'Blue bell knoll' is their masterpiece for me, I totally agree with Ryan here. 'Blue Bell Knoll", "Heaven or Las Vegas" and "Four-calendar cafe" are a fantastic trio of albums and the best they ever sounded IMO but BBK is definitely the best of all of them.
Garlands is a stunning debut. It gives me the same feeling Seventeen Seconds by The Cure does. Really dark, smooth, gothic, but groovy atmospheric. I prefer HoLV of course but I wouldn't be offended if someone said Garlands was their favourite.
YES JOE! Thank you for calling out the ending of "I Wear Your Ring." That is my favorite moment in their entire discography it gives me chills everytime
61 yr old fan of the Cocteau Twins here. Been listening to them since the very beginning in '82. Strange hearing such young people dissing on Garlands frankly. It is nearly the ultimate fear & dread soundtrack ever recorded. ❤ No point in listing best or worst releases in my opinion. I will say Akea Guinea is my fav of their many songs over their career. Some exceptional recordings rarely mentioned are the BBC sessions & Dear Heart I always loved too. If you want to get a great first compilation to introduce yourself to them, try the Pink Opaque. My favorite EP is the immaculate Loves Easy Tears, which is seamless beauty. Their work with Harold Budd on Moon & the Melodies is perfect sleep/sex music.😂❤
This band and video automatically makes Kramzer Month the best ever. Hearing this band for the first time as a teenager was nothing short of revelatory; they rewired my brain as a music listener and a musician. Liz used her voice, and Robin his guitar, in ways I'd never considered before, expanding the possibilities of music. I still have my first CT cassette, warped from the thousands of replays it's had. I'm equally chuffed to see tomorrow's Top-10 video. 19:32 FUN FACT : Liz provided backing vocals on the title track of Ian McCulloch's solo album, Candleland. And Jason not liking this isn't a shock, but 1:05:20.... well, now. 10 to 1: Milk Calendar Garlands Moon & Melodies Heels Treasure Knoll Heaven Victorialand Echoes/Dynamine (2 EPs from the same recording session, so an album. I'll fight anyone on this) And The Pink Opaque is one of the greatest compilations EVER. Perfect sequencing, front to back.
Garlands is the perfect album to put on while you're driving alone somewhere late at night.🧟♀ Its haunting, Gothic minimalism makes its stand out in the CT catalog. Not to mention, Will Heggie's bass lines are some of the sickest, most sinister grooves I've ever heard 😀
Discovered your channel last February. Love the formula ! Three mates discussing their tastes subjectively. The viewer wants to either discover a discography and pick an album or confront his own tier list to yours. One can identify to Jason, Kramzer or Joe. Smart ! I'd love to see you guys consider the Opeth discography. A rich and thrilling one !
That was an fascinating hour! I’m so old, I saw them on the Heaven Or Las Vegas tour (I think). In my musical world, Elizabeth Fraser sits at the head of the top table. When she is allowed to sing it sends shivers that no other singer has ever done. I love Victorialand because there is no depth, it’s just her incredible, beautiful voice. My favourite song is Blue Bell Knoll, but Fraser’s two best performances aren’t on Cocteau Twins albums: Song To The Siren under the This Mortal Coil banner and Teardrop with Massive Attack. Looking forward to the top 10 songs because there are a lot of singles and eps.
Despite growing up in the '90s and being obsessed with every shade of alternative between 1978 and 1994 I was always somehow too intimidated to invest in the Cocteau Twins. I loved the cover art and the whole aesthetic but they seemed kind of too cerebral and alien to me back in the day. This video has totally inspired me to re-investigate them in the streaming age, now that I have no financial penalty at stake (can you believe we used to spend £15 on an album?! Nope me neither). Treasure is tomorrow's commute album for sure... I'm going in boys...
Don't sleep on Four Calendar Cafe. No one seems to mention it but it's unusual for a Cocteau Twins album because most songs are in pretty normal English and some have a little country flavour. This works surprisingly well, Bluebeard is a cute and wonderfully catchy song. The thing with Cocteau Twins is for Alternative it's very soft and easy listening, trippy and ethereal. They provide sheer audio pleasure.
hey guys, if you noticed a lot of likes from me yesterday that was a catch up because I watch your vids on (RUclips on) TV and don't know how to hit "like" there. obviously I love your channel and (from 3 perspectives) shows! recently you've rated a lot of artists around the same time or soon after I've been picking up or gap-filling their catalogues (on vinyl, of course): eg The Jam, Def Leppard, The Stranglers, Be Bop Deluxe and X. so it's been really fun to compare your impressions with my own. I must be one of the few that can say Cocteau Twins were recommended to me by Ivo himself, when I brought a demo tape to 4AD in 1983. back home I was able to buy the import of Garlands one month before Head Over Heels was released. so it was a rapid one-two punch that really bowled me over at the time. as a guitarist of similar age to Guthrie I was duly impressed and could sense that he'd been listening to some of the same guitarists and music that also inspired me and my friends/bandmates. it was always an exciting event when a new Cocteau Twins release came out, and fun to follow their development. was lucky to see them live three times :)
The quintessential dream pop band. For most of the 80s, they made the most beautiful-sounding music that I’ve ever heard. 1. Treasure (5 stars; #6 album of the 80s) 2. Heaven or Las Vegas (5; #28 of the 90s) 3. Blue Bell Knoll (5; #26 of the 80s) 4. Head Over Heels (4.5; #84 of the 80s) 5. Victorialand (4.5; #107 of the 80s) 6. Four-Calendar Cafe (3.5) 7. Milk & Kisses (3) 8. Garlands (3) EPs (1982-1986) 1. Aikea-Guinea (5; #2 EP of the 80s) 2. Love’s Easy Tears (#6 of the 80s) 3. Tiny Dynamine (4.5) 4. Echoes in a Shallow Bay (4.5) 5. The Spangle Maker (4.5) 6. Sunburst and Snowblind (4) 7. Lullabies (3.5) 8. Peppermint Pig (3)
I love seeing you guys going back and reassessing the great music out there as some of you discover things like Cocteau Twins and Prefab Sprout, etc. Top 10 album lists of certain years go through an overhaul as we find out about more music we missed. Love seeing you guys finding gold! Saw them on their final tour in NYC. So glad I went!
