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In Reply to: Best? How soon people forget... posted by RC Daniel on October 6, 2005 at 14:26:57:
Believe it or not, I've never really listened to Cocteau Twins. Oh, I've been aware of them for years, but I just never seemed to get around to listening to them, not even after Fraser turned up on Mezzanine.But, I just went and sampled some of their stuff, and yeah, they're going on The List. Maybe 4AD having them should have tipped me off earlier. Good lord, what I've been missing...
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Hey ToddNot stupidity! I must have a list of hundreds of releases from artists that I have not gotten 'round to exploring. And hey - I like the music I listen to and connect with more than that which I have not heard ;) I like much of the early 4AD stuff too.
Now, I am not much interested musical history per se, but I believe the Cocteau Twins have influenced many an artist, and some would argue movements. It is not just Fraser's voice or (lack of) vocals, but the delicate swirl and wall-of-sound of the other instrumentation.
I was listening to Spooky from Lush this morning - the influences are very clear. I also popped on Cocteau Twins' Tiny Dynamite, Echoes in a Shallow Bay, and Blue Bell Knoll - timeless (for me at least). I do not have a favourite so can not provide suggestions, but I think that their last two albums were a little more accessible or mainstream; less experimental. Anyhow, seek them out to find your own truth - and enjoy!
"I like the music I listen to and connect with more than that which I have not heard"What, you're not psychic? ~~~~~~ :o)
I checked out the last Cocteau Twins release, and a couple in the middle. Are the remastered versions worth getting instead of the original releases?
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Hey, I did not even know they had remastered them! Some of the CD releases of earlier EPs and albums are a little, er, dubious - sounding a bit thin at times. Could be the analogue to digital transfer. I might check them out for myself - hmmm, replacing ten or so CDs with remastered versions could be a little costly tho... So much music out there, so few $$$! May wait until I get a turntable set up and try for vinyl (yeah, right) – vinyl would suit their music well.My favs change frequently, though if I had to choose three that give a wide representation of their work:
Victorialand
A nice cruisey yet interesting ambient-ish album. Has a similar feel (to me) in some ways to This Mortal Coil's It'll End in Tears, tho it sounds different in many ways as well. It is kind of an odd one out: although is still has the feel of Cocteau Twins, it does not fit their natural musical evolution.Heaven or Las Vegas
Possibly my most consistent favourite, tho most likely because of its association with a certain period of my life. More accessible having melancholic fuzzy guitar indie-pop tones, but still very much Cocteau Twins.And my third - I have changed my mind on this one three times since starting this post! Sunburst and Snowblind from 1983. It is a good representation of their earlier style/s. A bit of a mixed bag, but works after a couple of listens have worn off the rough edges. Contains some very significant music, though the production (of the French-make CD version I have) is variable, which does not really distract me too much.
This help at all?
Great album, but so are some of the early ones like Treasure. Much much better than their last and most forgettable album Four Calendar Cafe which came in the 90s, so definitely check out those first for the real thing. Very influential on some of the more popular ethereal bands today like Sigur Ros. From what I've read the remasters aren't any improvement over the original CD releases and have no bonus tracks, but are cheap. If you play vinyl, dig for the original LPs because they sound waaaayyyyy better. Also check out my recent no reply thread about Laika's Sounds of the Satellites for another path, though at an oblique angle to the Twins ;-)
followed Four Calender Cafe; a little less forgettable, but in the mold. I am in agreement that this is not their most appealing (to me) music.Yep, Treasure was a candidate for my third choice, as was Tiny Dynamite & Echoes in a Shallow Bay. Blue Bell Knoll could almost have gotten there as well, but is a little late to be a representation of their early music.
Glad that you feel the remasters are no improvement over the originals and also that you could confirm the quality of the vinyl. Most helpful.
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