Cardiacs discography

The English rock band Cardiacs have released five studio albums and two extended plays along with a number of singles, compilations, live albums and demos. The group was formed by brothers Tim and Jim Smith in 1977 under the name Cardiac Arrest, releasing their debut single "A Bus for a Bus on the Bus" in 1979 and the demo album The Obvious Identity the following year.[1] After being renamed to Cardiacs, the band released two more cassettes, Toy World (1981) and The Seaside (1984).[2][3]

Cardiacs discography
A sextet performing on stage.
Cardiacs performing in Amsterdam in 1987
Studio albums5
Live albums5
Compilation albums5
Video albums3
Music videos10
EPs2
Singles13
Demo albums3

1987's Big Ship EP acted as Cardiacs' first proper recording,[4] released on their independent label The Alphabet Business Concern on which they would release all future albums.[5] Their debut studio album proper, A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window (1988) found commercial success with its single, "Is This the Life?" which peaked at number 80 the UK Singles Chart.[6] The band's second studio album, On Land and in the Sea (1989), released to weak sales in comparison to its predecessor, but was critically praised.[7][8]

Cardiacs' third studio album, Heaven Born and Ever Bright, was released on 15 May 1992. Due to Rough Trade's bankruptcy, the album was a commercial failure. Sing to God, the band's fourth studio album, was released on 11 June 1996. It was initially poorly received,[9] but has since been remembered as one of their greatest projects.[10]

Guns (1999) was released as the band's fifth studio album which produced the single "Signs". Preceded by the release of "Ditzy Scene", the band's sixth studio album LSD has yet to be released. 2020 saw the official release of the song "Vermin Mangle" to mark the funeral of Tim Smith.[11]

Albums

Studio albums
Title Album details Peak chart positions Notes
POR
[12]		 NZ
[13]
A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window
  • Released: 21 March 1988
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern/Torso (ALPH 007)
  • Format: LP, CD, MC
 56 —
  • Reissued on CD in 1995 including the B-side "Eating in Bed" in the tracklist[14]
  • 25th Anniversary Edition released in 2013 with a booklet containing the original 1988 artwork and lyrics[15][3]
On Land and in the Sea
  • Released: 2 May 1989
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern/Torso (ALPH 012)
  • Format: LP, CD, MC
 — —
  • Vinyl releases remove the track "Horse Head"[16]
Heaven Born and Ever Bright
  • Released: 15 May 1992
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern/Rough Trade (ALPH 017)
  • Format: LP, CD, MC
 — —
  • The first Cardiacs album as a four-piece[17]
  • Remastered and reissued in 1995 with new cover art[18]
Sing to God
  • Released: 11 June 1996
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH 022)
  • Format: 2×CD
 — 59
  • Originally released as a limited edition double CD and as two separate albums[19]
  • Reissued on vinyl gatefold in 2014[20]
Guns
  • Released: 21 June 1999
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH 027)
  • Format: CD
 — —
  • Cardiacs' final album before dissolution in 2008 and the last released in Tim Smith's lifetime[21][22]
  • The band's third and final album as a four-piece[21]
  • Intended to be followed by an album that was never completed[23]
  • Reissued on vinyl in 2015[21]
LSD To be released
  • Recording began in 2005 for planned release in October 2008[24][25]
  • The band's second double album following Sing to God[26]
"—" denotes a title that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilation albums
Title Album details Peak chart positions Notes
NZ
[27]		 AUT
[28]		 ITA
[29]
Archive Cardiacs
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH 000)
  • Format: MC
 73 — —
  • A compilation of early Cardiacs demos and previously unreleased instrumentals[30][31]
  • Reissued on CD in 1995 and on vinyl in 2018[32][33]
Songs for Ships and Irons
  • Released: 16 September 1991
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH 014)
  • Format: LP, CD, MC
 — 89 —
  • Comprising 1987's Big Ship EP and other non-album tracks[4]
Sampler
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH 019)
  • Format: CD
 — — —
  • Limited release sampler containing a guide to the Cardiacs discography[34]
Cardiacs and Affectionate Friends
(with various artists)
  • Released: 19 May 2001
  • Label: Org Records/All My Eye and Betty Martin Music (ORG 228)
  • Format: CD
 — — —
  • Consists of songs by Cardiacs, side projects and past band members[35]
Greatest Hits
  • Released: 2 April 2002
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH 029)
  • Format: CD
 — — 57
  • Features the exclusive track "Faster Than Snakes with a Ball and a Chain"[26]
"—" denotes a title that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Live albums
Title Album details Notes
Rude Bootleg
  • Released: 24 August 1986
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH 005)
  • Format: LP, CD, MC
  • Documents the band's 1986 Reading performance, featuring tracks from 1988's A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window[36]
Radio 1 Sessions / The Evening Show
Cardiacs Live
  • Released: 31 October 1988
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH 010)
  • Format: LP, CD
  • Recorded at the Paradiso in Amsterdam on 15 May 1988[38]
  • Back cover photo was taken at the Town and Country Club in London[38]
All That Glitters Is a Mares Nest
  • Released: 1 June 1995
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH 018)
  • Format: CD
The Special Garage Concerts
  • Released: 24 September 2005
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH 031)
  • Format: 2×CD