Cocteau twins are in my top 3 artists of all time so 1. Blue Bell Knoll 2. Heaven or Las Vegas 3. Treasure 4. Head Over Heels 5. Victorialand 6. Milk and Kisses 7. Four Calender Cafe 8. Garlands
@@MiloDCThat's exactly how I would rank their albums, apart from Garlands, which I would rate at about 5th place in their albums. I just don't get how anyone could dislike not only Liz Frazer's voice but Kate Bush too. No way, that's sacrilege. The only thing I dislike about CT is the town they come from, Grangemouth. Not a place that holds happy memories for me, quite the opposite. Yes, I'm from Scotland.
Great artist pick, have really enjoyed diving in: Heaven or Las Vegas- 5 (10) Treasure- 4.5 (9.3) Head Over Heels- 4.5 (9) Victorialand- 4.5 (8.7) Blue Bell Knoll- 4 (8.2) Milk & Kisses- 4 (7.7) Four Calendar Cafe- 3.5 (7) Garlands- 3.5 (6.7)
One of the most sublime discographies seen in this channel. I wouldn't mind to see Head Over Heels, Heaven or Las Vegas, Tresaure, or Blue Bell Knoll at number 1. All of them are A ranking albums. Maybe the only record I just don't get from them is their debut. It's just so repetitive and raw, and all its guitar riffs are so plain and don't take you anywhere. The only promessing aspect of it it's Elizabeth Fraser vocals. Then, my personal #1 is probably Blue Bell Knoll. It's the first of their records to go in a more concrete and commercial sound, making the production brighter and the songs easier to catch the meaning. I believe that while in Heaven or Las Vegas they went full at it, here they found a connection between their ethereal projection in Victorialand and their most dream pop and shoegaze rhytms. Great video boys.
Very entertaining and exciting countdown, guys! I have been obsessed with this band ever since hearing "Pandora" one night in the late 90s. I can't recommend their compilation box set Lullabies to Violaine high enough, as it features many of their best songs. I would rank their studio albums like this: 1. Four Calendar Cafe 2. Milk and Kisses 3. Heaven or Las Vegas 4. Treasure 5. Head Over Heels 6. Victorialand 7. Blue Bell Knoll 8. Garlands
One of my all time favourite bands, so thanks for sharing your impressions. If it's not too much to ask: have you ever considered creating content for a Wire week?
I've been into Cocteau Twins to some degree since learning about them in the mid 00s. I've really gotten more into them in the last few years though. Heaven or Las Vegas has grown considerably for me in the last couple years, before that I probably would have put Treasure at the top. I was not surprised that Jason was not into them, I expected that. But happy to see that he appreciated Heaven or Las Vegas. I am pleasantly surprised by Joe and happy to see that he enjoyed Heaven or Las Vegas so much! And I definitely wasn't expecting Kramzer's #3. Here's my ranking of the albums: 8. Garlands - 3 (6.5) 7. Four-Calendar Cafe - 3.5 (7.0) 6. Milk & Kisses - 3.5 (7.2) 5. Victorialand - 3.5 (7.3) 4. Head Over Heels - 4 (8.0) 3. Blue Bell Knoll - 4.5 (8.9) 2. Treasure - 4.5 (9.2) 1. Heaven or Las Vegas - 5 (9.7) (I did listen to the collab album The Moon and the Melodies which I gave 3.5 (6.9) and it would fall second from the bottom.)
Some of their best work is in the EPs. They have 2 EPs they released on the same day that have been packaged together on a single CD in the past, Tiny Dynamine and Echoes in a Shallow Bay. Oh and they have a song called Orange Appled on an EP.
When a Goth dies and goes to Heaven, when entering through the Pearly Gates they will do so accompanied by the music from Treasure. I am fully acquainted with 7 of their albums and rate them as follows: 7 Garlands 2 6 Victorialand 3 5 Four Calander Cafe 3 4 Blue Bell Knoll 3.5 3 Head Over Heels 4 2 Heaven or Las Vegas 4 1 Treasure 4.5
Anemoia (noun) ... "to experience nostalgia for a time you have never known, for example, old photographs or sounds that correspond to a time other than the one in which you were born, grew up, and lived". The Cocteau (Cock-toe, by the way) Twins evoke this magical feeling on their utterly sublime third album *Treasure*. To me, the archaic forenames in the title of every song, Guthrie's breathtaking soundscapes and Liz Fraser's otherworldly, eccentric delivery evokes a gothic, ghostly Victoriana that is perfectly realised. Fantastic reviews (even Jason's!) of this unique, pioneering catalogue.
"Treasure" has been my favorite Cocteau Twins album I've heard to date. After the very enthusiastic reviews of what you guys gave to "Heaven or Las Vegas", however, I will be making a beeline to check out this one out.
Heaven or Las Vegas, Blue Bell Knoll and Treasure are 3 almost perfect albums. Cocteau Twins’ sound was both ahead of its time and very of the time if that makes sense. My tastes often align with Jason’s but in this instance he is completely out to lunch. I am a sucker for that early, dark, gothic sound as well (I guess I love both their dreampop and nightmarepop eras) and the comp “the Pink Opaque” is fantastic and was my introduction to the band many years ago. I probably pull it out of the stack more than any of the other albums these days.
