Toy World Explained

Toy World
Type:demo
Artist:Cardiacs
Cover:Cardiacs Toy World.png
Released:1981
Recorded:June 1980–March 1981
Studio:Crow (Surrey)
Label:Private release
Producer:Cardiacs
Prev Title:The Obvious Identity
Prev Year:1980
Next Title:The Seaside
Next Year:1984

Toy World is the second demo album by the English rock band Cardiacs (including The Obvious Identity, released on cassette the previous year under the band name "Cardiac Arrest"). 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 (who on all future releases would be referred to as Sarah Smith).

As with The Obvious Identity, recording was carried out at Crow Studios in Surbiton, Surrey, UK.[1] The tracks were recorded under very low budget circumstances - one member later recalled "Every time the door bell went or the phone rang, it would put a massive crackle on the tapes," - and the final sound quality was quite flat.

Toy World was only made available on cassette, sold at concerts and from the fan club. The cassette features the earliest versions of the songs "Is This The Life?" and "Nurses Whispering Verses", better known in their re-recorded forms on later albums.

Reissues and alternate versions of album tracks

Toy World has never been reissued, and is consequently one of the rarest Cardiacs releases. However, many of the pieces from it have either been reissued on other Cardiacs releases or have had live versions appearing on other albums.

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Credits adapted from the sleeve notes of Toy World and according to Eric Benac.[8]

Cardiacs

Technical

Notes and References

  1. Web site: August 2013. History - CARDIACS. 17 October 2021. Cardiacs.
  2. Web site: Cardiacs - Live @ Brixton Ace Club 18/3/83 (Complete Version) - YouTube . . 2021-11-30.
  3. Web site: SOME FAIRYTALES FROM THE ROTTEN SHED: DVD / The Consultant's Memorabilia Collection . 2021-11-30.
  4. Web site: The Cardiacs Museum . https://web.archive.org/web/20090410065330/http://www.cardiacs.org/cardiacarrest.htm . 2009-04-10 . Cardiacs.org . 2009-04-10 . 2021-11-30.
  5. Web site: Tagg. Peter. 13 September 2005. Peter Tagg's Testimonial. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110515204235/http://www.cardiacs.com/testimonials/testimonials-71-75/. 15 May 2011. 2021-11-30. Cardiacs.com.
  6. Book: Benac, Eric . The Cardiacs: Every Album, Every Song . 27 August 2021 . Sonicbond Publishing . 9781789521313 . 17–21.
  7. Web site: Cardiacs's 'A Time for Rejoicing' sample of In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song) scene in Eraserhead . 11 January 2023 . WhoSampled.
  8. Toy World . sleeve notes . Cardiacs . 1981 . . bak.spc.org .