Cardiac Arrest - " The Obvious Identity"(cassette) 1980 + "A Bus For A Bus On The Bus"(EP) 1979

I dunno if it was the head trauma I suffered during my recent much publicised car accident, but I've found myself listening to The Cardiac's a lot,and actually liking them. Previously, I found them tiresomely over-clever,trying too hard to be quirky,and more than a tad irritating.Post brain injury, I now love them!? But, above all, I love the Cardiacs when they were called Cardiac Arrest.
I had a Brain scan, and they told me that despite my memory loss,my brain appeared 'Normal', contrary to previous observations from other, unqualified, sources. They (the 'experts'),never warned me that I would have an insatiable desire to listen to The Cardiac's,but I do?!
Some cheeky chappies have referred to this music as "Pronk"(a melange of Punk and Prog!),as an attempt to elevate this group to a 'special' place inhabited by the quirky undefinable's like Sun Ra and The Residents etc.....this is pure shite of course. This is no more progressive than the whole of the post-punk scene,which was in fact nothing more than a prog revival in short song format,without the solo's or sparkling capes.(I never understood what was actually wrong with a good sparkling cape?) 
If the Cardiac's were the only band that appeared to mix prog and punk together, then what was XTC,Magazine, Talking Heads, and countless other 'Pronk' bands?......Post-punk will do nicely thank you.
Yes it's all very 'clever',and complex,in a herky-jerky kind of way.
This era of the bands progression showcases a  jagged edge that later incarnations hid away too much.
I'll keep taking the pills,and maybe one day i'll hate them again?...but for now.......

"The Obvious Identity" Tracklist:

A1	The Obvious Identity	2:11
A2	Visiting Hours	4:50
A3	Pip As Uncle Dick But Peter Spoilt It	4:35
A4	To Go Off And Things	2:25
A5	Rock Around The Clock	1:53
A6	Leaf Scrapings	3:13
B1	A Game For Bertie's Party	7:02
B2	Cameras	1:02
B3	Bite 3/a	2:37
B4	Pilf	3:22
B5	Let Alone My Plastic Doll	4:06
B6	A Balloon For Bertie's Party	8:02

EP Tracklist:

A	A Bus For A Bus On The Bus	4:33
B1	A Cake For Bertie's Party	3:10
B2	Food On The Wall

DOWNLOAD this heartily arresting early incarnation HERE!