LPs RANKED: 1. Treasure (1984) 5/5 2. Heaven or Las Vegas (1990) 5/5 3. Blue Bell Knoll (1988) 4.5/5 4. Head Over Heels (1983) 4/5 5. Victorialand (1986) 4/5 6. The Moon and the Melodies (1986) 3.5/5 7. Four-Calendar Café (1993) 3.5/5 8. Milk & Kisses (1996) 3/5 9. Garlands (1982) 2.5/5 EPs RANKED: 1. Aikea-Guinea (1985) 4.5/5 2. Tiny Dynamine (1985) 4.5/5 3. Sunburst & Snowblind (1983) 4/5 4. Echoes in a Shallow Bay (1985) 4/5 5. Love's Easy Tears (1986) 4/5 6. The Spangle Maker (1984) 4/5 7. Peppermint Pig (1983) 3/5 8.Twinlights (1995) 3/5 9. Lullabies (1982) 2.5/5 10. Otherness (1995) 2.5/5 11. Snow (1993) 2.5/5 CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER: 2.5 Garlands (1982) 2.5 Lullabies [EP] (1982) 3.0 Peppermint Pig [EP] (1983) 4.0 Head Over Heels (1983) 4.0 Sunburst & Snowblind [EP] (1983) 4.0 The Spangle Maker [EP] (1984) 5.0 Treasure (1984) 4.5 Aikea-Guinea [EP] (1985) 4.5 Tiny Dynamine [EP] (1985) 4.0 Echoes in a Shallow Bay [EP] (1985) 4.0 Victorialand (1986) 4.0 Love's Easy Tears [EP] (1986) 3.5 The Moon and the Melodies (1986) 4.5 Blue Bell Knoll (1988) 5.0 Heaven or Las Vegas (1990) 3.5 Four-Calendar Café (1993) 2.5 Snow [EP] (1993) 3.0 Twinlights [EP] (1995) 2.5 Otherness [EP] (1995) 3.0 Milk & Kisses (1996) Centered around Robin Guthrie's shimmering guitar and Elizabeth Fraser's angelic voice, this Scottish outfit occupied a unique sonic niche through the 1980s and early 1990s. The Cocteau Twins' earliest recordings are "of their time"- they sound like Siouxsie & the Banshees- but they start coming into their own on the Peppermint Pig EP, where their music gets more complex (especially rhythmically.) The lush, ethereal sound they're famous for arrives in full on 1983's Head Over Heels. "Sugar Hiccup" presages their light side, "The Tinderbox" their dark. Released that same year, "Hitherto" (from the Sunburst & Snowblind EP) straight up gives me goosebumps. 1984's The Spangle Maker EP spawned their biggest U.K. hit, "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops." The Cocteaus' 3rd LP is indeed a Treasure: "Lorelei," "Pandora," and "Donimo" are bolts from the heavens (and some of the other tracks aren't that far behind.) Elizabeth Fraser's gibberish lyrics don't bother me, they just refocus my attention on the music, which is fine because the music is great. She's one of those rare singers who can convey emotion with only the sound of her voice. On the trio of EPs they released in 1985 (Aikea-Guinea, Tiny Dynamine, Echoes in a Shallow Bay) it seems like they relax a bit and the music flows even more effortlessly. Victorialand (LP, 1986) turns the "spacey" meter up to ten. The absence of bass and drums gives the album a slightly folksy feel. They go full ambient on their next LP, The Moon and the Melodies, a keys-laden collaboration with American composer Harold Budd. 1988's Blue Bell Knoll is where the label 'dream pop' becomes most apropos. It's some of the most beautiful music of their career, and a sleeper candidate for their best album. (The title track and "Cico Buff" are my favorites, but the whole thing is great.) The Cocteaus ushered in the 1990s with their first commercially successful album in the U.S.A., Heaven or Las Vegas. It employs denser intermentation and, while classified as dream pop, it kind of feels like an indie rock record to me. It's probably their most fully realized album for both lyrics and melody. Four-Calendar Cafe (LP, 1993) was recorded after Guthrie and Fraser ended their decade-long romantic relationship, so perhaps it's not surprising that album is the most subdued and conventional of their career. Things came to an end with the likeable but unremarkable Milk & Kisses (1996), after which Fraser quit the band. My own journey to Cocteau Twins started with my love for bands like My Bloody Valentine and Stereolab, and following that thread backwards. Like last week's artist, Echo & the Bunnymen, I consider Cocteau Twins to be one of the best groups of the 1980s and a serious candidate for my personal "top 100 artists" list. MY RATING SYSTEM: 5.0 = major classic (consistently great *and* stratospheric highs) 4.5 = minor classic (consistently great *or* stratospheric highs, but not both) 4.0 = great (a clear majority is worth revisiting and it's an essential record for this artist/style) 3.5 = seriously good (at least half is worth revisiting) 3.0 = nominally good (less than half is worth revisiting) 2.5 = decent (competent but uninspired - not worth revisiting) 2.0 = poor (difficult listen) 1.5 = awful (can't finish it) 1.0 = historically awful (musical apocalypse) ▪︎"Consistently" does not mean "flawlessly." I allow for a few duds if the rest of the songs are good enough. "Stratospheric highs" refer to albums that either feature iconic songs or have a highly influential sound. (Albums I consider to be "perfect" can also reach 5 stars, even without containing iconic songs or being highly influential.) ▪︎I don't go below 1 star because once I'm in the realm of the truly terrible I don't care to differentiate anymore. ▪︎Anything I rate 3.5 stars or higher is an album I'm enthusiastic about and would likely revisit at some point.
