Post by PerhapsXarb on Nov 4, 2024 23:22:56 GMT
Timothy Charles Smith (3 July 1961 – 21 July 2020)
Associated Acts: Cardiacs (1977 – 2008), The Sea Nymphs/Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Mr. Drake (c. 1983 – 1984, 1991 – 1995), Spratleys Japs (1998 – 1999)
Voice Type: Tenor of the Starry Skies
Vocal Range: F2 - B♭5
{Vocal Summary}
Alright, where the muckering hell should I begin with this…
If you, dear reader, are unfamiliar with Cardiacs, you have likely seen the rather nondescript name and slightly off-putting profile picture, and maybe a few of these song titles, before reading this description out of curiosity. Let me say, first and foremost, that Cardiacs are easily the least nondescript band I have ever heard. The music they made is so absurdly unique and resistant to easy categorization (prog/punk/ psychedelia/deranged British clown music/proto-Cyriak) that the only way to fully grasp it is simply to listen.
Though the band's history featured a myriad of changes in lineup and production styles, the songwriting and lead vocals at the band's core remained singly distinctive. These were the innate marks of one Timothy Charles Smith, Hon DMus, who, as it happens, directed nearly every aspect of the group throughout its entire existence. Which brings us to— you guessed it— his voice.
Tim's singing was arguably the most consistent element of the band, although it did go through a bit of an evolution itself. With a delivery primarily rooted in punk and post-punk, his early vocal work most obviously bore the influence of shouty, yelpy vocalists such as Mark Mothersbaugh and Andy Partridge (of Devo and XTC, two early influences of the band), with some larynx lowering and a fairly limited window of range, focusing in the mid-upper fourth octave with frequent falsetto interjections. By the time of Cardiacs' first widely-released studio offering, 1987's Big Ship EP, his voice had fully gained the strident, theatrical qualities for which it is most recognizable; an energetic, often near-unintelligible reedy snarl infused with the whimsical British darkness of a Dahl-esque antihero. While retaining his earlier influences, his primary style of delivery is perhaps comparable to (a far more tuneful) John Lydon with the delivery of Syd Barrett (on acid AND speed). Some later manic interlocutors like (Frank) Black Francis and Geordie Greep carry some elements of his style, though I have no idea if either are familiar with Cardiacs.
While his main area of comfort was the upper third through mid-upper fourth octaves, Tim had no issues singing down to the lower third and upper second octaves, as well as into the lower fifth— though his higher range was often navigated with mixed and head voice, which he used frequently for soft falsetto but could also make rough and powerful at times. Not a very technical vocalist by any means, his rather strained punk-styled delivery did not befit him with exceptional stamina, which is often noticeable in live settings, and his higher sustained notes were often a bit rough around the edges. With that said, he did occasionally go for all-around lower key delivery, such as with later-era Cardiacs, and frequently in his more pop-oriented side endeavors such as the Sea Nymphs.
As a side note, the massive (and I mean MASSIVE!!) amounts of vocal layering and dense production on mid-to-late Cardiacs works such as Sing to God sometimes make it hard to tell which parts are pitch-shifted or sung by his bandmates (though Tim's natural voice generally does a decent job of sticking out). But hell if it doesn't make his music sound like an epic, ethereal transmission from psycho heaven.
All in all, Tim's voice is certainly the most grounding aspect of Cardiacs' music, an ever-present anchor for some of the most out-there stuff among alternative and indie rock of the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. His lengthy and incapacitating illness beginning in 2008 and ending with his death in 2020 was likewise one of the most unfortunate turn of events for anyone in the know (which, alas, I was not at the time). A cult band Cardiacs may always be, their loyal "pondies" are surely a cult worth initiating oneself into if the music doesn't make you physically ill (for very long anyway).
Keep leading the starry skies, Timmy— you are dearly missed.
Written by PerhapsXarb.
Alright, where the muckering hell should I begin with this…
If you, dear reader, are unfamiliar with Cardiacs, you have likely seen the rather nondescript name and slightly off-putting profile picture, and maybe a few of these song titles, before reading this description out of curiosity. Let me say, first and foremost, that Cardiacs are easily the least nondescript band I have ever heard. The music they made is so absurdly unique and resistant to easy categorization (prog/punk/ psychedelia/deranged British clown music/proto-Cyriak) that the only way to fully grasp it is simply to listen.
