Sing to God

Not to be confused with Singin' to God.

Sing to God
Studio album by
Cardiacs
Released10 June 1996
RecordedSpring–Winter 1995
Studio
GenreProgressive rock[1]
Length88:48
LabelAlphabet Business Concern
ProducerTim Smith
Cardiacs chronology
Sampler
(1995) 		Sing to God
(1996) 		Guns
(1999)
Singles from Sing to God
  1. "Bellyeye"
    Released: 17 April 1995[2]
  2. "Manhoo"
    Released: 1995
  3. "Odd Even"
    Released: 1995

Sing to God is the fourth studio album by English rock band Cardiacs. Their first album with drummer Bob Leith and their second as a four-piece, it was recorded throughout 1995, breaking a hiatus by the band that had lasted since the band's previous album Heaven Born and Ever Bright (1992). During writing and recording, Jon Poole took a greater role than before, contributing to many songs written by band leader Tim Smith, and writing some of his own. The band decided to create a double album to encompass the great wealth of material written after their previous album. As with the band's previous albums, it presents a unique sound, and is seen as more eclectic than the band's previous albums, with one reviewer describing the record as "essentially [taking] everything Cardiacs had always been and [ramping] it up to maximum,"[3] and another saying the album was where "Smith's ability to express the music inside his head really began to transcend any sort of identifiable genre and turned Cardiacs into something truly unique."[4]

The album was released in June 1996 by the band's own record label Alphabet Business Concern,[5] originally as a limited edition double-disc CD set, before being re-released as two separate albums. Three singles were released from the album; "Bellyeye", "Manhoo" and "Odd Even". Upon release the album was mostly overlooked, with the exception of some hostile reviews, reflecting the band's unpopularity with the music press at the time. However, over time it has gained a reputation as a masterpiece and the band's magnum opus. Sam Shepherd of MusicOMH said the album is "quite possibly one of the greatest albums ever made."[6] The album was re-released in 2014 as a double LP set, the first time it had been released on vinyl.

  1. ^ Blum, Jordan (13 December 2023). "Best Progressive Rock + Metal Album of Each Year Since 1983". Loudwire. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Yousletter 8 -". 3 August 2014.
  3. ^ Bland, Benjamin (10 July 2014). "Album Review: Cardiacs – Sing to God (reissue)". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  4. ^ Kitching, Sean (4 July 2014). "Reviews: Cardiacs: Sing To God (Reissue)". The Quietus. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  5. ^ "Recordings". Cardiacs Official Website. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  6. ^ Shepherd, Sam (11 July 2014). "Spotlight: Cardiacs - Sing To God". MusicOMH. Retrieved 13 July 2016.