@@zacharypopp3549 I contemplated giving it 3 stars but my ratings are based on how likely I am to revisit something. I'm not the world's biggest fan of Christmas music to begin with, and neither of the 2 Xmas songs on that EP are the definitive version, imo. Also, only 2 songs? That's barely even an EP. It's closer to a single
Try Shelleyan Orphan, they're in that C. Twins, Bjork, Kate Bush, Nick Drake style. *Blue Bell Knoll is my favourite, then Heaven or Las Vegas. + nice The Sundays reference.
I think Jason would honestly like This Mortal Coil more. Her vocal performances are more what he seems to want from her and the songs are very melodic. Their covers of Another Day and Song To The Siren are overwhelmingly beautiful.
really like your channels, good stuff. Ive increased my list of music to check out because of you guts...good job. dont know why you dont do a Dead Can Dance ranking systems.
I'm in the minority who has Garlands at the very top. I acknowledge it's not their finest work but it's the album I enjoy the most. Perhaps the nostalgic feeling it instills has something to do with that. Thanks gentlemen.
Ok, Joe, you picked the wrong album, but cheers to you for getting to five stars. Good job, buddy. Your commentaries on Treasure were pretty good as well.
Tough to rank The Cocteau's because many of their best tracks are on EP's from 1983 -1986. So .. # 9 Garlands # 8 Victorialand # 7 Four Calendar Cafe # 6 Milk & Kisses # 5 The Moon & The Melodies # 4 Blue Bell Knoll # 3 Heaven Or Las Vegas # 2 Head Over Heels & # 1 Treasure .. Definitely check out This Mortal Coil .. It'll End In Tears is amazing Liz singing Tim Buckleys Song To The Siren is otherworldly. They were amazing ! ✌️
Enjoyable vid, took me three hours to get through it because I kept pulling up songs on another browser window. I'll admit I didn't know that much about CT. My wife was a decent-size fan. They remind me a little of Mr. Gnome.
1. Treasure, 2. Heaven, 3. Blue. I was in college ‘86 - ‘90 so was listening to them when they were at their peak. Even though you guys are younger and were not listening when this was current, I think you get it - your top 3. One of my fave bands from the period and still today. I still recall the excitement the day Blue came out - got it at the college record store , and on vinyl even though it was 88 and cds ruled. Still have it today.
Very fun discography! Heaven or Las Vegas - 5 Treasure - 4.5 Blue Bell - 4 Head Over Heels - 4 Cafe - 4 Milk & Kisses - 3.5 Garlands - 3.5 Victorialand - 3
I saw them from the front row of the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis around 1990. They deployed so much dry ice fog that my friends and I were completely engulfed. I couldn't see a thing and it was perfect.
How timely, I'm just discovering Cocteau Twins myself! Found myself diving into their discography thinking Song To Siren was one of theirs (turns out that was by This Mortal Coil) but got completely hooked on the Heaven and Las Vagas album, which has been on a bit of a loop recently and I've not ventured much further than that, so very much looking forward to seeing your views on their other albums.
This Mortal Coil was pretty much a "collective" of 4AD artists collaborating with each other. There were some regular performers, but for the most part, you would get a guest spot from CT or Dead Can Dance.
Treasure all the way. A revelation when I first heard it way back when and it still sounds amazing today 30+ years later. Unfortunately, any review of the Cocteau Twins’ output without discussing the EPs is a trick missed in my book.
08) Head Over Heels (1983) 4/5 07) Milk and Kisses (1996) 4.25/5 06) Four-Calander Café (1993) 4.25/5 05) Blue Bell Knoll (1988) 4.5/5 04) Victorialand (1986) 4.5/5 03) Garlands (1982) 4.5/5 02) Heaven or Las Vegas (1990) 5/5 01) Treasure (1984) 5/5 Ratings Scale: 0 stars - irredeemably terrible/insultingly bad/the worst .5 stars - terrible 1 star - bad 1.5 stars - pretty bad 2 stars - fair 2.5 stars - meh 2.75 stars - "It's OK, but quit playing it." 3 stars - OK/decent 3.25 stars - pretty good 3.5 stars - good 4 stars - very good 4.5 stars - excellent 5 stars - ??? Chronological Order: 1982 - 4.50 - Garlands 1983 - 4.00 - Head Over Heels 1984 - 5.00 - Treasure 1986 - 4.50 - Victorialand 1988 - 4.50 - Blue Bell Knoll 1990 - 5.00 - Heaven or Las Vegas 1993 - 4.25 - Four-Calander Café 1996 - 4.25 - Milk and Kisses Notes: * I'm not sure what got me into Cocteau Twins, but I was 15 or 16 when I picked up my first album on cassette, The Pink Opaque (an incredibly fantastic compilation from 1986). It could be that I was just attracted to the cover (they have great album covers). * Cocteau Twins created some of the most atmospheric, otherworldly music ever. Worlds you can almost step into. Elizabeth Frazer's vocals are a big part of that - strange, beautiful, and amazingly acrobatic. * If you ever get a chance to listen to Cocteau Twins on MDMA, I highly recommend it. It's like they were made for each other. * A lot of their best music is found on EPs and singles. * Garlands has the classic Cocteau Twins sound with heavily reverbed guitars, except it's darker. The guitars are more scary than beautiful. Some people call it Post-Punk or Goth music, and I'd say that's reasonable. * Head Over Heels is a transitional album. Some of the songs retain a Gothic edge while other avenues are explored. "Multifoiled" has some piano and sounds a little like lounge jazz. "Sugar Hiccup" is the first instance of their pioneering Dream Pop sound. Unfortunately, I HATE hiccups and thought a "sugar hiccup" sounded horrible. It's a great song, but I've never been able to enjoy it. Yes, I'm weird. * For me, Treasure is their masterpiece. It's alternately dreamy, playful and edgy. Always incredibly gorgeous. "Lorelei" is so good it gets me high without the drugs. "Otterley" is drumless, full of whispers. It's like actually being in a dream state. Then "Donimo" comes in to close out the album, lovely and majestic, and then when the full force of the music surges forward it's such a rush. * Victorialand is another gorgeous album, more Ambient with a lot less percussion. * Blue Bell Knoll is one I listened to a lot when it came out. Liz's twisty vocal gyrations are just sick on this one. Some of her vocals are slightly less appealing to me, but they're always impressive. Such a great album. * Heaven or Las Vegas is maybe a bit more accessible without sacrificing any of their creativity. Lots of people put this one at the top but not me. It is truly wonderful though. * Four-Calander Café is a nice, mostly laid-back Dream Pop album. It's got some acoustic guitar on it. This is probably Fraser's most conventional, least acrobatic singing. Still gorgeous though. * Milk and Kisses is their final album, gorgeous as usual, although the songs are not too memorable for me. I just recently heard it for the first time though, so perhaps they could become more memorable with further listens. There's some more acoustic guitar and Liz sounds like an opera singer on "Seekers Who Are Lovers." * Cocteau Twins never made a bad song. Not one that I heard. A small few might go down to 3 stars, but none are lower than that. Most are excellent. * Cheers mates!!!!!!!!!!