Though the band's history featured a myriad of changes in lineup and production styles, the songwriting and lead vocals at the band's core remained singly distinctive. These were the innate marks of one Timothy Charles Smith, Hon DMus, who, as it happens, directed nearly every aspect of the group throughout its entire existence. Which brings us to— you guessed it— his voice.
Tim's singing was arguably the most consistent element of the band, although it did go through a bit of an evolution itself. With a delivery primarily rooted in punk and post-punk, his early vocal work most obviously bore the influence of shouty, yelpy vocalists such as Mark Mothersbaugh and Andy Partridge (of Devo and XTC, two early influences of the band), with some larynx lowering and a fairly limited window of range, focusing in the mid-upper fourth octave with frequent falsetto interjections. By the time of Cardiacs' first widely-released studio offering, 1987's Big Ship EP, his voice had fully gained the strident, theatrical qualities for which it is most recognizable; an energetic, often near-unintelligible reedy snarl infused with the whimsical British darkness of a Dahl-esque antihero. While retaining his earlier influences, his primary style of delivery is perhaps comparable to (a far more tuneful) John Lydon with the delivery of Syd Barrett (on acid AND speed). Some later manic interlocutors like (Frank) Black Francis and Geordie Greep carry some elements of his style, though I have no idea if either are familiar with Cardiacs.
While his main area of comfort was the upper third through mid-upper fourth octaves, Tim had no issues singing down to the lower third and upper second octaves, as well as into the lower fifth— though his higher range was often navigated with mixed and head voice, which he used frequently for soft falsetto but could also make rough and powerful at times. Not a very technical vocalist by any means, his rather strained punk-styled delivery did not befit him with exceptional stamina, which is often noticeable in live settings, and his higher sustained notes were often a bit rough around the edges. With that said, he did occasionally go for all-around lower key delivery, such as with later-era Cardiacs, and frequently in his more pop-oriented side endeavors such as the Sea Nymphs.
As a side note, the massive (and I mean MASSIVE!!) amounts of vocal layering and dense production on mid-to-late Cardiacs works such as Sing to God sometimes make it hard to tell which parts are pitch-shifted or sung by his bandmates (though Tim's natural voice generally does a decent job of sticking out). But hell if it doesn't make his music sound like an epic, ethereal transmission from psycho heaven.
All in all, Tim's voice is certainly the most grounding aspect of Cardiacs' music, an ever-present anchor for some of the most out-there stuff among alternative and indie rock of the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. His lengthy and incapacitating illness beginning in 2008 and ending with his death in 2020 was likewise one of the most unfortunate turn of events for anyone in the know (which, alas, I was not at the time). A cult band Cardiacs may always be, their loyal "pondies" are surely a cult worth initiating oneself into if the music doesn't make you physically ill (for very long anyway).
Keep leading the starry skies, Timmy— you are dearly missed.
Written by PerhapsXarb.
Significant High Notes:
B♭5 ("Burn Your House Brown")
G♯5 ("Mare's Nest", "Tarred and Feathered")
G5 ("Dirty Boy", "I'm Eating in Bed")
F♯5 ("Cry Wet Smile Dry", "A Horse's Tail", "To Go Off and Things" The Seaside version)
F5 ("Dirty Boy", "R.E.S.")
