Believe it or not there’s an amazing guy called David Minnick who has recorded an a Capella version of the whole album note for note under the name The 180 G’s . The man is a genius and has to be heard to be believed
Regarding your comment on the sentimental reaction to hearing an album when you were young then identifying with it, you are partly right, this is where Tim Smith really came up with the goods. If you grew up in England in the 1970s/80s, you will recognise so many cues and snippets from TV, Radio and popular culture of the day, and THAT is why they have so many little moments of comforting familiarity amongst the chaos. The occasional half-line of a nursery rhyme, a slogan from a billboard campaign, even just little production tricks like making a piano sound washed out and slightly distorted just like the piano did on a 1978 washing up powder advert that stuck in your head and you just CAN'T work out what it reminds you of. Then add the more obvious Progressive and Punk influences.The sounds of this album are very peculiarly British thing, and Tim was an absolute genius in harnessing this. This is the soundtrack of growing up in the 1970s, and I am overjoyed that people from other countries can still get enough out of Tim's work that they can love it and totally miss half of the references. That is special.
First saw Cardiacs play live in 1984, and then numerous times up until their final shows in 2007. Loved every manic minute of all of them. Sing To God undoubtably their best but the rest of their catalogue also just as varied. Lots of offshoot stuff as well for you to check out: Sea Nymphs, Spratleys Japs, and Tim Smith’s solo work. Cardiacs are the soundtrack to my life, and you are spot on in talking about the emotional connection with their music.
I discovered Cardiacs about three years ego. Now I'm 68,and it was like comming home. I found it intoxicating, just like the classic rock of the sixties I grew up on. I guess for some people it takes time to love it. 4 me it was love at first note. Thanks for what you're doing.
This is great guys, just subscribed. Cardiacs are an amazing band, saw them many times. Not the easiest album to discover them by but it pays rewards in the end. On land and in the sea is their pop masterpiece for me but all their albums are amazing, loving this!
💜🙂 I am loving their music, guys! It's so chaotic... I LOVE THAT! Even though this is a '90s album, it takes me back to the '70s and early '80s English punk scene. Some of the instrumental sound effects reminds me of the Tom Tom Club. Can't believe I never gave their music a listen to. Looking forward to the third part.
I think Tim Smith was using the cut-up technique heavily for the lyrics of this album, but then again he refused to talk about his words so your guess is good as mine. I think it also boils down to the technique deployed by musicians like The Residents or Mike Patton: the phonetic sound of the word is infinitely more important than any meaning it could have. I tend to prefer early Cardiacs 'cause it's less about Tim Smith's vice grip on production being the source for the chaotic energy and more about a band accomplishing those sounds live with a theatrical, antagonistic bent that matches the music to a T. I'd love to see a reaction to the Seaside Treats video, it definitely shows off their polarizing nature.
There are probably lots of Cardiacs fans who have a sentimental reaction to the music dating to when they first heard it. But personally I first heard their stuff about a year and a half ago and I was immediately totally in love with it. StG is actually not by what's considered the classic lineup of the band (who were on their first five albums.) You should watch some of their early videos. If you think this stuff is weird, you haven't heard (or seen) anything yet. Check out Tarred and Feathered.
Possibly and most definitely the UK's most best kept musical secret . . . boy are you in for a treat with the second STG album. The opening track will reduce you to a wobbling jelly mess . . . in a good way!
Your observation that this is akin to abstract art is fitting. I would say, you could look at it as postmodern literature too. To pluck a nonsense word from James Joyce, this album is a “collideorscape” - a rich tapestry shredded and rearranged. Of all Cardiacs’ albums, this one seemed the most abrasive at my first listen. Too dense, too chaotic and angular! But then little things pop out - like you say, “I don’t know what I’m looking at, but I see a part of a face!” - and through repeated listenings one recognizes motifs and patterns, and puzzles at how it all fits together. To me the appeal is not so much that I grew up with it (I didn’t), but rather that it challenges and ENGAGES me - musically, emotionally, and intellectually - through repeated listenings more than other music. Like Joyce’s literature or David Lynch’s films, Cardiacs’ “Sing to God” album plops one in the presence of a confounding mystery and invites active participation.
I pissed myself laughing when you pictured the front cover of the album as a bunch of peewee hermans, i totally got it - if i was drinking coffee at the time i genuinely wouldve spat it out and needed to clean up. However, here's the switch on that image... I KNEW these guys... so take another look and imagine each head as Da Vinci, Einstein, Bach, and Ghandi sat in a room making a message...? It's tight and rarel ike a virgin on prom night
Ok, you guys have dipped into this band, but need to check out their live album/video called Mares Nest........its incredible....they are younger and full of fun as they play....its one of the best live videos i have ever seen....