Victoria Land is one of there best, because even with a man down, they still produced an amazing, breathtakingly achingly beautiful, ambient soundscape! No Cocteau Twins 10/10 all the way, they earned it!!! .
Great video guys! My overall ranking of Cocteau Twins albums: 8: Garlands (2.5) 7: Four-Calendar Cafe (3) 6: Milk & Kisses (3) 5: Treasure (3.5) 4: Victorialand (3.5) 3: Blue Bell Knoll (4) 2: Head Over Heels (4.5) 1: Heaven or Las Vegas (5)
Good to see several variations of ranking favourites. It's personal choice, but each one is class. For what its worth, here is my own. 1. Heaven or Las Vegas 2. Bluebell Knoll 3. Victorialand 4. Head Over Heels 5. Treasure 6. Milk and Kisses 7. Four-calendar Cafe 8. Garlands
@@Maanebaronen Aikea-Guinea is my preferred. I would echo the people who say that skipping their EPs means you're missing out on a big chunk of what makes the Cocteaus great.
Treasure has been a top album for me for 35 years to the point that I almost can't hear any song out of context of the album as a whole. I really would like to know where Pink Opaque would fall on your lists though. It has some of their best stuff on it I think. As always, love your opinions.
I got into this band with "Sugar Hiccup" which was on the Post Punk Chronicles compilation. After going through their discography, still my favorite. This band is alright. There is something impenetrable about their music. The band manages to keep me at arms length at all times.
nice to see Treasure getting some love. that was the album that won me over. I remember someone once told me they used to skateboard to Cocteau Twins. I still have trouble picturing that.
@@davidellis5141 Right. Adrienne Barboo told me that. Or was it Boo Bridges? Imagine a Cockburn Worst to Best where all three of them got his name wrong every time. Actually, they probably wouldn't care...
Great timing, yesterday was Four Calendar Cafe’s birthday !! This is a top 5 band for me, I’m very excited to hear everyone’s thoughts. Here is my list, 1-3 are interchangeable. 1. Treasure 2. Heaven or Las Vegas 3. Head Over Heels (underrated) 4. Four Calendar Cafe (underrated) 5. Blue Bell Knoll 6. Victorialand 7. Garlands 8. Milk and Kisses
_FCC_ is indeed underrated. Disliked it at first, sounding dry & underproduced on introductory listen, but "Essence", "Evangeline", etc became career standouts.
Cocteau Twins are so awesome! One of my favorites, and Liz Fraser is a once in a millennium vocalist. 🖤❤️💜 Also, just the ending of this video, man.. Jason actually goes with most peoples’ number one, Joe is actually blown away by Heaven or Las Vegas, And Kramzer is actually going against the grain for once? This is the best fucking episode of this show, dude! 1. Heaven or Las Vegas (1990) = 5 stars [Everything that Joe said!!] 2. Treasure (1984) = 4.5 stars 3. Victorialand (1986) = 4 stars 4. Blue Bell Knoll (1988) = 4 stars 5. Head Over Heels (1983) = 3.5 stars 6. Garlands (1982) = 3 stars 7. Four-Calender Café (1993) = 2.5 stars 8. Milk and Kisses (1996) = 2.5 stars
I agree that this is probably the best album review episode ever on taste like music. Jason's the evil villain who hates fairies and Kram/Joe are the fairy music lovers.
1) Head Over Heels[1983] - 4 stars (great layered guitars and much more interesting vocals) 2) Heaven or Las Vegas[1990] - 4 stars 3) Four-Calendar Cafe[1993] - 4 stars (Pleasant but gets monotonous after a while. Better suited as background music) 4) Garlands[1982] - 3.5 stars (Hearing part of the origin of shoegaze I think) 5) Treasure[1984] - 3 stars (not a fan of the bells, synths and drum machine. Can't understand what she sings half the time) 6) Blue Bell Knoll[1988] - 3 stars (They are capable of so much more. Kate Bush minus the intelligible vocals) 7) Milk & Kisses[1996] - 2.5 stars (might be even less interesting than Enya.) 8) VictoriaLand[1986] - 2 stars (Ambient and uninteresting. If I had to label this album it would be Dullpop. Also why is she singing at the end of a long hallway?)
