ARCHIVE CARDIACS
Reviewer unknown. USA.
“Archive Cardiacs” shows this incredible British unit at its inception with material from 1977 to 1979. At that time the Cardiacs were an anomaly. When young groups were shunning Prog rock and rebelling with Punk, the Cardiacs were fusing the two. This is startlingly obvious when one listens to the CD. Going from the “Icky Qualms” to “Piffol Four Times” is literally going from Wire to Zappa. This juxtaposition becomes more of a fusion throughout the CD and Symphonic Prog is interrupted halfway through with good thrashing of Punk or, less often, Ska. The way in which the Cardiacs play BOTH true Prog and true Punk so sincerely is still unbelievable after many listenings. Not to be overlooked is their ability to produce dazzlingly complex songs in odd rhythms and their zany sense of humor. Their wackiness and manic energy, along with the Prog/Punk/Wavo hybrid, makes for a flawless example of the Zolo style. And this style the group has been practicing until the present. Colorful, jerking, abstract grandiosity: this is Zolo and the Cardiacs play a pure form of it! The production and playing on these early toons can get a shade sloppy at times, but this is entirely overshadowed by their extreme originality in forging a brand of Zolo all their own. One could list dozens of units that have but a piece of the Cardiacs in their sound (or vice versa) and one can list dozens of Zolo units, but not one of them alone can explain the Cardiacs. A truly unique, fantastic, and brilliant group.
Only one flaw: the original Cardiac Arrest single is not included!
Reviewer unknown.