The 1986 Listening Post - Cocteau Twins - Victorialand

Cocteau Twins - Victorialand

#138/1303

April 14 1986

Cocteau Twins

Victorialand

Genre: Ethereal

4.5 out of 5

Highlights:

Lazy Calm

Fluffy Tufts

Little Spacey

If the Listening Post is a journey of discovery we could come to the end today, stop right here and I would be fine. 

It took me a while to “get” Cocteau Twins. Looking it up I learned that this record was only Guthrie and Fraser, with Raymonde taking a break to work on another This Mortal Coil record.

So, is it really “Cocteau Twins”? Shouldn’t it be listed as a side project of some kind?

I mean, it’s just the two of them so…twins, yes. 

Damn, this is beautiful. Why have I not been turning to this every time I have trouble sleeping?

If every shoegaze band doesn’t list this album as an influence (as well as Julee Cruise) they are lying to you. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/victorialand/1028832848

the 1985 Listening Post - Cocteau Twins - 3 EPs

Cocteau Twins - 3 EPS

#455/456/457/1090

November 12 1985

Cocteau Twins

Aikea-Guinea

3.25 out of 5

Dynamine 

4.25 out of 5

Echoes in a Shallow Bay

4.25 out of 5

Highlights:

Aikea-Guinea

Pink Orange Red

Plain Tiger

Sultitan Itan

Melonella

Settle in, children, we have fairy tales bedtime stories to read and we need a soundtrack to whisk us away to those faraway magical & haunting lands. 

The Twins released 3 eps in 85 and, even though we don’t do EPs, per se, that’s the equivalent of an album so I’m going to listen and  we’ll just lump em all together. 

Fraser is in full Siouxie mode here and, while it’s pleasant, it’s rather somnambulant, way more experimental than they have been and that’s saying something. 

The music gets more assured (although still under the thumb of persistent drum programming, but, whatevs. 

You know what there should’ve been? A Cocteau Twins/Angelo Badalamenti team up. 

For a band experimenting in the studio, they are truly on their game. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/aikea-guinea-ep/291377927

https://music.apple.com/us/album/tiny-dynamine-ep/291385795

https://music.apple.com/us/album/echoes-in-a-shallow-bay-ep/291379599

The 1984 Listening Post - Cocteau Twins - Treasure

Cocteau Twins - Treasure

#291
November 1 1984
Cocteau Twins
Treasure
4.5 out of 5

Highlights:
Ivo
Lorelei
Pandora (For Cindy)
Donimo

So, this sort of picks up where we left off with these guys last time, yes? That Bauhaus meets Siouxie sound seems to predate the 90s in a great way. Were they ahead of their time or did a bunch of musicians follow their lead?
The band thought this was rushed and not up to par. No one else agrees with them. This is, perhaps, an example of artists not being able to overthink anything because this album filled me with emotions I had suppressed. It's a dream and catharsis, gorgeous and ugly.
I love this record.
On a sunny Saturday, like today.
Maybe if it was raining.
Or the world was burning.
Or the kids are grown and visiting.
I think this would work for all of that and more.
I'm glad I didn't give up on them after Garland. This is a treat.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/treasure/1027469081

The 1983 Listening Post - Cocteau Twins- Head Over Heels

Cocteau Twins- Head Over Heels

#180
October 31, 1983
Cocteau Twins
Head Over Heels
4.75 out of 5

Highlights:
When Mama Was a Moth
In Our Angelhood
Multifoiled

Ok. I hated Garlands. Like, a lot. So, let’s see what the follow up is all about.
This is the soundtrack to the goth Cirque Du Soleil. Cirque du Depression and Madness.
And, it’s infinitely better than Garlands.
I don’t think you really listen to this as much as you give in to it. It’s in the family of Swans but they suck and this is gorgeous.
Extraordinary.