I have a pretty fond memory of listening to the track Heaven or Las Vegas while riding a train for the first time late at night. I need to check out everything beyond that record. I do love the track Rilkean Heart too
Cocteau Twins rankings 8 Milk and Kisses 3 * 7 Garlands 3* 6 Four-Calendar Cafe 3 * 5 Victorialand 3* 4 Head Over Heels 3 1/2* 3 Heavven or Las Vegas 4* 2 Blue Bell Knoll 41/2* NUMBER ONE - TREASURE 5*
Good one. I have to say I am impressed how Joe nailed it, considering he had never really listened to the band before. Heaven Or Las Vegas is indeed a 5 Star album, totally agree. I need to take another listen to Treasure as I haven't heard that one for a long time and I don't remember what I thought of it the last time I listened to it.
I prefer their later stuff when Elizabeth really discovered her vocal abilities 8 Garlands, 7 Head Over Heels, 6 Treasure 5 Four calendar cafe 4 Victorialand 3 Milk and Kisses 2 Blue Bell Knoll, 1 Heaven or Los Vegas. I had all my Cocteau twins Cds stolen and never bothered to replace Garlands or the moon and The Melodies. The Pink Opaque is a great compilation album with Millimillenary and Aikea Guinea standouts. Eperdu is probably my favourite Ct song.
1. Blue Bell Knoll (5 stars) 2. Heaven or Las Vegas (5 stars) 3. Victorialand (5 stars) 4. Treasure (4 stars) 5. The Moon and the Melodies (with Harold Budd) (4 stars) 6. Four-Calendar Café (3 stars) 7. Head Over Heels (3 stars) 8. Milk and Kisses (3 stars) 9. Garlands (2 stars)
Liz Fraser is such an amazing vocalist but I always find it weird when you hear her sing proper words! Her two performances on This Mortal Coil are the highlights on that album, Peter Gabriel’s Ovo has a couple from her, and she was even on the Lord of the Rings!
Before watching the video I’m gonna say a very unpopular statement , but I do love their Fontana era. “Four calendar café” is my #1 above “Heaven Or Las Vegas”. My bottom is “Garlands”. Let’s see…
Jason -"Victorialand drifts too far into New Age territory." Why "too far?" Why can't it be appreciated for being something different? It's a great chill out record to play when you're winding down for sleep.
@@TastesLikeMusic There's no rule that says you have to listen to New Age or Ambient music when you get a massage. You can listen to whatever you want! With me anyway. Whatever you want I'll bring up on my computer and play with my trusty Bose speaker.
To me personally Victorialand does not touch "new age" music to me. I'm flipping through my mental catalog and no other modern-day band that I've heard of has ever made something that sounds similar to Victorialand.
I did some research, and the first listography I ever watched, your Neil Young listography, which covered 43 albums (!), is only 1 minute longer than the Cocteau Twins' 8 records.. This is not a criticism or complaint! Quite the opposite. You've all gotten better at the reasoning for your placements. Whether I agree or not, it's always a blast to hear new takes.
I agree 100% with Ryan - Blue Bell Knoll is what I think of first when I think of this band. That said, I also agree with the others that Heaven or Las Vegas their most coherent and consistent album.
The 10 EPs ranked: 10) Otherness - 2.5 Just not into the electronic thing. 9) Peppermint Pig - 3 A nice movement toward something a little poppier. 8) Lullabies - 3 This and PP are a significant progression forward from Garlands. Like the first and third tracks a good bit. 7) Twinlights - 3.5 The acoustic versions of these tracks are arguably superior to the originals. 6) Sunburst and Snowblind 4 Love "Hitherto" and "From the Flagstones." Moodily gorgeous, and better than most of the tracks on Head over Heels. 5) Tiny Dynamine 4.5 Combined (as they were released shortly afterward), I rate this and the next one 5 stars. But they need each other. This one isn't as consistent as the other. "Pink Orange Red" is obviously the star of the show, but it's one of my greatest disappointments in the Cocteaux catalog, because they should have redone Liz's vocals. She's flat all the way through, and it turns a dazzling masterpiece into an uncanny earworm. Only misstep in her singing career, tbqh, regardless of what idiots named Jason may say. 4) Echoes on a Shallow Bay 4.5 As I said, much more consistent. The first three tracks are epic. 3) The Spangle Maker 4.5 Raymonde arrives and makes an immediate mark. "The Spangle Maker" is black pearl gothic majesty, and "Pearly Dewdrops' Drops" is a pop masterpiece. 2) Aikea-Guinea 5 The title track will rank very high for me on the songs video, and "Kookaburra" might make the top 10 too. 1) Love's Easy Tears 5 My second-favorite EP of all-time after chronic town. Three of the songs are pop masterworks, and the fourth is nice. Highly influenced by The Beach Boys.
Very cool discussion. Since you asked… 1 Heaven or Las Vegas (5) 2 Victorialand (5) 3 Blue Bell Knoll (5) 4 Milk and Kisses (4) 5 Treasure (4) 6 Four Calendar Cafe (3) 7 Head Over Heels (2) 8 Garlands (1) I think you guys might not have gotten it about Victorialand. It’s meant to be simple. For the EPs, I would recommend Love’s Easy Tears (5). The best song outro in their discography is on it-Those Eyes That Mouth.
