The Seaside (album)

Last updated

The Seaside
Cardiacs The Seaside.png
Original cassette cover
Demo album by
Cardiacs
Released1983 [lower-alpha 1]
Recorded1980–1983
StudioCrow (London)
Length57:06
Label Alphabet Business Concern
Producer
Cardiacs chronology
Toy World
(1981)		The Seaside
(1983)		 Rude Bootleg
(1986)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Record Collector Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [8]
The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]

The Seaside is the third demo album from English rock group Cardiacs. The album originally featured the second recording of what would become the band's only hit single, "Is This the Life?". It is the last of the band's releases to feature keyboard player/drummer/singer Mark Cawthra and the first to feature keyboard player William D. Drake (as well as being the only album to feature two other musicians who were briefly Cardiacs members - Graham Simmonds and Marguerite Johnson).

Contents

The album is composed of material the band had written and performed between 1980 and 1983. Initially The Seaside was only produced on cassette (as with earlier Cardiacs album releases), and was only made available through the band's fan club and at concerts. It is notable for having been the first formal release on the band's own label, the Alphabet Business Concern, and a showcases a much cleaner, fuller sound than their previous cassette tapes. The cassette has three known versions - the first featuring a stamped sleeve, the second a black and white picture of bass player Jim Smith, and the third a coloured version. [10]

Several tracks on the cassette album were re-recorded for subsequent releases. "Is This the Life?", "A Little Man and a House" and "R.E.S." were all re-recorded and released five years later on Cardiacs' 1988 album A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window . "Nurses Whispering Verses" was eventually re-recorded a decade later for the band's 1996 album Sing to God (albeit with different lyrics). Earlier recordings of "Nurses Whispering Verses" and "Is This the Life?" had previously appeared on the Toy World cassette.

The album captures the band in a transitional phase, with two distinct lineups of the band featured. Both featured Mark Cawthra (who moved between drums and keyboards during different recording sessions) and his voice is featured prominently on the album, occasionally sharing lead vocals with Tim Smith. Cawthra would leave the band amicably during the sessions for The Seaside in order to pursue his own projects.

Reissues

Cardiacs The Seaside reissue.png
Cover art for the 1990 and 1995 reissues
CardiacsSeaside2015.jpg
Cover art for the 2015 reissue, based on the full-colour artwork for the album's second cassette release

The Seaside was reissued on CD in 1995, with "Nurses Whispering Verses", "Is This the Life?", "A Little Man and a House" and "Dinner Time" all removed from the track listing. The reason provided for these omissions was that the master tape containing those four songs had been damaged and the recordings lost. Despite that, November 2015 saw the release of The Seaside: Original Edition box set which reinstated, and remastered, all the original tracks.

Track listing

All tracks written and arranged by Tim Smith, except where noted. Writing credits per the Cardiacs Book; [11] lyrics not credited on album.

Side A
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Jibber and Twitch"  4:48
2."Gina Lollabrigida"  3:13
3."Hello Mr. Sparrow" 
  • T. Smith
  • Sarah Smith
4:33
4."It's a Lovely Day" 
3:25
5."A Wooden Fish on Wheels" (*)
  • T. Smith
  • Cawthra
 3:22
6."Nurses Whispering Verses"  6:03
Side B
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Is This the Life" 5:03
2."A Little Man and a House" 4:15
3."Hope Day" 6:36
4."Dinner Time" 4:35
5."Ice a Spot and a Dot on the Dog" (*)
  • T. Smith
  • Cawthra
3:34
6."R.E.S." 5:26
7."To Go Off and Things" (*)Cawthra2:13
CD re-issue, 1995
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Jibber and Twitch" 4:35
2."Gina Lollabrigida" 3:11
3."Hello Mr. Sparrow"
  • T. Smith
  • S. Smith
4:33
4."It's a Lovely Day"
  • T. Smith
  • Cawthra
  • Mayers
  • S. Smith
3:25
5."A Wooden Fish on Wheels" (*) 3:22
6."Hope Day" 6:20
7."Ice a Spot and a Dot on the Dog" (*) 3:34
8."R.E.S." 5:26
9."To Go Off and Things" (*)
  • T. Smith
  • Cawthra
2:13

Personnel

Additional musicians

Technical

Seaside Treats

Seaside Treats
Seaside Treats 12.jpg
Video / EP by
Cardiacs
Released
  • 31 December 1984 (video)
  • 1985 (EP)
Length
  • 18:38(video)
  • 22:38 (EP)
Label
  • Jettisoundz (video)
  • Alphabet Business Concern (EP and video re-releases)
Producer
  • Tim Smith
  • Graham Simmonds
Cardiacs video chronology
Seaside Treats
(1984)		 All That Glitters Is a Maresnest
(1992)

Seaside Treats is a video and extended play (EP) consisting of three and four songs from The Seaside respectively. The video could be found in the very small number of "Seaside bags" sold at concerts which also contained the EP, the Cardiacs Book, a poster, a badge and a stick of Cardiacs seaside rock.[ citation needed ] The VHS, featuring alternative comedy sketches by the band, was released on 31 December 1984, [12] and the 12-inch EP in 1985. A promo video for "A Little Man and a House" also appeared on the Jettisoundz compilation VHS Pirates of the Panasoniks. [13]

