THE SEASIDE

THE SEASIDE is the third release by the CARDIACS and like the previous two it was initially only released on cassette and only available at the band's concerts and through the fan club. The CD release which came out in 1995 was an abridged version. The original cassette tracks of "Nurses Whispering Verses," "Is This The Life?," "A Little Man And A House" and "Dinner Time" were not included because the master tape containing them had been damaged or lost. On another note "Is This The Life?," "A Little Man And A House" and "R.E.S." were re-recorded and included on the following album. "Nurses Whispering Verses" was also re-recorded and found a home on "Sing To God."

This is really where the interesting period with the CARDIACS begins where all the ska punk meets all those progressive layerings to make something unparalleled in the musical world. It has been called post punk, progressive punk, zolo and even pronk. Yes, they remind me a bit of Devo meets Madness with maybe some Zappa and countless other influences thrown in for good mix but I think anyone who has heard their music will admit that NOBODY sounds like the CARDIACS except they themselves.

This album takes what was started on their previous albums and adds, refines, perfects and intensifies. The album hosts no more than 12 musicians including sax, alto sax, two keyboardists, marimba, trumpets and trombone in addition to the standard rock ones. Despite this album being somewhat of a transitional one between two different lineups it manages to emerge as a very strong album and the first to be released on their own label. Not quite as good as their following but not too far off.