Cardiacs: a guide to their best albums

On Land And In The Sea (The Alphabet Business Concern, 1989) 

A magnificent creative peak from the classic six-piece Cardiacs line-up of the late 80s, On Land And In The Sea shines bright, kaleidoscopic light on Tim Smith’s musical manifesto. 

From razor-sharp but fiendishly complex melodic gems like Baby Heart Dirt, Mare’s Nest and Fast Robert, to the berserk prog-punk of The Duck And Roger The Horse and absurdly grandiose closing epic The Everso Closely Guarded Line, it’s an unrelenting rollercoaster ride of melody, madness and joy. Gently psychedelic and steeped in British eccentricity, On Land And In The Sea is Cardiacs’ most affecting masterpiece.

Sing To God (Alphabet, 1996) 

Cardiacs fans are split on whether Sing To God or On Land And In The Sea is the band’s greatest work. Both make a strong case, but there’s no denying that the former is, at the very least, Tim Smith’s magnum opus. 

Recorded in 1995, it’s an opulent, sprawling double album, and includes many of the best songs the band have ever done. Easily the biggest and best-sounding Cardiacs album, it veers from immaculate, quirky pop like Manhoo and Bellyeye to ferocious, skronky punk like FieryGun Hand and Bell Clinks, stopping off at towering psychedelic monolith Dirty Boy along the way. Another masterpiece, then.

Heaven Born And Ever Bright (Alphabet, 1992) 

Preceded by irresistibly melodic single Day Is Gone, the third Cardiacs full-lengther showcased a new, four-man line-up and an ever-so-slightly refined approach from the ever-inventive Smith. 

Mostly comprising precise and exuberant singalongs like For Good And All, She Is Hiding Behind The Shed and Anything I Can’t Eat, it also provided Cardiacs fans with their very own hymn: the impossibly stirring The Alphabet Business Concern (Home Of Fadeless Splendour). Meanwhile, Snakes-A-Sleeping is swivel-eyed prog at its finest – although the final fade-out is absolutely not be trusted (spoiler: you will jump).

Big Ship (Alphabet, 1987) 

Technically not an album, but more than significant enough to warrant its inclusion here, Big Ship was the first ‘proper’ Cardiacs release, at a time when bands simply didn’t sound like this. Not, of course, that they ever have. 

Only a handful of songs deep but perfect in every way, it begins with the rousing pomp of its title track, rattles through the electrified prog-punk of Tarred And Feathered, and plunges into oddly reassuring melancholy for Stoneage Dinosaurs (later covered by Steven Wilson, no less). You can find the whole thing on the compilation Songs For Ships And Irons, along with some more shiny non-album treats.

Guns (Alphabet, 1999) 

Although Tim Smith was reportedly not happy with the sound of Guns, Cardiacs’ final studio album, it still sparkles and delights with tons of their customary cracked charm. Ignoring the fact that album opener Spell With A Shell is without doubt the finest song about a snail ever written, these are some of Smith’s most beguiling creations. 

There’s Good Cud sounds like a bomb going off in a clown-shoe factory; Cry Wet Smile Dry uses key changes as a weapon of wonder; Jitterbug (Junior Is A) is woozy, meandering and just plain weird. Smith even mastered reggae on Wind And Rains Is Cold, the clever sod.

The Special Garage Concerts Vol I & II (Alphabet, 2005) 

Not a studio album, but rather a sonically dazzling live set full of material that isn’t included on Cardiacs’ regular albums, The Special Garage Concerts was recorded over three nights at London’s The Garage in the autumn of 2003, and proved to be Cardiacs’ last grand gesture as a live band. 

Delving into their early material for an explosion of musical madness, a new line-up featuring guitarist Kavus Torabi brought Tim Smith’s songs vividly to life in front of a hysterical audience of devotees, and joy was definitely unconfined. Essential listening for the Cardiacs completist.

The Seaside (Alphabet, 1984) 

Cardiacs released a handful of tape-only albums during their first decade, and The Seaside was undoubtedly the pinnacle of that rise to compositional glory. Although sonically primitive compared to later, ‘proper’ albums, there is something magical about this eruption of youthful imagination. 

Some of the band’s most iconic songs are on this record, too, such as Gina Lollobrigida, To Go Off And Things (later covered by Napalm Death!) and early versions of A Little Man A House, R.E.S. and Is This The Life, all of which are all cherished cornerstones of Cardiacs’ legacy. There was a lot more happening in 1984 than Tina Turner and U2, you know.