E5 ("All Spectacular", "Cry Wet Smile Dry", "Insect Hoofs on Lassie")
E♭5 ("Fast Robert", "Loosefish Scapegrace", "Mare's Nest", "R.E.S." A Little Man and a House version)
D5 ("Big River", "Burn Your House Brown", "Come Back Clammy Lammy", "Dive", "Eat It Up Worms Hero", "Fiery Gun Hand", "Icky Qualms", "It's a Lovely Day", "Ocean Shipwreck", "Odd Even", "She Is Hiding Behind the Shed")
C♯5 ("Appealing to Venus", "Bellyeye", "Burn Your House Brown", "Dirty Boy", "The Duck and Roger the Horse" studio/Maresnest live, "Fast Robert", "A Horse's Tail", "Jibber and Twitch", "Mare's Nest", "No Bright Side", "Ocean Shipwreck", "Sang 'All Away Away!'", "Savour", "Snakes-A-Sleeping", "Tarred and Feathered")
C5 ("Blind in Safety and Leafy in Love", "Dirty Boy", "The Everso Closely Guarded Line", "Flap Off You Beak", "Foundling", "Helen and Heaven", "Hello Mr Sparrow", "Joining the Plankton", "A Little Man and a House" The Seaside version/A Little Man and a House version, "Loosefish Scapegrace", "Lucky Lucy", "Ocean Shipwreck", "R.E.S." The Seaside version, "Sang 'All Away Away!'", "She Is Hiding Behind the Shed", "Sleep All Eyes Open", "Veronica in Ecstasy", "Vessel", "The Whole World Window")
B4 ("Anything I Can't Eat", "As Cold as Can Be in an English Sea", "Bellyeye", "Bug from Heaven", "Come Back Clammy Lammy", "Core", "Cry Wet Smile Dry", "Cut Yourself Kidding", "Dirty Boy", "Dog-Like Sparky", "Don't You Ail, Flash the Sea to Steam", "Eat It Up Worms Hero", "The Everso Closely Guarded Line", "Everything Is Easy", "Exploded", "I'm Eating in Bed", "It's a Lovely Day", "For Good and All", "Gen", "Goodbye Grace", "Hello Mr Sparrow", "A Kind of Keeper", "Liberated and Handsome", "Lilly White's Party", "Loosefish Scapegrace", "Manhoo", "Mare's Nest", "No Bright Side", "Odd Even", "Rat Mice Lice Time", "Sang 'All Away Away!'", "Scratching Crawling Scrawling", "Signs", "Sleep All Eyes Open", "Song of a Dead Pest", "Swimming With the Snake", "A Thousand Strokes and a Rolling Suck", "A Time for Rejoicing", "Up in Annie's Room", "Victory Egg", "Wind and Rains Is Cold")
B♭4 ("Ain't He Messy Though", "Appealing to Venus", "Baby Heart Dirt", "Bellyeye", "Big River", "The Breakfast Line", "Buds and Spawn", "Burn Your House Brown", "Clean That Evil Mud Out Your Soul", "Cut Yourself Kidding", "Ditzy Scene", "Dog Eat Spine", "The Duck and Roger the Horse", "Eat It Up Worms Hero", "Fanny", "Faster Than Snakes With a Ball and a Chain", "Flap Off You Beak", "Hope Day", "I Hold My Love in My Arms", "In the Corner of Sin", "It's a Lovely Day", "Jitterbug (Junior Is A)", "Joining the Plankton", "Lilly White's Party", "Little Creations", "Loosefish Scapegrace", "Nurses Whispering Verses", "Ocean Heaven", "Savour", "Sparkly Silvery Sky" live 1999, "Sleep All Eyes Open", "Snakes-A-Sleeping", "Spell With a Shell", "The Spirit Spout", "The Stench of Honey", "Tarred and Feathered", "Two Bites of Cherry")
