''Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith, Songbook 1'' is a

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

featuring cover versions of songs by

Tim Smith Tim, Timothy or Timmy Smith may refer to: Musicians *T. V. Smith (born 1956), British singer and songwriter *Tim Smith (Cardiacs) (1961–2020), English singer-songwriter and frontman of Cardiacs *Timmy Trumpet (born 1982), Australian DJ and produ ...

, the songwriter behind

Cardiacs Cardiacs are an English rock band formed in Kingston upon Thames by Tim Smith (lead guitar and vocals) and his brother Jim (bass, backing vocals) in 1977 under the name Cardiac Arrest. The band's sound fused circus, baroque pop and medieval mu ...

, The Sea Nymphs,

Spratleys Japs Tim Smith's Spratleys Rats, more commonly known by their original name Spratleys Japs, is an English psychedelic rock band formed by Cardiacs leader Tim Smith and Joanne Spratley in 1998. The band changed their name in 2021 to distance themsel ...

and his solo project OceanLandWorld. It was released on CD on 13 December 2010 on the Believers Roast label (via Genepool distribution). The release date for download, via iTunes, was 20 December 2010. All contributing artists and bands have either stated a strong

influence in their music, profess sincere admiration for Smith's work, or feature at least one person who has at some time been involved with

. Contributors to the project include

The Magic Numbers The Magic Numbers are an English pop rock band consisting of two brother-and-sister pairs, from Hanwell in west London. The group was formed in 2002, releasing their debut album titled ''The Magic Numbers'' on 13 June 2005. Their follow-up alb ...

, Robert White of The Milk and Honey Band with

Andy Partridge Andrew John Partridge (born 11 November 1953) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer who founded the rock music, rock band XTC. He and Colin Moulding each acted as a songwriter and frontman for XTC, with Partridge writi ...

(

XTC XTC were an English rock band formed in Swindon in 1972. Fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge (guitars, vocals) and Colin Moulding (bass, vocals), the band gained popularity during the rise of punk and new wave in the 1970s, later playing in ...

), Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree, Katharine Blake of

Mediaeval Baebes In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

, progressive rock band Oceansize,

Julianne Regan Julie-Ann "Julianne" Regan (born 30 June 1962) is an English-Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. She achieved success in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the lead singer of the band All About Eve. AllMusic describes Regan as "certainly on ...

of All About Eve, 1990's Britpop band

Ultrasound Ultrasound is sound waves with frequency, frequencies higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing range, hearing. Ultrasound is not different from "normal" (audible) sound in its physical properties, except that humans cannot hea ...

(who reunited especially to record their cover version), Jason Pegg of Clearlake and no less than five current or former

members - former keyboard player

William D. Drake William Derek Drake (born 7 February 1962) is an English musician, keyboardist, pianist, composer and singer-songwriter. He is best known as a former member of the cult English rock band Cardiacs, whom he played with for nine years between 1983 ...

, former drummer and keyboard player

Mark Cawthra Mark Cawthra is an English musician and record producer working in the UK. He was born in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England. Biography Cawthra's first serious musical activity was in an early (unnamed) music project with schoolfriend ...

, former guitarist

Bic Hayes Christian David "Bic" Hayes (born 10 June 1964) is an English rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. Best known as the frontman of Dark Star and guitarist with Levitation, he has also released solo material as Mikrokosmos, which was produced b ...

(under the project name of mikrokosmos), current guitarist Kavus Torabi (with his Knifeworld project) and former drummer Peter Tagg (with the Trudy). The album was recorded as a response to Tim Smith's hospitalisation in 2008 (following a combined heart attack and stroke in London) was released in order to raise funds for his ongoing care and recovery. All profits from the album sales went directly to help

. A bonus disc, called ''A Loyal Companion'', was free with CD preorders.

Track listing

''Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith, Songbook 1'' # "Savour" -

# " Big Ship" -

# "Fear" - Oceansize # "Let Alone My Plastic Doll" -

# "

Day Is Gone "Day Is Gone" is a song by English rock band Cardiacs from their third studio album, '' Heaven Born and Ever Bright'' (1992). It was released as a twelve-inch single preceding the album on 28 October 1991 alongside a free 7-inch titled "Appeal ...

" - The Trudy # "Foundling" -

Stars In Battledress Stars in Battledress (SiB) was an organisation of entertainers who were members of the British Armed Forces during World War II. History In Britain, during the Second World War, entertainment was considered an essential to keep morale high. I ...

# "Will Bleed Amen" - Max Tundra featuring Sarah Measures # "Shaping the River" -

# "The Stench of Honey" - Knifeworld # "A Little Man and a House" -

# "

Is This the Life? "Is This the Life" (also written "Is This the Life?") is a song by English rock band Cardiacs from their debut studio album ''A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window'' (1988). The song was released on vinyl by the Alphabet Business Co ...

" - mikrokosmos # "March" - North Sea Radio Orchestra # "Lillywhite's Party" - Robert White featuring

# "Wind and Rains is Cold" - Rose Kemp vs. Rarg # "Up in Annie's Room" - Katharine Blake # "

Stoneage Dinosaurs "Stoneage Dinosaurs" is a song by English rock band Cardiacs from their EP '' Big Ship'' (1987). The song was written by frontman Tim Smith and produced by Smith alongside Graham Simmonds. Musically, the song is a melancholy track with violins, ...

" - Steven Wilson # "Home of Fadeless Splendour" -

The Scaramanga Six The Scaramanga Six are an English rock band. Originally formed in 1995 and based in Huddersfield, the band currently consists of multi-instrumentalist founder members Paul Morricone (vocals, guitar, etc.) and Steven Morricone (vocals, bass guita ...

''Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith – A Loyal Companion'' # "Spell With a Shell" -

Silvery Silvery are a London-based 4-piece indie rock band, signed to Blow Up Records (the label of the Britpop night club Blow Up). Their sound was described by journalist David Quantick in The Word as "Splenetic, frenetic, kinetic" and in NME as " ...

# "Arnald" -

Eureka Machines Eureka Machines are a British pop rock band based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, who formed in 2007.Vibrations Magazine Interview, March 2008 The band consists of Chris Catalyst (also of The Sisters of Mercy and The God Damn Whores) on lead ...

# "Gloomy News" - The Gasman # "My Trademark" - Bug Prentice # "Victory Egg" -

Sidi Bou Said Sidi Bou Said ( ar, سيدي بو سعيد ') is a town in northern Tunisia located about 20 km from the capital, Tunis. Named for a religious figure who lived there, Abu Said al-Baji, it was previously called Jabal el-Menar. The town it ...

# "To Go Off and Things" - Panixphere # "I Hold My Love in My Arms" - Local Girls # "Dirty Boy"
Sterbus
# "Tree Tops High" - Jason Pegg # "Everything is Easy" -

# "Joining The Plankton" - a/c woods # "Dead Mouse" - Spiritwo # "All Spectacular" - Agency # "Nurses Whispering Verses" - Idiot Box # "The Barnacle Tree" - Sarah Cutts (hidden track) # "Odd Even" - Local Girls (digital only, hidden track) # "Dead Mouse" - Ham Legion (digital only, hidden track) # "A Duck And Roger The Horse" - Stephen EvEns (digital only, hidden track)

References

External links

Order page at The Genepool

Review in The Line of Best Fit

Article on BBC Wiltshire website

Interview with Steven Wllson on BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks website
{{Cardiacs Cardiacs compilation albums 2010 compilation albums Cardiacs tribute albums