A remix/remaster/re-whatever of HB&EB would be sweet, but without Tim Smith’s involvement, I can’t see it happening. However, the Alphabet Business Concern could at least finally release all those outstanding b-sides on one CD.

[eadric]

I know this will get my "hardcore Pondie" card ripped up, but I still think Little Man is not only their best work, but one of the all time great rock records ever. Should be in every serious music collectors library.

I've always thought of that as a 'purists only' record - I mean, you're either going to love or hate R.E.S - but looking at that track list again...it's not bad, is it! I'll risk my own pondie card here, as I think the preceding records are quite patchy and nonessential, and Little Man is where it finally comes together.

[NogbadTheBad]

Little Man is my favorite.

[Phlakaton]

Songs For Ships and Irons might be my favorite.

[loosefish]

I wouldn't call the pre-Little Man stuff "patchy and nonessential", badly recorded maybe, but the Garage Concerts surely show how great that stuff is when played at full whack through a decent PA.

True, i'm not the biggest fan of Rock Around The Clock or A Cake For Berties Party, but the simple fact that much of the material was written by someone in their teens is mindblowing enough for me.

Hello Mr Minnow is the one that gets me, esp that insane vocal polyphony in the middle.

[chalkpie]

I know this will get my "hardcore Pondie" card ripped up, but I still think Little Man is not only their best work, but one of the all time great rock records ever. Should be in every serious music collectors library.


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Can't say if its my favorite or not but no argument from me

[zombywoof]

I've always thought of that as a 'purists only' record - I mean, you're either going to love or hate R.E.S - but looking at that track list again...it's not bad, is it! I'll risk my own pondie card here, as I think the preceding records are quite patchy and nonessential, and Little Man is where it finally comes together.

Really? It's the one I started with and seems to be the 'gateway' for most people. As in, the one it's okay to like at first, but then becomes very uncool to like once you hear the rest of the catalog.

"Is This the Life?" is one of the most powerful and emotionally stirring things Tim ever wrote. It's my go-to track, on good days and bad days alike. "RES" is the tune that made me a Cardiacs fan.


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[chalkpie]

Really? It's the one I started with and seems to be the 'gateway' for most people. As in, the one it's okay to like at first, but then becomes very uncool to like once you hear the rest of the catalog.

"Is This the Life?" is one of the most powerful and emotionally stirring things Tim ever wrote. It's my go-to track, on good days and bad days alike. "RES" is the tune that made me a Cardiacs fan.


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I can listen to "In a City Lining" everyday, multiple times. Can't imagine what it must have been like to play that live. Kavus?

THAT riff (in 6).

[Kavus Torabi]

I don't think we ever did that one while I was in the band. A Little Man was my way in too.
It had just come out and a friend lent it to me. I had never even heard of the band before, let alone heard them.
Before side one was done I knew this was the band I had been waiting for all my life.

[PeterG]

Can a kind Fishy in the Pond please explain to me in simple terms what is wrong with the production of HB & EB, all I know is that the vinyl sounds fine to me, but the original version of the CD sounds very trebly and hurts my ears.

[chalkpie]

Can a kind Fishy in the Pond please explain to me in simple terms what is wrong with the production of HB & EB, all I know is that the vinyl sounds fine to me, but the original version of the CD sounds very trebly and hurts my ears.

Pete - So are you asking what is "wrong" with the CD version? I have never heard the vinyl, but I would imagine the transfer to disc in mastering is what causes bleeding ears at high volumes. Who did it? Its also just 'thin-ish' sounding, needs more balls and a rounder and smoother top. Bright as the noon sun, too. Day is Gone has a similar production (if not the same) to my ears. Exquisite music, though. I don't hate it by any stretch, but it is my least favorite production if I had to choose. BTW, how AMAZING does the original "RES" sound on The Seaside? Holy Methtooth - its really, really, really great sounding - the drums especially. Fat, warm, round, ballsy, sweet, delicious.

Maybe if we all chip in we can get Brother Udester to work some magic on Heaven Born - and I'm only half-joking or maybe less.

You out there Udester? I haven't investigated your Cardiacs chops in a while....

[Sterbus]

Hello, is it too loud?

When it was mastered originally it was done at abby road. When we re-mastered it in 95 or whenever it was, we were told it was allowed to be a bit louder so we put the speakers in a bucket and put a mic on the bucket so we could turn it up a bit and we did.

As for the distortion you mention, we hoped no one would notice because some one didn't take the drawing pin out of the bucket and it must have been rattling all about but it was too late for us to correct this because we were kicked out for behaving in a spiteful way.

Hope this helps...

Timmy xxx

Thanks Brother Abnego for asking, back in 2000-something...

[loosefish]

^

[chalkpie]

Songs For Ships and Irons might be my favorite.

Its up there for sure. All Spectacular.

[chalkpie]

Hello, is it too loud?

When it was mastered originally it was done at abby road. When we re-mastered it in 95 or whenever it was, we were told it was allowed to be a bit louder so we put the speakers in a bucket and put a mic on the bucket so we could turn it up a bit and we did.

As for the distortion you mention, we hoped no one would notice because some one didn't take the drawing pin out of the bucket and it must have been rattling all about but it was too late for us to correct this because we were kicked out for behaving in a spiteful way.

Hope this helps...

Timmy xxx

Thanks Brother Abnego for asking, back in 2000-something...

What's a drawing pin and is it still in the bucket?

[chalkpie]

[chalkpie]

How did Tim not totally sweat his tits off with that long coat on? Must have been hot as balls in that room. This is just extraordinary BTW. No words. This tune is life at its absolute pinnacle.

[chalkpie]

[zombywoof]

Ah yeah, Ships and Irons is a beaut.


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[Steve F.]

I know this will get my "hardcore Pondie" card ripped up, but I still think Little Man is not only their best work, but one of the all time great rock records ever.

Little Man is my favorite.

It's up there for me, although, perversely enough, I like Mare's Nest the very best.

[arthurfrayn]

Thanks for sharing the Dirty Boy cover, chalk pie. Great job on that they did. Actually there's another more acoustic version on youTube that's very good as well. The covers show how compelling and inextricably moving the melody for that song is...