A4 ("Ain't He Messy Though", "Angleworm Angel", "Anything I Can't Eat", "Arnald", "As Cold as Can Be in an English Sea", "Baby Heart Dirt", "Bellyeye", "Bug from Heaven", "Burnt", "Come Back Clammy Lammy", "Core", "Cry Wet Smile Dry", "Day Is Gone", "Dergo", "Devils", "Dinner Time", "Dive", "Don't You Ail, Flash the Sea to Steam", "The Duck and Roger the Horse", "England's", "Everything Is Easy", "Exploded", "Fairy Mary Mag", "Fast Robert", "Fiery Gun Hand", "Flap Off You Beak", "For Good and All", "Gina Lollobrigida", "Goodbye Grace", "Heaven Heven", "Helen and Heaven", "Hope Day", "Horsehead", "The Icing on the World", "Ideal", "I'm Eating in Bed", "In the Corner of Sin", "Insect Hoofs on Lassie", "Jibber and Twitch", "Jitterbug (Junior Is A)", "Joining the Plankton", "A Kind of Keeper", "Little Creations", "A Little Man and a House", "Manhoo", "March", "No Bright Side", "No Gold", "Nurses Whispering Verses", "Ocean Heaven", "Ocean Shipwreck", "Oh", "Over + Over + Over + Over", "Pilf", "Pond", "Rat Mice Lice Time", "Red Fire Coming Out from His Gills", "Savour", "Secret Like Swans", "She Is Hiding Behind the Shed", "Sleep All Eyes Open", "Sparrows", "The Stench of Honey", "Stoneage Dinosaurs", "Swimming With the Snake", "Susannah's Still Alive", "That's All", "There's Good Cud", "A Thousand Strokes and a Rolling Suck", "To Go Off and Things", "Tree Tops High", "Vermin Mangle", "Vessel", "What Paradise Is Like", "Will Bleed Amen")
G♯4 ("All Spectacular", "The Alphabet Business Concern (Home of Fadeless Splendour)", "Angleworm Angel", "Aukamacic", "Big Ship", "Blind in Safety and Leafy in Love", "Bodysbad", "The Breakfast Line", "Buds and Spawn", "Bug from Heaven", "Burn Your House Brown", "Come Back Clammy Lammy", "Cut Yourself Kidding", "Dergo", "Dirty Boy", "Ditzy Scene", "Dive", "Dog-Like Sparky", "Don't You Ail, Flash the Sea to Steam", "The Duck and Roger the Horse", "Eat It Up Worms Hero", "England's", "Faster Than Snakes With a Ball and a Chain", "Flap Off You Beak", "For Good and All", "Gen", "Helen and Heaven", "Hello Mr Sparrow", "I Hold My Love in My Arms", "Ice a Spot and a Dot on the Dog", "Ideal", "I'm Eating in Bed", "In a City Lining", "It's a Lovely Day", "Jibber and Twitch", "Jitterbug (Junior Is A)", "Joining the Plankton", "Liberated and Handsome", "Lucky Lucy", "Mare's Nest", "No Bright Side", "R.E.S.", "Savour", "Scratching Crawling Scrawling", "Shaping the River", "She Is Hiding Behind the Shed", "Sleep All Eyes Open", "Snakes-A-Sleeping", "Sparkly Silvery Sky" multiple live performances, "Spell With a Shell", "The Stench of Honey", "Stoneage Dinosaurs", "Swimming With the Snake", "There's Too Many Irons in the Fire", "This Grounds Town", "To Go Off and Things", "Vine", "Visiting Hours", "A Wooden Fish on Wheels")
G4 ("Ain't He Messy Though", "All Spectacular", "As Cold as Can Be in an English Sea", "Baby Heart Dirt", "Bell Clinks", "A Big Noise in a Toy World", "Big River", "Big Ship", "Buds and Spawn", "Clean That Evil Mud Out Your Soul", "A Balloon for Bertie's Party", "Dinner Time", "Dirty Boy", "Ditzy Scene", "Dog-Like Sparky", "The Everso Closely Guarded Line", "Everything Is Easy", "Exploded", "Fairy Mary Mag", "Fanny", "For Good and All", "Foundling", "Gen", "Gina Lollobrigida", "Heaven Heven", "Helen and Heaven", "Hello Mr Sparrow", "Hope Day", "A Horse's Tail", "The Icing on the World", "Icky Qualms", "Ideal", "In the Corner of