Demo albums
Title Album details Notes
The Obvious Identity
(as Cardiac Arrest)
  • Released: June 1980
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: MC
  • Approximately 100 copies were produced[31]
  • Three tracks appeared on 1989's Archive Cardiacs[31]
Toy World
  • Released: March 1981
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: MC
  • Some tracks were recorded in June 1980 during The Obvious Identity sessions[31]
The Seaside
  • Released: 1984
  • Label: Alphabet (ALPH 001)
  • Format: MC

Video albums
Title Album details Notes
Seaside Treats
  • Released: 31 December 1984
  • Label: Jettisoundz/Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH 025V)
  • Format: VHS
All That Glitters Is a Maresnest
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Fotodisk (LFV 116)
  • Format: VHS
  • Released on DVD by the Alphabet Business Concern in 2013[47]
Some Fairytales From the Rotten Shed
  • Released: 7 September 2017
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH DVD 002)
  • Format: DVD
  • Composed of 2003 rehearsal footage of the band's pre-1984 material[48]
  • Clips uploaded to YouTube preceding full release[49]

Extended plays
Title Album details Notes
Seaside Treats
  • Released: 1985
  • Label: Alphabet (ALPH 002)
  • Format: 12-inch
  • Consists of four songs from 1984's The Seaside, including "Hope Day" which was excluded from the video
Big Ship
  • Released: 27 January 1987
  • Label: Alphabet Business Concern (ALPH 004)
  • Format: 12-inch
  • The first non-demo release by the band[4]
  • Reissued on 1991's Songs for Ships and Irons[4]

Singles
Title Year Peak chart positions Album Notes
UK
[50]		 SPA
[51]
"A Bus for a Bus on the Bus"
(as Cardiac Arrest)		 1979 — — Cardiac Arrest E.P.
"There's Too Many Irons in the Fire" / "All Spectacular" 1987 — — Non-album single
  • Was included on Songs for Ships and Irons[53]
  • Came with a 4-page lyric sheet and a photo collage[54]
"Is This the Life?" 1988 80 — A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window
  • Alphabet was not able to satisfy demands for the record after its release on Radio 1[55]
  • Released in the Netherlands by Torso[56]
"Susannah's Still Alive" — — Non-album single
"Baby Heart Dirt" 1989 — — On Land and in the Sea
  • Released in the Netherlands by Torso[58]
"Day Is Gone" 1991 — — Heaven Born and Ever Bright
  • Four track EP preceding the album's release[4]
  • Reissued in a limited capacity on CD in 2015[59]
"Bellyeye" 1995 — — Sing to God
  • Released by the Organ magazine's record label Org Records[60]
"Manhoo" 1996 — —
  • First two in a planned set of four limited edition CD-singles from Sing to God[61][62]
"Odd Even" — —
"Sleep All Eyes Open" 1999 — — Cardiacs Meet Camp Blackfoot
  • Limited split single with the English band Camp Blackfoot[63]
  • Cardiacs side features "Sleep All Eyes Open" from Guns along with three songs from 1996's Sing to God, while Camp Blackfoot's features demos of songs from Critical Seed vs. The Spartan Society (1999)[63]
"Signs" 1999 — — Guns
  • Includes an instrumental for the song "Dog Like Sparky" from Sing to God[64]
"Ditzy Scene" 2007 — 72 LSD
"Vermin Mangle" 2020 — —
  • Cardiacs' first material since their 2008 indefinite hiatus[67]
  • Released as an online free download through Bandcamp[68]
"—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released.

