ON LAND AND IN THE SEA

Any of my thousands of fans who read my review of "Sing To God", know that I absolutely love this band. While "Sing To God" brings some of the more punkish elements Cardiacs have had to the forefront, "On Land And In The Sea" while punkish, is much more psychedelic. OLAITS is also probably the best Cardiacs album from the classic 84-90 period, providing some very fun insanity, while also showing some moments of sincere beauty, and most importantly, it's progressive!

The songs here are all excellent. Not one bad one. BUT of course some are great and some are even the best Cardiacs might have to offer. "Two Bites Of Cherry" opens this album more than nicely, being one of my favorites from this album. "The Ever So Closely Guarded Line" is an incredible finish, but the middle is incredible. "The Duck And Roger The Horse" is quite possibly the best thing ever made. The song is probably the best Cardiacs song and the best song of the albums. Though what comes after it is almost as good! "Arnald" is one very fun track, which leads to the "Horsehead"-"Fast Robert"-"Mare's Nest" trio. Now this is something very very special. "Horsehead" has some truly beautiful loop pedal effects, "Fast Robert" is hilarious and "in your face" and stunningly beautiful at the same time. "Mare's Nest" has some of the more beautiful Cardiacs songs. "The Stench Of Honey" has some very nice bass playing, and "Buds And Spawn" is stunning and headbanging at the same time. All songs here are masterpieces, and there is absolutely no filler.

The musicianship here is of course wonderful. Sarah Smith's sax has some very powerful parts. On this album she is probably her craziest. William D. Drake is at his keyboard best, and I mean that. His stuff here is probably the quirkiest and most asymmetrical from his whole Cardiacs stint. Tim Smith's vocals are wonderful as usual, and his guitar playing is as great as always, playing power chords when needed and playing some incredible lines when needed. Dominic Luckman's drumming is pretty ordinary punk drumming, which just really adds to Cardiacs' original sound. His drumming is probably what gives Cardiacs the punky feeling, which I love.

I love Cardiacs that it hurts, and listening to this album every time brings a huge smile to my face. This is as good as "Sing To God" and is probably up their in the list of my favorite albums. Anyone should get this and everyone should enjoy this, and I'm not being pushy or anything but I'm pushy and everything so you better like this.

Bassist Critique: Jim! Jim! Jim! Jim! Jim! Jim Smith provides his second best bass playing (his best is in "Sing To God", where it's some of the best bass I've heard ever). His lines are melodic and punky at the same time, which also makes him one of the more unique bass players I've heard. Bass players beware, Jim's stuff can be mad hard to play, and it sounds amazing.