Sin", "Insect Hoofs on Lassie", "Is This the Life?", "Jitterbug (Junior Is A)", "The Leader of the Starry Skies", "A Little Man and a House", "Loosefish Scapegrace", "Manhoo", "Nurses Whispering Verses", "Ocean Shipwreck", "Odd Even", "Pip as Uncle Dick but Peter Spoilt It", "Pond", "R.E.S." The Seaside version, "She Is Hiding Behind the Shed", "Signs", "Sparkly Silvery Sky" multiple live performances, "Stoneage Dinosaurs", "Susannah's Still Alive", "Tarred and Feathered", "There's Good Cud", "Veronica in Ecstasy", "Victory Egg", "Wireless")
Significant Low Notes:
F♯3 ("The Alphabet Business Concern (Home of Fadeless Splendour)", "Bell Clinks", "A Big Noise in a Toy World", "Big Ship", "Billion", "Bite 3/a", "Buds and Spawn", "Bug from Heaven", "Burn Your House Brown", "Camouflage", "Clean That Evil Mud Out Your Soul", "Cry Wet Smile Dry", "England's", "Exploded", "Faster Than Snakes With a Ball and a Chain", "Flap Off You Beak", "Goodbye Grace", "Heaven Heven", "I'm Eating in Bed", "In a City Lining", "A Little Man and a House", "Loosefish Scapegrace", "Made All Up", "Manhoo", "No Gold", "Rat Mice Lice Time", "Red Fire Coming Out from His Gills", "Rock Around the Clock", "Snakes-A-Sleeping", "Stoneage Dinosaurs", "Tarred and Feathered", "Trade Mark")
F3 ("Arnald", "Baby Heart Dirt", "A Balloon for Bertie's Party", "Bell Clinks", "Blind in Safety and Leafy in Love", "Eden on the Air", "The Everso Closely Guarded Line", "Everything Is Easy", "Fanny", "Fiery Gun Hand", "Ice a Spot and a Dot on the Dog", "The Icing on the World", "In a City Lining", "In a Waiting Room", "The Leader of the Starry Skies", "Nurses Whispering Verses", "Pilf", "Savour", "The Safety Bowl", "That's All", "A Thousand Strokes and a Rolling Suck", "Wind and Rains Is Cold")
E3 ("Blind in Safety and Leafy in Love", "Burn Your House Brown", "Burnt", "Christ Alive", "Day Is Gone", "Dergo", "Dirty Boy", "Dive", "Don't You Ail, Flash the Sea to Steam", "England's", "The Everso Closely Guarded Line", "Everything Is Easy", "Fanny" "Fast Robert", "Faster Than Snakes With a Ball and a Chain", "Fiery Gun Hand", "Foundling", "Helen and Heaven", "The Icing on the World", "Insect Hoofs on Lassie", "Joining the Plankton", "Liberated and Handsome", "Lucky Lucy", "March", "Ocean Shipwreck", "Odd Even", "Pip as Uncle Dick but Peter Spoilt It", "Red Fire Coming Out from His Gills", "Sang 'All Away Away!'", "Signs", "Sparrows", "The Spirit Spout", "Tree Tops High", "Two Bites of Cherry", "Up in Annie's Room", "Veronica in Ecstasy", "Vessel", "Victory Egg", "The Whole World Window", "Your Removal of Me")
E♭3 ("Gina Lollobrigida", "In a City Lining", "Let Alone My Plastic Doll", "Liberated and Handsome", "The Psalm of Life", "Rat Mice Lice Time", "There's Too Many Irons in the Fire")
D3 ("Arnald", "Baby Heart Dirt", "Bodysbad", "The Breakfast Line", "Camouflage", "Core", "Dergo", "Don't You Ail, Flash the Sea to Steam", "The Leader of the Starry Skies", "Lilly White's Party", "Nurses Whispering Verses" Sing to God version, "Ocean Heaven", "Secret Like Swans", "Snakes-A-Sleeping", "Spell With a Shell", "This Grounds Town", "Trade Mark")