Track listing

Side one
  1. "A Little Man and a House" – 4:23
  2. "Hope Day" – 6:36
Side two
  1. "R.E.S." – 5:25
  2. "To Go Off and Things" – 2:14 (Smith, Cawthra)
Video
  1. "A Little Man and a House"
  2. "R.E.S."
  3. "To Go Off and Things"

Notes

  1. ↑ Some sources indicate a release year of 1983, [1] [2] [3] while others indicate 1984. [4] [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiacs</span> English rock band

Cardiacs are an English rock band formed in Kingston upon Thames by Tim Smith and his brother Jim in 1977 under the name Cardiac Arrest. The band's sound fused circus, baroque pop and medieval music with progressive rock and post-punk, adding other elements like nursery rhymes and sea shanties. Tim Smith was the primary lyricist, noted for his complex and innovative compositional style. He and his brother were the only constant members in the band's regularly changing lineup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Smith (Cardiacs)</span> British musician and frontman of Cardiacs

Timothy Charles Smith was an English musician, record producer and music video director. A singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Smith rose to prominence as the frontman of the rock band Cardiacs, which he co-founded with his brother Jim. In addition to Cardiacs, Smith led, co-led or contributed to The Sea Nymphs, Tim Smith's Extra Special OceanLandWorld and Spratleys Japs. Recognised for the particular complexity, skill and idiosyncrasies of his songs and music, Smith was honoured with the Doctor of Music degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2018, two years before his death in 2020.

<i>Sing to God</i> 1996 studio album by Cardiacs

Sing to God is the fourth studio album by English rock band Cardiacs. Their first album with drummer Bob Leith and their second as a four-piece, it was recorded throughout 1995, breaking a hiatus by the band that had lasted since the band's previous album Heaven Born and Ever Bright (1992). During writing and recording, Jon Poole took a greater role than before, contributing to many songs written by band leader Tim Smith, and writing some of his own. The band decided to create a double album to encompass the great wealth of material written after their previous album. As with the band's previous albums, it presents a unique sound, and is seen as more eclectic than the band's previous albums, with one reviewer describing the record as "essentially [taking] everything Cardiacs had always been and [ramping] it up to maximum," and another saying the album was where "Smith's ability to express the music inside his head really began to transcend any sort of identifiable genre and turned Cardiacs into something truly unique."

<i>On Land and in the Sea</i> 1989 studio album by Cardiacs

On Land and in the Sea is the second studio album proper by the English rock band Cardiacs. Produced by band leader Tim Smith, it was recorded and mixed in 1988 at The Slaughterhouse studios in Yorkshire and released in May 1989 by the band's label Alphabet Business Concern. The record features a complex sound, with songs moving through rapid shifts in tempo and key, as well as more experimentation with song structures than the group's previous album. Critics have described the record as art rock and pop in style. It was their final album with their "classic" six-piece line-up.

<i>A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window</i> 1988 studio album by Cardiacs

A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window is the debut studio album by the English rock band Cardiacs. It was released on 21 March 1988 in the United Kingdom by their own label the Alphabet Business Concern and in the Netherlands by Torso Records. Its single "Is This the Life" saw brief chart success due to exposure on mainstream radio, and garnered the attention of a wider audience when it entered the Independent Top 10 in the UK, peaking at number 80.

<i>Archive Cardiacs</i> 1989 compilation album by Cardiacs

Archive Cardiacs is a compilation album by English rock band Cardiacs. The album is composed of early tracks by the band recorded from 1977 to 1979. The tracks were compiled from Cardiacs' demo albums The Obvious Identity (1980) and Toy World (1981), as well as three pieces recorded by Tim Smith and Dominic Luckman for a side project that never saw fruition.

<i>The Obvious Identity</i> 1980 demo album by Cardiac Arrest

The Obvious Identity is a self-released album by English rock group Cardiacs, their first album of any sort, released under the group's earlier name of Cardiac Arrest. The album format was cassette tape, and it was only sold at concerts. The album title came from a name which the band used for a short time prior to taking on the Cardiac Arrest name. Two songs featured the band's original lead singer, Michael Pugh.

<i>Toy World</i> 1981 demo album by Cardiacs

Toy World is the second demo album by the English rock band Cardiacs. The cassette is a mixture of older songs by the earlier Cardiac Arrest lineup and newer songs by the then-current Cardiacs lineup. This was the last album to feature keyboard player/backing singer Colvin Mayers, and the first to feature saxophonist/backing singer/occasional keyboard player Sarah Cutts.