@@TastesLikeMusic Alright Jason, you do realize that in Hell, Insane Clown Posse, Limp Bizkit, Smashmouth, and Air Supply are played at full volume through speakers strapped to your dome! There is no way in Hell you are going to Hell, people who spread the magic of great music, and have the balls to throw shade on popular artists who put out shite - their final elevator trip will be going UP! Dig you guys musings on M
@@TastesLikeMusic that last comment should finish with: dig your guys musings on music and look forward to saying hello at a Cocteau Twins concert, in God's backyard! Peace, brother, Treff
Love the band! My list is closer to Kramzer’s: 8. Four-Calendar Café 7. Victorialand 6. Milk & Kisses 5. Heaven or Las Vegas 4. Blue Bell Knoll 3. Garlands (criminally underrated debut) 2. Head Over Heels 1. Treasure I’m a sucker for their first three albums…
Love the Cocteau's, ❤️ I do feel that not including their EP's misses out on a significant element of their catalogue. Aikea-Guinea / Love's Easy Tears / Tiny Dynamine /Echoes In A Shallow Bay are all excellent and worth a listen. That said: 8. Garlands 2.5 7. Head Over Heels 3 6. Treasure 4 5. Four Calender Café 4.5 4. Milk and Kisses 4.5 3. Victorialand 5 2. Heaven or Las Vegas 5 1. Blue Bell Knoll 5 Thanks for the week guys!
When our alien overlords reveal their presence and intent to extinguish humanity because of our general depravity, somehow having them listen to Carolyn's Fingers may be our best chance to get them to cancel their plans.
I bought Treasure on release and played it more or less every day for weeks. I also played Head Over Heels to death and bought the EPS from that era. But then Victorialand came out and, agree with Kramzer, not exactly boring but just more of the same but far less interesting. I bought Heaven or Las Vegas which I liked but the magic had somehow been lost. As another comment says their finest hour is their cover of Song to the Siren as part of This Mortal Coil. Sublime. Saw them in 1983 as support for OMD at Hammersmith Odeon. Memorably weird😊
@@TastesLikeMusic 🤠 Love is such an abstract concept, Jason. But it does bring to mind a recommendation;. Study the concepts, history, and works of the Abstract art movement and think about how it relates to modern and postmodern music and lyrics.
Nice pick, Kramzer! One of my fave bands from the '90s. TREASURE is a gorgeous masterwork. If you like Fraser's voice, check out her backing vocals on "Primitive Painters" by the British band, Felt.
I've got a lot to say about this episode - it's pronounced "Cock-Toe" I believe - but I agree with Joe's final statement. Heaven or Las Vegas is often described as blissful dream pop but it really features so many tiny hooks in the interweaving vocal melodies and guitars that it's got far more dynamics than I ever thought before listening. Episode 4/5 (Jason's rigidity...bleech)
1. Heaven or Las Vegas (a masterpiece) 2. Blue Bell Knoll (also a masterpiece) 3. Head Over Heels (the first shoegaze album ever? I think probably) 4. Victorialand 5. The Moon and the Melodies (a collaborative album, but it sounds exactly like a Cocteau Twins record) 6. Treasure 7. Garlands All at least good records in my estimate! Haven't listened to their last two recently enough to rank them - I remember them being alright.
"I don't like my female singers to sound like fairies." Why the hell not? Sounds heavenly to me. Sounding like an angelic fairy is a good thing.
How can you hate on fairies? Might as well just kick a puppy. Heh-heh.
🧚♀️ bring you 💵 when you lose a tooth !!
He must hate Innocence Mission then.
🤠 Somewhere out there, Marc Bolan sheds a single elfin tear.
Bad day to be a Cranes fan.
'Blue bell knoll' is their masterpiece for me, I totally agree with Ryan here. 'Blue Bell Knoll", "Heaven or Las Vegas" and "Four-calendar cafe" are a fantastic trio of albums and the best they ever sounded IMO but BBK is definitely the best of all of them.
Garlands is a stunning debut. It gives me the same feeling Seventeen Seconds by The Cure does. Really dark, smooth, gothic, but groovy atmospheric. I prefer HoLV of course but I wouldn't be offended if someone said Garlands was their favourite.
YES JOE! Thank you for calling out the ending of "I Wear Your Ring." That is my favorite moment in their entire discography it gives me chills everytime
I second that!
61 yr old fan of the Cocteau Twins here. Been listening to them since the very beginning in '82.
Strange hearing such young people dissing on Garlands frankly. It is nearly the ultimate fear & dread soundtrack ever recorded. ❤
No point in listing best or worst releases in my opinion. I will say Akea Guinea is my fav of their many songs over their career. Some exceptional recordings rarely mentioned are the BBC sessions & Dear Heart I always loved too.
If you want to get a great first compilation to introduce yourself to them, try the Pink Opaque. My favorite EP is the immaculate Loves Easy Tears, which is seamless beauty.
Their work with Harold Budd on Moon & the Melodies is perfect sleep/sex music.😂❤
Garlands is so underappreciated
This band and video automatically makes Kramzer Month the best ever. Hearing this band for the first time as a teenager was nothing short of revelatory; they rewired my brain as a music listener and a musician. Liz used her voice, and Robin his guitar, in ways I'd never considered before, expanding the possibilities of music. I still have my first CT cassette, warped from the thousands of replays it's had.
I'm equally chuffed to see tomorrow's Top-10 video.
19:32 FUN FACT : Liz provided backing vocals on the title track of Ian McCulloch's solo album, Candleland.
And Jason not liking this isn't a shock, but 1:05:20.... well, now.
10 to 1:
Milk
Calendar
Garlands
Moon & Melodies
Heels
Treasure
Knoll
Heaven
Victorialand
Echoes/Dynamine (2 EPs from the same recording session, so an album. I'll fight anyone on this)
And The Pink Opaque is one of the greatest compilations EVER. Perfect sequencing, front to back.