It took me a long time to begin to understand (and thence enjoy) them properly. It's a game with many levels. There are little quiet things hidden deep in the mix that are not available for most first listens. I'd suggest trying to come back to this occasionally for say a year. Just follow the impulse if you think it might be OK to listen to this or that song again. See what you hear the next time. You might find that you hear a few of the things you missed this time round. Here's a lovely cover of *Wireless* by a Dutch orchestra/ensemble/pop group which presents the tale of *Action Fish* (which it looks like you missed, discussing the song while it was playing), which will appear again later in the album, "higher in the mix"/ less muffled away, less hidden, less of an Easter Egg. ua-cam.com/video/vUWFOFnGDMs/v-deo.html
Self-correction. At some stage you need to hear this as an album, rather than as a "Spotify list" - as something where each thing flows into the next. It's not a thematic album as such, but it is a whole, and not just some arbitrary bag of disconnected individual songs. (You'd know that, right? Same as you really need to listen to the whole of a Faith No More album as a single entity, too.) So although it's fine to listen to the songs you connect to again (and also those you connect to the least, if you want it to expand your palette) you really need to find the time to let the whole thing run through as a whole in such a way as to annoy the neighbours and make your dog happy. (A description of one of their songs I saw one day was something like, "It's like a bunch of ten year old boys racing round like mad on bicycles". There's definitely an element of Cardiacs that taps into that back-to-being-ten feeling. It's not all of it, but I think that's what the wickedly angelic faces on the album are suggesting: Mischief. Naughty ten-year-olds will be coming through here on their skateboards any minute now, and you're welcome to shed all your years for a moment and join them, if you like.)
Believe it or not there’s an amazing guy called David Minnick who has recorded an a Capella version of the whole album note for note under the name The 180 G’s . The man is a genius and has to be heard to be believed
Got it! Truly amazing yes!
It's really impressive, sounds glorious.
Regarding your comment on the sentimental reaction to hearing an album when you were young then identifying with it, you are partly right, this is where Tim Smith really came up with the goods. If you grew up in England in the 1970s/80s, you will recognise so many cues and snippets from TV, Radio and popular culture of the day, and THAT is why they have so many little moments of comforting familiarity amongst the chaos. The occasional half-line of a nursery rhyme, a slogan from a billboard campaign, even just little production tricks like making a piano sound washed out and slightly distorted just like the piano did on a 1978 washing up powder advert that stuck in your head and you just CAN'T work out what it reminds you of. Then add the more obvious Progressive and Punk influences.The sounds of this album are very peculiarly British thing, and Tim was an absolute genius in harnessing this. This is the soundtrack of growing up in the 1970s, and I am overjoyed that people from other countries can still get enough out of Tim's work that they can love it and totally miss half of the references. That is special.
First saw Cardiacs play live in 1984, and then numerous times up until their final shows in 2007. Loved every manic minute of all of them. Sing To God undoubtably their best but the rest of their catalogue also just as varied. Lots of offshoot stuff as well for you to check out: Sea Nymphs, Spratleys Japs, and Tim Smith’s solo work. Cardiacs are the soundtrack to my life, and you are spot on in talking about the emotional connection with their music.
I discovered Cardiacs about three years ego. Now I'm 68,and it was like comming home. I found it intoxicating, just like the classic rock of the sixties I grew up on. I guess for some people it takes time to love it. 4 me it was love at first note. Thanks for what you're doing.
Love at first note for me too, all the way. Six years after discovering Cardiacs they are still my favorite band of all time, no question.
'The ultimate long fadeout' Oh no no no, that's yet to come 😂😂😂
This is great guys, just subscribed. Cardiacs are an amazing band, saw them many times. Not the easiest album to discover them by but it pays rewards in the end. On land and in the sea is their pop masterpiece for me but all their albums are amazing, loving this!
Ty !
The odd sound on Wireless is scissors, recorded in Jim Smiths garden.
Sweet. Called it - Ryan
Wireless features the sound of 45 ✂️ scissors being snipped
Interesting fact the wildhearts actually have a song called Tim Smith in blessedness honour were they refer to him as the greatest human being
Unfortunately the line "is still around" no longer applies 😞
@@SpuddySpud So sad. But what a legacy he left.
Please keep up with this reaction, i love this record its my favorite album and the way you guys react to it its very fun.
We are recording part 3 tomorrow
💜🙂 I am loving their music, guys! It's so chaotic... I LOVE THAT! Even though this is a '90s album, it takes me back to the '70s and early '80s English punk scene. Some of the instrumental sound effects reminds me of the Tom Tom Club. Can't believe I never gave their music a listen to. Looking forward to the third part.
Wireless is one of my favourites, although it has a striking resemblance to Faust's "Lauft..." from the Faust IV album.