C♯3 ("The Alphabet Business Concern (Home of Fadeless Splendour)", "Angleworm Angel", "Buds and Spawn", "Cry Wet Smile Dry", "Cut Yourself Kidding", "Dog-Like Sparky", "Helen and Heaven", "Jibber and Twitch", "March", "Mare's Nest", "Sleep All Eyes Open" live at the Camden Falcon, 1999, "The Stench of Honey", "Swimming With the Snake", "Vermin Mangle")
C3 ("A Balloon for Bertie's Party", "Dog Eat Spine", "I Hold My Love in My Arms", "I'm Eating in Bed", "Manhoo", "Plane Plane Against the Grain", "Savour", "The Spirit Spout", "There's Too Many Irons in the Fire", "Too Many Colours", "Two Bites of Cherry", "Vine")
B2 ("Bell Clinks", "Dog-Like Sparky", "The Duck and Roger the Horse", "Fairy Mary Mag", "Fast Robert", "Fiery Gun Hand", "For Good and All", "Gen", "A Horse's Tail", "I'm Eating in Bed", "A Little Man and a House", "Loosefish Scapegrace", "Signs", "This Grounds Town")
B♭2 ("Bellyeye", "Loosefish Scapegrace", "Song of a Dead Pest", "Tarred and Feathered")
A2 ("Bellyeye", "Come Back Clammy Lammy", "Dirty Boy", "Lilly White's Party", "Mare's Nest", "No Bright Side", "No Gold", "Nurses Whispering Verses" Sing to God version, "Ocean Shipwreck", "Oh", "The Safety Bowl", "Sparrows")
G♯2 ("Come Back Clammy Lammy", "Cry Wet Smile Dry" live at the London Astoria, 2002, "Swimming With the Snake", "Two Bites of Cherry")
G2 ("Rat Mice Lice Time")
F♯2 ("No Gold", "Secret Like Swans", "Swimming With the Snake", "This Grounds Town")
F2 ("Insect Hoofs on Lassie", "Nurses Whispering Verses" Sing to God version, "Wireless")
{Questionable Notes}
C7 ("Burn Your House Brown" [2, 5] (probably a human? sounds painful either way))
C♯6 ("Spinney" [5])
A5 ("Don't You Ail, Flash the Sea to Steam" [2])
G♯5 ("The Whole World Window" [1])
F♯5 ("Dive" [1], "Fast Robert" [5], "Made All Up" [2, 4], )
F5 ("Plane Plane Against the Grain" [2], "Joining the Plankton" [4] (probably overtoney B♭4), "Two Bites of Cherry" [2])
E5 ("Dive" [1], "Jibber and Twitch", "This Grounds Town" [2, 4])
E♭5 ("Goodbye Grace" [2, 3, 5] (almost inhale-sounding), "The Whole World Window" [5])
D5 ("Devils" [4], "Insect Hoofs on Lassie" [4], "To Go Off and Things" The Seaside version [2])
C♯5 ("Bodysbad" [4], "Rat Lice Mice Time" [2, 4])
B♭4 ("Eden on the Air" [2, 4], "For Good and All" [4] (implied but can't tell if it's there), "That's All" [5])
G♯4 ("Dead Mouse" [2])
F3 ("R.E.S." A Little Man and a House version [1])
E♭3 ("On the Dry Land" [2])
C3 ("Flap Off You Beak" [1], "Hope Day" [2])
B2 ("Buds and Spawn" [2], "Goosegash" [2])
A2 ("I'm Eating in Bed" [1, 2], "March" [2])
G♯2 ("All Spectacular" [2], "Goodbye Grace" [2] (quite dark; likely Tim but COULD be Jim, not sure))
G2 ("Loosefish Scapegrace" [2], "Stoneage Dinosaurs" [2])
F♯2 ("Big Ship" [2], "Burn Your House Brown" [2], "Loosefish Scapegrace" [2], "Quiet as a Mouse" [3] (speaking with no musical context), "Rat Mice Lice Time" [1, 4])
F2 ("R.E.S." A Little Man and a House version [2])
E2 ("Bodysbad" [2], "Sparrows" [4] (almost inaudible, but implied and may be there))
D2 ("This Grounds Town" [2, 4])
.......................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or may have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.
