Five years ago the world lost Tim Smith, the eccentric front man and lead songwriter of England’s psychotic progressive punk band Cardiacs. The tragic loss of Smith called the band’s long-awaited next album “LSD” into question. Would there even be a next album, or would this be the end of the band that had been Smith’s brainchild? Five years later, that question would be answered with the arrival of “LSD.”

Having been 25 years since their last record, “Guns,” I was skeptical about whether “LSD” would hold a candle to Cardiacs’ classic records like 1996’s “Sing to God.” After listening to “LSD” and giving it time to ruminate, I can safely say that “LSD” is an outstanding sendoff to Cardiacs’ mad legacy, even if it doesn’t reach the highs of their past peaks. 

Saying that Cardiacs are bizarre is an understatement. There is possibly no other band which sounds like them, so describing them can get confusing if you’ve never listened to them. Their sound is defined by: aggressively whimsical British vocals, heavy guitar riffs, manically chromatic keyboard fills, nonsensical time signatures, punk aggression and over-the-top sea-shanty choruses. Cardiacs sounds as if Wallace and Gromit played punk rock with a gang of undead pirates.

“LSD” includes Mike Vennart from the prog band Oceansize on vocals, filling in for Tim Smith. While he sounds nothing like Smith, he does an amazing job in the role of lead vocals. His vocal mannerisms and voice help give the songs a unique sound among Cardiacs’ discography. The production on the record is clear and crisp, all instruments and vocals are mixed just right. 

The opener “Men in Bed” is beautiful and epic in its hymn-like vocal delivery, directly reminding me of the opener “Eden on the Air” from “Sing to God.” The way that Vennart sings “I surrender” as the song crescendos is just stunning, shivers roll down my spine. 

“Woodeneye” has a punky, slamming drumbeat which made it an instant favorite for me the moment the song started. The chorus is odd and obtuse, feeling like it was shoved in from a different song. While to any other artist that would be a point of criticism, Cardiacs are the only band who can get away with that because it’s a part of their trademark sound. 

“Spelled All Wrong” has an opening which sounds quite heavenly, a la David Bowie’s “Heroes.” The song gives more of an alternative rock vibe, sounding like something that britpop bands such as Suede or Pulp would’ve sung over back in the 90s. The swelling strings and catchy chorus made this song a comfy listen.

“The Blue and Buff” is a short, quaint little pop-tune that’s just loaded to the brim with all sorts of fun little melodies and vibrant energy. The wall of sound that the band unleashes upon the listener within the last minute of the song is absolutely cathartic. 

There are points within the 7-minute long “Skating” where the song is just Vennart’s vocals coupled with a lone keyboard and it sounds absolutely angelic. The song switches between absolute chaos and heavenly bliss, here the band are really showing off their chops in a long-form environment and every moment is an absolute blast. A surf riff even manages to fit its way into the song. 

The best track on “LSD” is “Volob,” a unique and catchy song even among Cardiacs’ discography. The thumping keyboard riff and syncopated guitar riff propels the song into a lively indie rock sound; that is, until the good old fashioned anthemic Cardiacs chorus hits. 

The 9-minute long epic that is “Busty Beez” is crescendo upon crescendo as the song builds up and up with the strength of the ocean. Everything about this song is massive and the backing operatic vocals are an unforgettable cinematic element to the Beez. 

The album ends with “Pet Fezant,” a lush end to Cardiacs’ discography. Swelling crescendos surround the song as the orchestra whimsically dances in syncopation before the song ends. It’s a tranquil song to close out the record, leaving me at peace with the behemoth that I just listened to. 

Overall the record is spotless, every song has its moments and there’s not a wasted second on the album. While listening, I felt that the album would lose steam at some point, but it just kept going. Given the tragic circumstances around the record, we really couldn’t have asked for anything better than this. 

One should note that this album should not be your introduction to Cardiacs. If you aren’t familiar with Cardiacs, I would urge you to listen to their song “Odd Even” off of “Sing to God.” It’s an accessible song by Cardiacs’ standards with a poppy chorus and a quirky, distinct chord progression. Think of “Odd Even” as a litmus test as to whether you should listen to more Cardiacs. “LSD” itself is the end of a long journey, and like all good endings you should start at the beginning to make it all worthwhile, duh!