Cardiacs - Dirty Boy Reaction

[@particlejim]

From about 5 minutes (in this reaction) the song does one of the most unbelievable bits of music trickery I've ever heard wherein every time the chord progression repeats it modulates up in key, the thing is that it's such an unusual chord progression that you almost don't notice it happening, I only realised by trying to sing along and after a couple of goes round my voice couldn't reach any higher and it had me so confused because I'm thinking "this is just the same verse repeating, why does my voice keep topping out?" and that's when I realised that every time it repeats, instead of going back to the first chord it jumps up to a new chord and then restarts the sequence from there... It's so sneaky that until you're aware of it you don't notice it all but you just get this dizzying sense of vertigo because "something unusual is happening here and I can't tell what it is but it feels like the ground keeps getting further away from me!" Then, even when you know WHAT is happening with the constant key changes it's still absolutely baffling HOW it's happening... Utterly genius songwriting

[@Gee-no]

That's why I love it

[@monkeyhousescouse]

There's also a GREAT VIDEO about Cardicas called 'Why I love Cardiacs' - that's quite short and documents their legacy, musical depth and complexity and career. It's done by a composer. Also Dave Grohl and Justin Hawkins have recently come out and said how Carodiacs are their favourite band (post haste Tim's death) on KZbin videos.

[@-100-percent]

Yes, the wall of noise is on purpose. This song is a personal favorite to a lot of hardcore Cardiacs fans, but it's not a good introduction for someone relatively new to the band. I like to think of this song as a crescendo that starts at its peak, and somehow keeps going up. An infinite climax. It's loud, it's in your face, and it just....keeps....going....and going. It takes a couple listens to wrap your head around it, but there is an underlying structure and musical journey. As you said, the point is more the music than the lyrics. I would say focusing on the wall of noise as a whole is better than trying to focus on any individual instrument. Think of it like a giant wave in the ocean crashing down on you. Don't focus on each droplet of water that hits your face. You'll never be able to keep track of that anyways. Focus on the immense wave that they form. Still, I totally understand not liking this one hahaha. The three songs you’ve listened to so far are a bit all over the place. Tarred and Feathered is their weirdest. Is This The Life is one of their most accessible, that one was their one hit. Dirty Boy is the noisiest. None of these are really a “typical” Cardiacs song, though. I think every Cardiacs song is brilliant, so where to go next depends on you. I do hope you do explore more! - For something grand and somewhat emotional, try "The Whole World Window" or "The Everso Closely Guarded Line." - A typical Cardiacs song, on the tamer end, would be something like "A Little Man and a House," "In A City Lining," "Big Ship," or "Odd Even." - If you want something really fun and really weird, that's what Cardiacs do best. Try "Buds and Spawn," "Dog-Like Sparky," or "Come Back Clammy Lammy." I think any of those 9 would be a reasonable place to go next, and would probably give you a clearer picture of the band.

[@hanierfamily]

Well, thanks. We're up for it. We don't stop listening to a band because we don't get it. Especially if we can hear that they have talent. Which is the case with Cardiacs. Sometimes it takes a bit of weird or crazy to make an artist ultimately interesting. We know Prince is a lot more mainstream, but a lot of people don't understand his music at all. And we love it.

[@Crunchy_Punch]

@@hanierfamily I second Whole World Window as a grand emotional track which closes an amazing album. There's a live version from their 1986 Reading Festival set about and accompanied with photos from the day welled me up a bit. Loosefish Scapegrace is one that has occasionally been mentioned to check out, but not enough I think, in terms of being grand in scale, showcasing their early sound and displaying their compositional expertise. Don't worry. About the nuttiest thing the song has in store is the false ending somewhere in the later-middle of the song.

[@Sandy-dd4le]

I'm very happy The Cardiacs exist, if for no other reason than you can put them on to make normal people leave your house. This one is like Suede crossed with ELO and Laibach, on acid btw

[@SPKdesign1]

Laibach you say? I was just listening to MacBeth the other day.

[@monkeyhousescouse]

This is the best song ever written. Love you pondies #cardiacs #TimsmithRIP

[@Gee-no]

I second that.

[@jameswarner5809]

It took me about 9 months to wrap my head around Cardiacs, but once they clicked, they became one of my all-time favourite bands. The creativity that came out of Tim Smith's head is unique. The weird lyrics that don't make sense, but kind of do (I wouldn't worry about not being able to make out the words). The mix of so many different musical styles (often in the same track). The 'hand break turn' changes in direction and odd time signatures. The holding one note at the end for three minutes... This track was designed to be a sensory overload.

[@hanierfamily]

And it was.