<i>Big Ship</i> (EP) 1987 EP by Cardiacs

Big Ship is the second extended play (EP) by the English band Cardiacs, released in January 1987 by the Alphabet Business Concern. It is an album-sized vinyl record played at the speed of a single (45rpm) and was issued with a lyric insert. It was the first Cardiacs release to exclusively feature the so-called classic 1980s line-up of the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Is This the Life</span> 1988 single by Cardiacs

"Is This the Life" is a song by English rock band Cardiacs from their debut studio album A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window (1988). The song was released on vinyl by the Alphabet Business Concern and Torso on 16 April 1988 as the only single from the album. The song was previously recorded for the demo albums Toy World (1981) and The Seaside (1984). It also briefly attained chart success after being played on various Radio 1 shows thanks to DJ Liz Kershaw. The Torso version of the 7" is exactly the same as the Alphabet release although it comes in a paper sleeve instead of a cardboard one. Only the Torso 12" differs in both track listing and cover design.

<i>Rude Bootleg</i> 1986 live album by Cardiacs

Rude Bootleg is a live album by the English rock band Cardiacs. It is the band's first live album, and was originally recorded at the Reading Rock Festival on 24 August 1986.

<i>All That Glitters Is a Mares Nest</i> 1992 video / Live album by Cardiacs

All That Glitters Is a Mares Nest is a live album and concert film by the English rock band Cardiacs. It is their third live album, and was originally recorded in the afternoon in the Salisbury Arts Centre on 30 June 1990 with Napalm Death. It is the only Cardiacs album to feature guitarist Christian Hayes throughout. The album was released on VHS in 1992 and as a live album on 1 June 1995.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Cardiacs album) 2002 compilation album by Cardiacs

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the English rock band Cardiacs, released on 22 February 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William D. Drake</span> Musical artist

William Derek Drake is an English musician, keyboardist, pianist, composer and singer-songwriter. He is best known as a former member of the cult English rock band Cardiacs, whom he played with for nine years between 1983 and 1992. He has also been a member of the Sea Nymphs, North Sea Radio Orchestra, Nervous, Wood, Lake of Puppies and The Grown-Ups, as well as pursuing a career as a solo artist. He is a distant cousin of the English singer-songwriter Nick Drake.

Mark Andrew Cawthra is an English musician and record producer working in the UK. He was born in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England.

<i>Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith, Songbook 1</i> 2010 compilation album by various artists

Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith, Songbook 1 is a compilation album featuring cover versions of songs by Tim Smith, the songwriter behind Cardiacs, The Sea Nymphs, Spratleys Japs and his solo project OceanLandWorld. It was released on CD on 13 December 2010 on the Believers Roast label. The release date for download, via iTunes, was 20 December 2010.

<i>The Seaside: Original Edition</i>

The Seaside: Original Edition is an expanded reissue of the 1984 demo album The Seaside by the English rock band Cardiacs. It was released digitally on 11 January 2015 to mark the album's 30th anniversary. It includes a new remaster of the album from the original tapes, featuring all thirteen tracks.

"Stoneage Dinosaurs" is a song by English rock band Cardiacs from their EP Big Ship (1987). The song was written by frontman Tim Smith and produced by Smith alongside Graham Simmonds. Musically, the song is a melancholy track with violins, saxophones and funeral paced drums. Its lyrics reference family, contemporary celebrities and the First World War. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who noted its stark difference to the other tracks on the EP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Smith (bassist)</span> English musician

James A. Smith is an English musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the rock band Cardiacs which he formed with his brother Tim Smith. Along with performing backing vocals for the group, he co-wrote the hymn "The Alphabet Business Concern ", sang lead vocals on "Food on the Wall" live.

References

  1. ↑ Phillips, Lance (2003). "The Cardiacs". In Buckley, Peter (ed.). The Rough Guide to Rock (3rd ed.). London: Rough Guides. ISBN   978-1-85828-457-6.
  2. ↑ Ewing, Jerry (22 July 2020). "Cardiacs singer Tim Smith dead at 59". Prog . Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  3. ↑ Benac, Eric (27 August 2021). The Cardiacs: Every Album, Every Song. On Track. Sonicbond Publishing. p. 23. ISBN   978-1-78952-131-3.
  4. ↑ Lawson, Dom (22 July 2020). "Kavus Torabi's Guide To Cardiacs". Prog . Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  5. ↑ Lawson, Dom (2 March 2021). "Cardiacs' best albums - a buyers guide". Classic Rock . Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  6. ↑ Sgrignoli, Marco (20 July 2022). "Cardiacs - biografia, recensioni, streaming, discografia, foto". Ondarock  [ it ] (in Italian). Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  7. ↑ Larkin, Collin (2006). "Cardiacs". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Brown, Marion - Dilated Peoples. Muze. p. 182. ISBN   978-0-19-531373-4.Note: Search "Alphabet 1983" (with quotation marks).
  8. ↑ Hamnett, Alun. "Album Reviews" (PDF). Record Collector . p. 96.
  9. ↑ Larkin, Collin (1997) [1992]. "Cardiacs". The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music. London: Virgin Books. p. 93. ISBN   978-0-7535-0159-7.Note: Search "Alphabet 1983" (with quotation marks).
  10. ↑ "Discography". The Cardiacs. Archived from the original on 19 February 2002. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  11. ↑ Cardiacs Book. Alphabet – via Issuu.
  12. ↑ "Seaside Treats (1984)". Trakt. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  13. ↑ Pirates Of The Panasoniks (back cover). Various artists. Jettisoundz Video. 1985. JE 137.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.