Morning everyone (or evening depending on where you're from)!
I know this isn't quite Children of Bodom related, but I simply cannot NOT do a post about Cardiacs.
I first came across this band a few years back as a friend made me listen to the song Tarred and Fathered.
At first, this was absolutely impossible for me to listen to. Too chaotic, too random, too "weird". And I forgot about it until that same friend shared a post about the lead singer's/composer's death last summer. This got me to check that same song again and share it around as a joke. But, the more I shared it, the more I listened to it. And the more I listened to it, the more I was "getting it". Soon enough, I caught myself downloading their whole discography and there I was, a Cardiacs addict, a Fish in the Pond (as the hardcore fans would put it).
There are but too many songs to recommend from this band, whether it be the great riffs of Flap of your Beak
The fantastic solo of Fiery Gun Hand
The mesmerising chorus of Big Ship
Or the absolutely psychedelic outro of Junior (is a Jitterbug)
I simply cannot recommend enough that you check this band. All of it, all of their discography. For I have not heard anything this elaborate ever before.
Although I feel like I must warn you. This band has literally RUINED all music for me. I still listen to CoB every know and then because they are my teenage band, the one that got me to start guitar. But everything else just feels "bland" now that I have come across Tim Smith's incredibly deranged musical mind. Nothing ever came close to Cardiacs and there is nothing else that I can listen too without being bored.
To give you an idea of what a great composer Tim Smith was, here are some quotes from some amazing musician.
Steven Wilson said: “In a way it’s easy to love the music but it’s much harder to imitate and I think that’s why perhaps the legacy of Cardiacs isn’t as strong as it otherwise might be simply because it’s very, very hard to imitate music of such sophistication and complexity. It’s genius.”
And "He had one of the few truly unique sounds and musical personalities you could ever hope to hear, it was almost impossible to understand where his music came from and what his influences might have been."
Mike Patton wrote: "REST IN PEACE MY MAN TIM SMITH. THE CARDIACS WERE A HUGE INFLUENCE ON ME AS WELL AS MY BAND MR.BUNGLE. THEY DID IT RIGHT, INDEPENDENTLY AND WITH NO APOLOGIES. TONS OF RESPECT AND LOVE."
JG Thrirlwell said: "Deeply saddened to hear of the death of the brilliant Tim Smith of Cardiacs. He was a highly individual musician and songwriter who created epic and euphoric music. RIP."
Devin Townsend: "Rest in peace one of the finest ever. Tim Smith. <3"
And many others names Tim Smith as one of the greatest composers to walk this earth.
Last but not least, as a final attempt to get you to give them a chance, this band has been frequently quoted as:
You favourite band's favourite band.
and as
The greatest band you've never heard of.
Here are a few of their greatest musical accomplishments. Give it a go, I dare you.
I know this isn't quite Children of Bodom related, but I simply cannot NOT do a post about Cardiacs.
I first came across this band a few years back as a friend made me listen to the song Tarred and Fathered.
At first, this was absolutely impossible for me to listen to. Too chaotic, too random, too "weird". And I forgot about it until that same friend shared a post about the lead singer's/composer's death last summer. This got me to check that same song again and share it around as a joke. But, the more I shared it, the more I listened to it. And the more I listened to it, the more I was "getting it". Soon enough, I caught myself downloading their whole discography and there I was, a Cardiacs addict, a Fish in the Pond (as the hardcore fans would put it).
There are but too many songs to recommend from this band, whether it be the great riffs of Flap of your Beak
The fantastic solo of Fiery Gun Hand
The mesmerising chorus of Big Ship
Or the absolutely psychedelic outro of Junior (is a Jitterbug)
I simply cannot recommend enough that you check this band. All of it, all of their discography. For I have not heard anything this elaborate ever before.
Although I feel like I must warn you. This band has literally RUINED all music for me. I still listen to CoB every know and then because they are my teenage band, the one that got me to start guitar. But everything else just feels "bland" now that I have come across Tim Smith's incredibly deranged musical mind. Nothing ever came close to Cardiacs and there is nothing else that I can listen too without being bored.
To give you an idea of what a great composer Tim Smith was, here are some quotes from some amazing musician.
Steven Wilson said: “In a way it’s easy to love the music but it’s much harder to imitate and I think that’s why perhaps the legacy of Cardiacs isn’t as strong as it otherwise might be simply because it’s very, very hard to imitate music of such sophistication and complexity. It’s genius.”
And "He had one of the few truly unique sounds and musical personalities you could ever hope to hear, it was almost impossible to understand where his music came from and what his influences might have been."
Mike Patton wrote: "REST IN PEACE MY MAN TIM SMITH. THE CARDIACS WERE A HUGE INFLUENCE ON ME AS WELL AS MY BAND MR.BUNGLE. THEY DID IT RIGHT, INDEPENDENTLY AND WITH NO APOLOGIES. TONS OF RESPECT AND LOVE."
JG Thrirlwell said: "Deeply saddened to hear of the death of the brilliant Tim Smith of Cardiacs. He was a highly individual musician and songwriter who created epic and euphoric music. RIP."
Devin Townsend: "Rest in peace one of the finest ever. Tim Smith. <3"
And many others names Tim Smith as one of the greatest composers to walk this earth.
Last but not least, as a final attempt to get you to give them a chance, this band has been frequently quoted as:
You favourite band's favourite band.
and as
The greatest band you've never heard of.
Here are a few of their greatest musical accomplishments. Give it a go, I dare you.