I think Tim Smith was using the cut-up technique heavily for the lyrics of this album, but then again he refused to talk about his words so your guess is good as mine. I think it also boils down to the technique deployed by musicians like The Residents or Mike Patton: the phonetic sound of the word is infinitely more important than any meaning it could have.
I tend to prefer early Cardiacs 'cause it's less about Tim Smith's vice grip on production being the source for the chaotic energy and more about a band accomplishing those sounds live with a theatrical, antagonistic bent that matches the music to a T. I'd love to see a reaction to the Seaside Treats video, it definitely shows off their polarizing nature.
There are probably lots of Cardiacs fans who have a sentimental reaction to the music dating to when they first heard it. But personally I first heard their stuff about a year and a half ago and I was immediately totally in love with it. StG is actually not by what's considered the classic lineup of the band (who were on their first five albums.) You should watch some of their early videos. If you think this stuff is weird, you haven't heard (or seen) anything yet. Check out Tarred and Feathered.
Yes. And watch the video for "R.E.S." while you're at it.
@@JohnShadeLIVES Or Tarred and Feathered.
The Doctor Who reference in Part 1 of your reaction is quite apt. Like the TARDIS, Cardiacs songs are bigger on the inside!
Possibly and most definitely the UK's most best kept musical secret . . . boy are you in for a treat with the second STG album. The opening track will reduce you to a wobbling jelly mess . . . in a good way!
Looking forward to part three!
Your observation that this is akin to abstract art is fitting. I would say, you could look at it as postmodern literature too.
To pluck a nonsense word from James Joyce, this album is a “collideorscape” - a rich tapestry shredded and rearranged. Of all Cardiacs’ albums, this one seemed the most abrasive at my first listen. Too dense, too chaotic and angular! But then little things pop out - like you say, “I don’t know what I’m looking at, but I see a part of a face!” - and through repeated listenings one recognizes motifs and patterns, and puzzles at how it all fits together.
To me the appeal is not so much that I grew up with it (I didn’t), but rather that it challenges and ENGAGES me - musically, emotionally, and intellectually - through repeated listenings more than other music. Like Joyce’s literature or David Lynch’s films, Cardiacs’ “Sing to God” album plops one in the presence of a confounding mystery and invites active participation.
❤️🤟🙏🤟❤️
Spot on. Accurate description 100%.
All pop tunes as Tim said. Once your ear adjusts it's pop.
I pissed myself laughing when you pictured the front cover of the album as a bunch of peewee hermans, i totally got it - if i was drinking coffee at the time i genuinely wouldve spat it out and needed to clean up. However, here's the switch on that image... I KNEW these guys... so take another look and imagine each head as Da Vinci, Einstein, Bach, and Ghandi sat in a room making a message...? It's tight and rarel ike a virgin on prom night
Wireless wonderful composition
Please do more album reactions like this
Ok, you guys have dipped into this band, but need to check out their live album/video called Mares Nest........its incredible....they are younger and full of fun as they play....its one of the best live videos i have ever seen....
It took me a long time to begin to understand (and thence enjoy) them properly. It's a game with many levels. There are little quiet things hidden deep in the mix that are not available for most first listens. I'd suggest trying to come back to this occasionally for say a year. Just follow the impulse if you think it might be OK to listen to this or that song again. See what you hear the next time. You might find that you hear a few of the things you missed this time round.
Here's a lovely cover of *Wireless* by a Dutch orchestra/ensemble/pop group which presents the tale of *Action Fish* (which it looks like you missed, discussing the song while it was playing), which will appear again later in the album, "higher in the mix"/ less muffled away, less hidden, less of an Easter Egg. ua-cam.com/video/vUWFOFnGDMs/v-deo.html
Self-correction. At some stage you need to hear this as an album, rather than as a "Spotify list" - as something where each thing flows into the next. It's not a thematic album as such, but it is a whole, and not just some arbitrary bag of disconnected individual songs. (You'd know that, right? Same as you really need to listen to the whole of a Faith No More album as a single entity, too.) So although it's fine to listen to the songs you connect to again (and also those you connect to the least, if you want it to expand your palette) you really need to find the time to let the whole thing run through as a whole in such a way as to annoy the neighbours and make your dog happy.
(A description of one of their songs I saw one day was something like, "It's like a bunch of ten year old boys racing round like mad on bicycles". There's definitely an element of Cardiacs that taps into that back-to-being-ten feeling. It's not all of it, but I think that's what the wickedly angelic faces on the album are suggesting: Mischief. Naughty ten-year-olds will be coming through here on their skateboards any minute now, and you're welcome to shed all your years for a moment and join them, if you like.)
Either I'm getting more used to it or this album is getting better...