CARDIACS – All that glitters is a Mare’s Nest (live video)
Melody Maker 1990
“What the f**k is this sh*t?” asks a bemused Mark Walmesly, ear to a glass, as he sits backstage while Cardiacs perform. He might well ask. He is their manager, after all.
‘Mare’s Nest’, filmed under impressive stained-glass windows in Salisbury, is as much like a fairy tale as a live show can get. For Cardiaddicts, it’s probably the last time you’ll get to see the full line-up (including the previously errant Sarah Smith) play live, now that they’re down to a four-piece. And, shot through a purple-ish haze, with plenty of Jim bashing and close-ups of Tim’s gleefully mad face, it’s a marvel of a gig.
‘Too Many Irons in the Fire’, ‘Tarred and Feathered’, ‘Big Ship’ et al make the heart and mind lurch with abandon, and, particularly in the case of the latter, a lump rise in the throat. The kaleidoscopic swirls of this half-insane, half-seriously brilliant music have been caught admirably by director Steve Payne in their most potent surroundings. The awesome ‘Is This The Life’ is like the final whoosh into outer space.
Maybe now that crossover culture is flourishing, the wild idiosyncracies of Cardiacs can be appreciated by more than a select few. ‘Mare’s Nest’ is a loveable introduction to the truly inspired.
Cathy Unsworth
Melody Maker