References
  1. Alvin, Mark (22 July 2020). "Tim Smith, the Cardiacs frontman, dies at 59". Music Times. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  2. Kitching, Sean (24 July 2020). "Remembering Tim Smith Of Cardiacs". The Quietus. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  3. Kitching, Sean (3 July 2013). "A Little Man & A House & The Whole World Window By Cardiacs Revisited". The Quietus. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  4. Lawson, Dom (2 March 2021). "Cardiacs' best albums - a buyers guide". Louder. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  5. Ewing, Jerry (22 July 2020). "Cardiacs singer Tim Smith dead at 59". Prog. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  6. Cashmore, Pete (2 June 2015). "Cult heroes: Tim Smith led the Cardiacs in the face of hatred – and much love". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 June 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  7. "Cardiacs News » Album Reviews - ON LAND AND IN THE SEA". Cardiacs.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  8. Unsworth, Cathi (22 April 1989). "Cardiacs 'On Land and in the Sea'". Sounds.
  9. "Dancing About Architechture [sic]: the PIEmag * C A R D I A C S * - interview". TheCorroseum.org. 1996. Archived from the original on 14 August 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  10. Kitching, Sean (4 July 2014). "Reviews: Cardiacs: Sing To God (Reissue)". The Quietus. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  11. Richards, Sam (2 September 2020). "Hear a previously unreleased Cardiacs song, "Vermin Mangle"". Uncut. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  12. "A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window - Cardiacs". Top Charts. AppGeneration. 19 September 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  13. "Sing to God - Cardiacs". Top Charts. AppGeneration. 25 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  14. A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window (1995 reissue) (CD liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1995. ALPH CD007.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. "A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window: CD". The Consultant's Memorabilia Collection. Shopify. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  16. On Land and in the Sea (LP liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1989. ALPH LP012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. Scott, Danny (April 1992). "Cardiacs - Heaven Born and Ever Bright". Select. p. 65. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  18. Heaven Born and Ever Bright (1995 reissue) (CD liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1995. ALPH 017.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. Sing to God - Parts One and Two (CD liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1996. ALPH CD023 / ALPH CD024.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  21. Benjamin, Stuart (12 July 2015). "Echoes of the Past: Cardiacs – Guns". Echoes and Dust. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  22. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (22 July 2020). "Tim Smith, frontman of cult band Cardiacs, dies aged 59". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  23. Smith, Tim (1 July 2007). "Cardiacs Official Website » Your Vexed Questions October 2005". Archived from the original on 1 July 2007. Retrieved 7 April 2018. "Silvery" is a song that we started recording with a whole bunch of others in about 1999–2000. Things got broken and we couldn't finish the album. [...] But, we might put it out one day as it was left. All broken and unfinished.
  24. "History". Cardiacs. 2005. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2021. With the curfew abolished, Cardiacs were officially given authorisation to record another studio album. They began the recordings earlier in the year.
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  26. Reed, Nick (20 May 2014). "Once In A Lifetime: On Land And In The Sea By Cardiacs Revisited". The Quietus. Retrieved 19 April 2022. their Greatest Hits package included the excellent 'Faster Than Snakes With A Ball And Chain', and in 2007 a 3-song EP called Ditzy Scene appeared, teasing an upcoming double album that was to be called LSD.
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  33. "Archive Cardiacs: LP". The Consultant's Memorabilia Collection. Shopify. 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  34. Sampler (CD liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1995. ALPH CD019.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  38. Cardiacs Live (album liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1988. ALPH LP010.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  39. All That Glitters Is a Mares Nest (CD liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1995. ALPH CD018.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  40. All That Glitters Is a Maresnest (VHS liner notes). Cardiacs. Fotodisk. 1990. LFV 116.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  53. Songs for Ships and Irons (Album liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1991. ALPH 014.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  54. "There's Too Many Irons in the Fire" / "All Spectacular" (Vinyl liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1987. ALPH 006.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  55. Cashmore, Pete (2 June 2015). "Cult heroes: Tim Smith led the Cardiacs in the face of hatred – and much love". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 June 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
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  57. Adams, Greg. "Shangri-La: A Tribute to the Kinks - Various Artists". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  58. "Baby Heart Dirt" (Vinyl liner notes). Cardiacs. Torso. 1989. TORSO 12120.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  59. "Day Is Gone" (2015 reissue) (CD liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 2015. ALPHCD015.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  60. "Bellyeye" (CD liner notes). Cardiacs. Org Records. 1995. Organ011CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  61. "Manhoo" (CD liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1996. ALPH CDS025.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  62. "Odd Even" (CD liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1996. ALPH CDS026.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  63. Cardiacs Meet Camp Blackfoot (CD liner notes). Cardiacs and Camp Blackfoot. Org Records. 1999. ORG056cd.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  64. "Signs" (CD liner notes). Cardiacs. Alphabet Business Concern. 1999. ALPH CD028.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  68. Kitching, Sean (1 September 2020). "Previously Unheard Cardiacs Track Released". The Quietus. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
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