[@I_was_a_Countdown_Kid-75-83]

I can actually listen to this with an open mind and enjoy it. It's like if Suede or Blur wanted to go beyond the point of no return, and actually achieved it. The pop show, Countdown, was operated by mostly middle-age men that didn't really know what the 80's had installed for us kids in Australia.. So, they left us to do all the listening and guessing as to what the sound of the 80's was to be. This meant, we had to see videos of stuff like The Residents, Snakefinger, Nash The Slash and Klark Kent on the show, while the producers asked us if any of those artists were hip with the kids. That trained my mind to be open to all types of sounds and styles. So, I just have to say that this isn't all that bad. It takes the listener on some kind of journey. I imagine the journey is through a myriad of stars prior to meeting the four faces on the cover as the song concludes. Not sure if the four faces made the entire journey worthwhile, but that's what I imagined. Cheers, Hayley

[@scinziato]

Someday a song by these guys will move you to tears

[@Crunchy_Punch]

Whole World Window would be the one. Especially the live Rude Bootleg one from their Reading Set.

[@Yourweakminds]

They all do. Pull the marrow out through your bones sadness - Squeeze your soul sadness. The vastness of reality, the entire universe elbowing its way into your eyes. Leibnitz monadology inside and outside of you. As one.

[@Crumbleofborg]

This song grew on me only slowly. It took me a while to get past the combination of sensory overload and the unexpected chord changes that jolt the listener every couple of bars... but I really like it now.

[@sylvanm4216]

I haven't gotten to your reaction yet as I type this, but I'd be shocked if you (or almost anyone) likes this song on first listen. As a composition, it's an astonishing exercise in building tension up and up continuously for 6+ minutes with these huge, cacophonous chords that never quite resolve - before finally giving the listener blessed relief in an absolutely ridiculous climax at the end. But you really have to be prepared for it, and come in ready to hear what it does (and doesn't) bring to the table, because it kind of sounds like a "pop-rock" song in the conventional sense but it isn't going to succeed on that level.

[@gagamba9198]

I loved this song on the first listen.

[@seanrampton9098]

Same!

[@Gee-no]

This is the best songon the record and is gorgeous. Go with your gut. Listen to the melody. Dint worry too much about the words. You stopped it right where it gets very emotional.

[@agdgdgwngo]

This is one of the more straightforward Cardiacs song in my opinion. As a fan of heavy/hard rock the the main riff in this is brialliant and the guitat ones are amazing. But it's also an absolute epic and IMO one of the masterpieces. A song like "Insect hoofs on Lassie" is just a much more insane type of song to me. This is quite normal in comparison.

[@Quinceps]

I’m glad you took a listen to this one. As much as love this track, my take is that some fans are a bit too eager to share this experience directly from its hardcore depths (like when you did Tarred and Feathered), because of how much these tracks mean to them personally. As for the lyrics, I think you’d be able to make out the words much more easily if Tim Smith didn’t use collage techniques where he quotes very small bits from different texts, making the whole text cryptic and obscure. I guess your experience was similar to like, if someone stopped you outside and started talking to you like this with some car noises in the background. So I think if it was a more transparent text you’d still be able to make out the words. And even if you read it, the most we can do is try to interpret it (some say it’s a very beautiful song about using your hands on yourself in certain ways, if you get me). As for noise, the whole album contains so many layers of instruments, including different kinds of noises, it’s safe to say it was a part of their artistic view. Cardiacs were most of their career kind of ostracized and even banned in some cases because of their more unconventional approaches to harmony, rhythm, etc. However, they really do create amazing melodies, and in the end it’s all about the tunes as Tim Smith once said. Next time I’d be more glad if they requested something different by this great band, maybe from a another album.

[@teawhydee]

They do this muddy-ish production on purpose in their later albums, it takes some getting used to, but makes more sense the more you listen. Still, this song is not very characteristic for Cardiacs, yet it's one of my favorites.

[@teawhydee]

Why do you care about hearing the lyrics so much? There is so much music with hard to make out lyrics. Cardiacs are not a lyrics band, but this song actually is one of the few to have a confirmed meaning. All you said is fair, but every thing here was done on purpose.

[@TheMovieCreator]

About Cardiacs and lyrics: In a good deal of their songs, the lyrics are sometimes entirely made up of quotes copy-pasted together from various books, lexicons and movies. It's not always meant to make sense.

[@Gee-no]

I wish hosts would except that. The end is emotional and gorgeous.

[@Gee-no]

That repeating Cardiac cadence with the melody pedal tone is just beautiful and builds til I cry at the end. Everytime.

[@sicko_the_ew]

It's not the next Cardiacs song I'd have recommended, given your reaction to Tarred and Feathered. It took me time to get into Cardiacs, so I can understand how someone else might not 'get it' (like me) - or even listen once, and not bother again. Maybe you'll enjoy the cover of it by the lead guitarist of the current Jethro Tull (so he's been through some "quality control" - but I'd say his own music matters more as far as what he has to offer the world, musically, goes) - known on KZbin as *Joe Parrish* . If you're not ready for a different take on Dirty Boy, though, one thing of Joe's I can highly recommend is his guitar covers of classical music. A pleasant place to start with that is _Venus, Bringer of Peace , by Gustav Holst_ . If you're up for something much longer, and maybe a bit hardcore, his cover of Stravinsky's _Rite of Spring_ is fantastic. (If you like that kind of thing, obviously.) Anyway, here's Joe's maybe "more spacious" cover of Dirty Boy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqmUZnqoZ9OFg6c (It has some flute in it, and Joe's voice has a gentle clarity to it that you might prefer.) The lyrics will still not make sense (except to maybe Dylan Thomas), so I can't change that for you ... actually ... actually I can. I'll go digging and come back here with a "reply". But first let me finish my little semi-rant about lyrics and poetry. Basically if I want to hear words that matter, I'll go and find some poetry. To me so many lyrics are bolted on afterwards or preachy or just a distraction of some sort that I'm one who generally prefers more "stream of consciousness" lyrics. Or arrant Mischief, if you're listening to Tim Smith play with words. He was a very naughty little boy. He has songs where he stretches some words, clumps the end of this sentencetogetherwiththe begin .... .... ningof . The. next ... It kind of grows on you. I actually look for lyrics videos of theirs, often, just so I can keep up. Taken the right way, it's fun.

