# Way Back Now: Cardinal’s First Album in 18 Years Since Legendary Debut; Plus, First GBV Classic Lineup Album in 16 Years

- Link: https://indierockcafe.com/2012/01/way-back-now-cardinals-first-album-in-18-years-picks-up-where-the-unsung-pop-heroes-left-off-in-1994-plus-the-first-gbv-classic-lineup-album-in-16-years/
- Published: 2012-01-29T03:24:08-05:00
- Author: Max Hammer

The international musical duo **Cardinal** caught our attention the first time we
heard a couple of their orchestra pop and folk art tracks from the just-released
album, _Hymns_. The duo – comprised of musicians **Richard Davies** and **Eric Matthews**–
qualify for a series we started a while ago called **Way Back Now** – which highlights
bands and artists who’ve released a new album of original fresh music 10 or more
years since their last release.

So, nearly 18 years since the release of their stunning, self-titled debut album,
Davies and Matthews reunited last year to record _Hymns_ for the indie label, **
Fire Records**. For fans of indie chamber pop, _Hymns_ is definitely one of the 
first albums of 2012 that should be in your collection.

In 1994, at a time when grunge was the flagship genre of the alternative music scene,
and a few years before **Belle & Sebastian**, among other musicians, raised indie
chamber pop to new heights, Cardinal released their eponymous debut, which unfortunately
did not have the benefit of the Internet to spread their ground-breaking music the
way it did in the late 1990’s to today.

The duo’s label, **Fire Records**, wrote: “[The duo’s debut] ushered in an era of
renewed appreciation for the orchestrated pop music of the 1960s, and at the same
time inspired and influenced a host of modern artists, who followed in Cardinal’s
footsteps, endeavoring to duplicate its majesty and sound so classic.”

[[

Even though Cardinal’s debut largely flew under the radar, _PopMatters_, recently
wrote: “…it ended up becoming one of those hidden pop gems. Its understated, lush
yet gauzy orchestration, its penchant for near-neo-classical flourishes, and its
bittersweet, dreamy feel made it an often arresting listen.” Whether, over time,
_Hymns_, achieves the same admiration among indie pop fans and historians as the
duo’s first release, remains to be seen, but it’s doubtful.

Related Post:  Fresh Tracks: Beirut's 'The Rip Tide' Album is One of the Most Anticipated
of the Summer - and For Good Reason

_Consequence of Sound_, which gave _Hymns_ three out of five stars, recently wrote
in its review: “Now facing a musical landscape in which orchestral elements are 
commonplace [Editor’s note: Arcade Fire being among the most famous], Cardinal’s
newest album is worth revisiting but ultimately doesn’t break any memorable ground.”

That said, we can say with some confidence that _Hymns_, in many respects, picks
up where Cardinal left off 18 years ago – lush chamber pop, masterfully composed
and executed, and evidence that even nearly two decades later, these unsung heroes
of the orchestral pop, haven’t lost their skill. The popular Seattle radio station,
_KEXP_ FM, wrote of Hymns on their blog: “an impressive set of psych-tinged chamber-
pop with a variety of well-crafted, beautifully textured songs.” If you are a fan
of chamber pop, or even just great music, you’ll want to get yourself a copy of 
Hymns (purchase via Amazon ), but perhaps you’ll want to start first with the duo’s
[masterful debut](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/B000R031NQ?ie=UTF8&tag=indroccaf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000R031NQ)(
which includes 11 additional tracks not on the original release thanks to [Amazon’s special, limited time offer](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/B000R031NQ?ie=UTF8&tag=indroccaf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000R031NQ)),
which was reissued in 2005. We’ve included a track from _Cardinal_ as well just 
to give our listeners an idea of just one of the great tracks on the album.

“Love Like Rain” – **Cardinal** from [_Hymns_](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/B006JIL1S2?ie=UTF8&tag=indroccaf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B006JIL1S2)

[“Silver Machines”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/10-cardinal-silver_machines.mp3)–**
Cardinal **from _[Cardinal ](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/B000R031NQ?ie=UTF8&tag=indroccaf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000R031NQ)

Earlier this month, another Way Back Now band, **Guided By Voices**, reunited  the“
classic lineup” of the band to release its [first album](https://indierockcafe.com/2012/01/best-new-indie-albums-jan-17-2012/)
in 16 years! It’s not the first Guided By Voices’ album since that time, but the
first with the classic lineup that was originally formed in 1984.

Related Post:  Best New Releases - Moonface, Love of Everything, Archers of Loaf,
Beirut, Arcade Fire, The Ettes, Fruit Bats, Diva, Buffalo Killers

In September 2011, original GBV singer and band lead man, **Robert Pollard**, announced
on his website that the band would release the new album, [_Let’s Go Eat The Factory_](https://indierockcafe.com/2012/01/best-new-indie-albums-jan-17-2012/),
on January 1, 2012, the first album from the “classic lineup” since 1996’s _Under
The Bushes, Under The Stars_.  The lineup includes Pollard, **Tobin Sprout, Greg
Demos, Mitch Mitchell** and **Kevin Fennell**, who also spent most of 2011 on a 
reunion tour. The new album is surely a bonus gift for new and long-time GBV fans.

Read more of our review of_ Let’s Go Eat The Factory_ (get it from Amazon for great
price!), published earlier this month, and watch this video of the classic lineup