Cardiacs’ final album LSD may well be the most important album of the year. It is certainly one of the best.
For the uninitiated Cardiacs were formed by guitarist, vocalist and primary songwriter Tim Smith and his bassist brother Jim during late 1970s punk.
As the 1980, 1990s and early noughties came around they emerged as one of the most complex rock bands around, combining almost every genre, scale and tempo, amid fairground whirls and thrills in carefully intricate, layered songs.
Tragedy struck in 2008 Tim Smith developed dystonia after a cardiac arrest and stroke. This left him needing constant care and the album the band was working on, LSD, was left unfinished. Smith then sadly died in 2020.
But if there is any small comfort from such tragedy, Cardiacs alumni and friends got together in recent years to finally release LSD, with input from Smith, who gave them access to his notes and lyrics.
This has included Billy Clyro touring guitarist Mike Vennart, who performed lead vocals on many of the tracks.
Also in this LSD Cardiacs line up are Jim Smith, guitarist Kavus Torabi, Chloe Herington, Craig Fortnum, Jane Kaye and Bob Leith.
Torabi has been arranger in chief and Jim Smith has taken executive producer duties.
Cardiacs’ LSD line up
The result was teased in summer with Woodeneye, a smart complex power prog punk pedigree chum of a track.
Then came Down Up, an even better slice of psychedelic rock pop. Another then followed with Volob, an insane mediaeval rock tune. All feature on the album and thankfully the rest is remarkable too.
There’s a nice progression too for those that liked the heavier Guns album. There are so many quality rock moments here.
How am I listening to it? On marsupial on LSD coloured vinyl in a smart package detailing the story behind this album. The CD release looks excellent too.
CD release version
How did I feel by the end? Exhausted and exhilarated, with the calming track Pet Fezant a welcome relief at the end of the rollercoaster.
Some other songs of note on an early listen, include The May, another banger like the singles, and the fine psychedelic rock of Spelled All Wrong.
By Numbers is like a tripped-out football chant, which veers this way and that. Its one of my favourites.
There’s some beautiful pop and great lead guitar playing on Skating.
Lovely Eyes is another densely layered pop song, that gets heavier before a little chamber pop – for a few seconds only. It’s a whole album in one track. The only other band doing that currently may well be Field Music, where they similarly pack all sorts into only a few minutes of clever pop and rock.
A Roll from a Dirty Place is a missing early Who song, but one where the amphetamines of the Mod scene have been supplanted by, well, LSD.
Cardiacs with Tim Smith
Overall this is a highly charged, emotional album that was started by Tim Smith and then crafted by his friends, who have provided exemplary care and attention to the production, as if each track is one of their cherished memories of their late friend.
By Joe Lepper
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