LEADER OF THE STARRY SKIES [CD]

tl;dr- A great album for an excellent cause. BUY IT!

The title is from the back of the album.

All fans of Cardiacs will now be aware of Tim Smith's condition, a thing everyone was saddened by. Some true fans, kind people and extraordinary bands rallied together to create this tribute album with all proceeds going directly to Mr. Smith himself.
With such a good reason behind the making of it, it is a must have for Cardiacs fans around the world. No matter what the outcome it was always destined to do well.
And well it did.

The music on this was all orignally by Cardiacs or an affiliated band with Mr Smith a key member. The bands covering the songs are similarly linked to Cardiacs in some way, whether by being former members (Mark Cawthra did an excellent job of 'Let Alone my plastic doll' as well asmastering the whole thing, and William D. Drake's beautifully portrayed 'Saviour' as the first track was excellently done), Cardiacs' members' side bands (Knifeworld being the only one I've really heard before this) or just really big fans (the magic numbers have been on the telly before!).

So...
that's all the back story you need. Now the music.
First impressions will always be that there will never be another Tim Smith. I found this distracted me from the album the first few times I listened to it. Still, technically it is a sound album. With some well known Cardiacs songs (probably the hardest to carry off) like Big ship, Day is gone and so on, the need for Tim really stands out.
It's now my fourth time of listening (I pre-ordered this last year) and I feel I'm only just starting to enjoy it as an album. Whilst some tracks are dutifully followed (A little man and a house, Big ship) some of the best on the album are where bands put their own spin on it; The Trudy's version of 'Day is Gone' being a huge highlight for me.
All in all this is a great collection of classic slow Cardiacs (and Cardiacs related bands). The only downside for me is this album doesn't feature many of the more upbeat songs and as such this isn't an album for dancing around.

Get this if... no, just get this. It's a great cause, some excellent covers ('Is this the life' is currently undergoing an interesting R&B cover) by some excellent bands. You'll get to hear new takes on the classics and be introduced to all the Cardiacs' other friends.

I will enclose the track listing, mainly because Amazon don't seem keen on doing their job properly...
"Savour" - William D. Drake
"Big Ship" - Ultrasound
"Fear" - Oceansize
"Let Alone My Plastic Doll" - Mark Cawthra
"Day is Gone" - The Trudy
"Foundling" - Stars In Battledress
"Will Bleed Amen" - Max Tundra featuring Sarah Measures
"Shaping the River" - Julianne Regan
"The Stench of Honey" - Knifeworld
"A Little Man and a House" - The Magic Numbers
"Is This the Life" - mikrokosmos
"March" - North Sea Radio Orchestra
"Lillywhite's Party" - Robert White featuring Andy Partridge
"Wind and Rains is Cold" - Rose Kemp vs. Rarg
"Up in Annie's Room" - Katharine Blake
"Stoneage Dinosaurs" - Steven Wilson
"Home of Fadeless Splendour" - The Scaramanga Six

I was lucky enough to see Cardiacs 3 times when they ventured north of the border - unforgettable - Tim Smith was the master showman, one of the most riveting performers I've ever seen. His situation just now breaks my heart and like all his other fans I pray for a miracle.
To be honest I'd have bought this album if it had been a coaster as the cause is enough. What a pleasant surpise to discover it's actually a brilliant record in its own right. I was hooked straight away by the opening William D Drake cover of Savour - hypnotic brilliance. Ultrasound make a decent fist of one of my favourite Smith tunes Big Ship, the Mark Cawthra effort is excellent - in truth there isn't a dud in the bunch. Special kudos though to the Robert White/Andy Partridge version of Lillie Whites Party (a Cardiacs song I was unfamiliar with) - it perfectly captures the creepy, woozy, spellbinding side of Tim Smith's songwriting and is worth the price alone.
In summation - (please) buy this for the charitable aspect, but also enjoy it for the sheer quality of the tunes.

Well worth buying, Money going to a great cause.Hope they sell enough to give Tim the treatment he deserves.Tim is greatly missed on the gigging circuit.