[@sicko_the_ew]

*The Orchestral Version* (of Dirty Boy). (By Italian musician, *Paulo Sala* . Check out his own music. It's lovely.) kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWSqdaCZgq1kotU No lyrics; no problem? :D

[@masterofparsnips5327]

Magnificent !!

[@Phlakaton88]

Noise? Ok. This is a song you should have visited much later in your Cardiacs journey. It's on another level.

[@SPKdesign1]

After listening to your comments on this, maybe it's not just mi hearing.

[@outernothingness1177]

My favourite reactors doing my favourite song ever,.What could possibly go wrong? Well, the same thing that seems to go wrong when you introduce your new girlfriend, that you love beyond measure, to you kids, that you love beyond measure, and they don't get along. I'll just wait a while and hopefully you'll grow into it.

[@hanierfamily]

LOL. Thanks. We'll try.

[@monkeyhousescouse]

Watching 2 people listen to (what many people call) the best song ever composed / arranged in popular music - and not know exactly who or what #Cardiacs is - is pure gold! 😂 Tim Smith, the singer, composer and founder of Cardiacs wrote all music via notation and had a wonderfully unique brain for layered, complex, harmonious music. His works through the bands music are triumphant, drawing on the composer Messiaen, early Genesis / Gentle Giant, all things, all over the place. This song is NOT the song to start with - it's off their most challenging (double) album - Sing to God. Tim sadly died a few years ago, but not before he was awarded a doctorate from the Royal Conservatory of music in Scotland. If all you can say is 'I can't hear the words' - because you are used to 'typical / generic' music who's songs have vocals front and centre - you should switch off. Many people do not have the cognitive bandwidth to deal with Tim's music. It's intense, and unusual - and one of the few TRUE unique sounds you will ever hear. I would stick to simple music, 4/4 time, that charts if this is too much to take in. Vocals for many artists - like Tim - were and ARE - another instrument to have in the mix. I would suggest you two listen to their material that is easier to digest. Something like Big Ship or Loose Loosefish Scaoegrace. ❤

[@teawhydee]

you learn to appreciate these things with time and experience.

[@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis.]

The Cardiacs, are from the U.K. they started out in the late '70s, but most of their stuff is from the mid '80s. I wasn't much a fan myself, I feel that there were better bands around at the time, but that's only my opinion of course. Please could you do the following track: "How Much Are They?" by Holger Czukay, Jah Wobble, and Jaki Liebezeit, it comes from 1981 and is on the album 'Full Circle'.

[@Yourweakminds]

Cardiacs: Pull the marrow out through your bones sadness - Squeeze your soul sadness. The vastness of reality, the entire universe elbowing its way into your eyes. Leibnitz monadology inside and outside of you. As one.

[@andrewmantle7674]

I think that I’d think this song was really good if I was into this type of music. Unfortunately It just doesn’t float my boat. If I ended up in a strange place and this was the only CD someone had I’d end up listening to it and I know it would grow on me. Music does that it all needs more than one listen. Keep up the good work.👍

[@DennisNelson-ee2il]

I think with this song in particular,it's better to have the lyrics on screen,even I as a cardiacs fan,couldn't work out what Tim was singing,being also he's writing style is abstract.

[@SPKdesign1]

I need to not comment until my hearing fixes itself. I'll be off for a couple o days anyways.

[@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering]

Unlucky big man - hope it sorts itself oot ✊ 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@SPKdesign1]

@@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering The Prodigal returns. Hope yr keeping alright.

[@jaymacgee_A_Bawbag_Blethering]

@@SPKdesign1 🤣 I never went away , just couldn’t be bothered with the hassle . Yeah I’m good , us auld yins need to be careful wi the lugs as you’ve just found out , hope a few days rest sorts that out SPK , carry on the good work son ✅ 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@GutsGrizzle]

... and you found the first one that I requested a bit weird 😂 But I admit, for me anyway, this is somewhat a difficult one. Not for me this one.

[@thoru4367]

George Harrison - Beware of Darknesd

[@suncity22001]

haha cacophony of noise lie thats a bac thing , next stop merzbow.

[@colrhodes377]

This is very difficult to listen to. 😕

[@anthonyhudson3136]

go back to listening to ed sheeran ffs..