C7 ("Burn Your House Brown" [2, 5] (probably a human? sounds painful either way))
C♯6 ("Spinney" [5])
A5 ("Don't You Ail, Flash the Sea to Steam" [2])
G♯5 ("The Whole World Window" [1])
F♯5 ("Dive" [1], "Fast Robert" [5], "Made All Up" [2, 4], )
F5 ("Plane Plane Against the Grain" [2], "Joining the Plankton" [4] (probably overtoney B♭4), "Two Bites of Cherry" [2])
E5 ("Dive" [1], "Jibber and Twitch", "This Grounds Town" [2, 4])
E♭5 ("Goodbye Grace" [2, 3, 5] (almost inhale-sounding), "The Whole World Window" [5])
D5 ("Devils" [4], "Insect Hoofs on Lassie" [4], "To Go Off and Things" The Seaside version [2])
C♯5 ("Bodysbad" [4], "Rat Lice Mice Time" [2, 4])
B♭4 ("Eden on the Air" [2, 4], "For Good and All" [4] (implied but can't tell if it's there), "That's All" [5])
G♯4 ("Dead Mouse" [2])
F3 ("R.E.S." A Little Man and a House version [1])
E♭3 ("On the Dry Land" [2])
C3 ("Flap Off You Beak" [1], "Hope Day" [2])
B2 ("Buds and Spawn" [2], "Goosegash" [2])
A2 ("I'm Eating in Bed" [1, 2], "March" [2])
G♯2 ("All Spectacular" [2], "Goodbye Grace" [2] (quite dark; likely Tim but COULD be Jim, not sure))
G2 ("Loosefish Scapegrace" [2], "Stoneage Dinosaurs" [2])
F♯2 ("Big Ship" [2], "Burn Your House Brown" [2], "Loosefish Scapegrace" [2], "Quiet as a Mouse" [3] (speaking with no musical context), "Rat Mice Lice Time" [1, 4])
F2 ("R.E.S." A Little Man and a House version [2])
E2 ("Bodysbad" [2], "Sparrows" [4] (almost inaudible, but implied and may be there))
D2 ("This Grounds Town" [2, 4])
.......................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or may have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.
.......................................................
Blue marks soft falsetto or whistle notes.
Green marks harsh/distorted screamed notes.
Underlines mark notes that are obscured in the song mix.
Italics mark non-melodic notes.
Boldface marks notes that are considered to be particularly notable examples of this person's vocal capabilities.
Note: Cardiacs frequently re-recorded their older material; unless otherwise stated, a given note is in all available studio versions of a song, not including official live recordings
{Album Ranges}
Cardiacs:
The Obvious Identity (1980): C3 - A4
Toy World (1981): D3 - B♭4 - D5
The Seaside (1984): C♯3 - E♭3 - C5 - F5 - F♯5
Big Ship EP (1987): B♭2 - C♯5 - B♭5
A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window (1988): B2 - E♭5 - F5
On Land and in the Sea (1989): G♯2 - E♭5 - G♯5
Day Is Gone EP (1991): A2 - C5 - C♯5
Heaven Born and Ever Bright (1992): B2 - C5 - D5
Sing to God (1996): F2 - D5 - F♯5 - G5
Guns (1999): F♯2 - E5 - F♯5
The Sea Nymphs/Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Mr. Drake:
Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Mr. Drake (1984): C3 - B♭4
The Sea Nymphs (1992): A2 - B4 - C♯5
On the Dry Land (2016; mostly recorded in 1991): C♯3 - B4 - D5
Spratleys Japs (formerly Spratleys Japs):
Pony (1999): A2 - C5
Solo:
Tim Smith's Extra Special OceanLandWorld (1995): F♯2 - A4 - D5
Cardiacs:
The Obvious Identity (1980): C3 - A4
Toy World (1981): D3 - B♭4 - D5
The Seaside (1984): C♯3 - E♭3 - C5 - F5 - F♯5
Big Ship EP (1987): B♭2 - C♯5 - B♭5
A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window (1988): B2 - E♭5 - F5
On Land and in the Sea (1989): G♯2 - E♭5 - G♯5
Day Is Gone EP (1991): A2 - C5 - C♯5
Heaven Born and Ever Bright (1992): B2 - C5 - D5
Sing to God (1996): F2 - D5 - F♯5 - G5
Guns (1999): F♯2 - E5 - F♯5
The Sea Nymphs/Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Mr. Drake:
Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Mr. Drake (1984): C3 - B♭4
The Sea Nymphs (1992): A2 - B4 - C♯5
On the Dry Land (2016; mostly recorded in 1991): C♯3 - B4 - D5
Spratleys Japs (formerly Spratleys Japs):
Pony (1999): A2 - C5
Solo:
Tim Smith's Extra Special OceanLandWorld (1995): F♯2 - A4 - D5