Cardia

(Silverthree)
by Tim Den

If you look hard enough, you can see Cardia floating on the horizon between post-hardcore’s skyline and Jeff Buckley-style dream pop’s ocean blue. And at dusk, sometimes you can even see traces of British shoegazing (“Last Forever,” with its My Bloody Valentine guitar jerks) lingering about.

Fronted by ex-Rival Schools guitarist Ian Love and featuring ex-members of several prominent bands (Shudder To Think, The Verve Pipe, etc.), the professionalism and maturity here is air-tight. Love lets loose his searing falsetto – something he obviously wasn’t allowed to do in Rival Schools – conjuring up divine visions of heavens parting and deities fist-fighting. Climactic eruptions, heartbreaking croons, and a warm loveliness canvas the scenery, certain to knock female listeners over with tragic charm.

The combination of tight songwriting, expert performances, and engineer know-how (Love and drummer Andy Action are both knob-twiddlers) help Cardia leave a steep impression with this debut. Already confirmed for this year’s Leeds and Reading festivals, it’s only a matter of time before these guys become forerunners in their genre.
(PO Box 3621 Fairfax, VA 22038)