You have TMatM way too low. Otherwise, excellent list. TD/EoaSB would be 5th on my list if I had included it.
@@scottanthonyweidner8692 TM&M, on some days, is #1. That collaboration was fantastic, so you have a point.
I also think they should have included the Pink Opaque because it has some of their best songs. An important era to include.
Treasure is one of my favourite albums of all time. The one-two punch of Persephone-Pandora blows my mind.
Weirdly enough "Persephone" is one of my least favorite on Treasure, still pretty good though.
Garlands is the perfect album to put on while you're driving alone somewhere late at night.🧟♀ Its haunting, Gothic minimalism makes its stand out in the CT catalog. Not to mention, Will Heggie's bass lines are some of the sickest, most sinister grooves I've ever heard 😀
I heard Heaven or Las Vegas playing at Las Vegas airport while deathly hungover. Life affirming moment
Discovered your channel last February. Love the formula ! Three mates discussing their tastes subjectively. The viewer wants to either discover a discography and pick an album or confront his own tier list to yours. One can identify to Jason, Kramzer or Joe. Smart ! I'd love to see you guys consider the Opeth discography. A rich and thrilling one !
That was an fascinating hour! I’m so old, I saw them on the Heaven Or Las Vegas tour (I think).
In my musical world, Elizabeth Fraser sits at the head of the top table. When she is allowed to sing it sends shivers that no other singer has ever done. I love Victorialand because there is no depth, it’s just her incredible, beautiful voice.
My favourite song is Blue Bell Knoll, but Fraser’s two best performances aren’t on Cocteau Twins albums: Song To The Siren under the This Mortal Coil banner and Teardrop with Massive Attack.
Looking forward to the top 10 songs because there are a lot of singles and eps.
You think you're old?! I saw them in '84 on the Sunburst and Snowblind/Head Over Heels Tour! I honestly dreamt of marrying Liz Fraser
I absolutely love the trippy guitar effects on Garlands.
Despite growing up in the '90s and being obsessed with every shade of alternative between 1978 and 1994 I was always somehow too intimidated to invest in the Cocteau Twins. I loved the cover art and the whole aesthetic but they seemed kind of too cerebral and alien to me back in the day. This video has totally inspired me to re-investigate them in the streaming age, now that I have no financial penalty at stake (can you believe we used to spend £15 on an album?! Nope me neither). Treasure is tomorrow's commute album for sure... I'm going in boys...
Don't sleep on Four Calendar Cafe. No one seems to mention it but it's unusual for a Cocteau Twins album because most songs are in pretty normal English and some have a little country flavour. This works surprisingly well, Bluebeard is a cute and wonderfully catchy song. The thing with Cocteau Twins is for Alternative it's very soft and easy listening, trippy and ethereal. They provide sheer audio pleasure.
hey guys, if you noticed a lot of likes from me yesterday that was a catch up because I watch your vids on (RUclips on) TV and don't know how to hit "like" there. obviously I love your channel and (from 3 perspectives) shows! recently you've rated a lot of artists around the same time or soon after I've been picking up or gap-filling their catalogues (on vinyl, of course): eg The Jam, Def Leppard, The Stranglers, Be Bop Deluxe and X. so it's been really fun to compare your impressions with my own.
I must be one of the few that can say Cocteau Twins were recommended to me by Ivo himself, when I brought a demo tape to 4AD in 1983. back home I was able to buy the import of Garlands one month before Head Over Heels was released. so it was a rapid one-two punch that really bowled me over at the time. as a guitarist of similar age to Guthrie I was duly impressed and could sense that he'd been listening to some of the same guitarists and music that also inspired me and my friends/bandmates. it was always an exciting event when a new Cocteau Twins release came out, and fun to follow their development. was lucky to see them live three times :)
The quintessential dream pop band. For most of the 80s, they made the most beautiful-sounding music that I’ve ever heard.
1. Treasure (5 stars; #6 album of the 80s)
2. Heaven or Las Vegas (5; #28 of the 90s)
3. Blue Bell Knoll (5; #26 of the 80s)
4. Head Over Heels (4.5; #84 of the 80s)
5. Victorialand (4.5; #107 of the 80s)
6. Four-Calendar Cafe (3.5)
7. Milk & Kisses (3)
8. Garlands (3)
EPs (1982-1986)
1. Aikea-Guinea (5; #2 EP of the 80s)
2. Love’s Easy Tears (#6 of the 80s)
3. Tiny Dynamine (4.5)
4. Echoes in a Shallow Bay (4.5)
5. The Spangle Maker (4.5)
6. Sunburst and Snowblind (4)
7. Lullabies (3.5)
8. Peppermint Pig (3)
Good to see someone else went through the trouble of ranking their EPs. Nice job.
I love seeing you guys going back and reassessing the great music out there as some of you discover things like Cocteau Twins and Prefab Sprout, etc. Top 10 album lists of certain years go through an overhaul as we find out about more music we missed. Love seeing you guys finding gold! Saw them on their final tour in NYC. So glad I went!
Cocteau twins are in my top 3 artists of all time so
1. Blue Bell Knoll
2. Heaven or Las Vegas
3. Treasure
4. Head Over Heels
5. Victorialand
6. Milk and Kisses
7. Four Calender Cafe
8. Garlands
🤠 The problem I have with Blue Bell Knoll is that each and every one of those songs don't just go on forever. ♥️
The only correct ranking.
@@MiloDCThat's exactly how I would rank their albums, apart from Garlands, which I would rate at about 5th place in their albums. I just don't get how anyone could dislike not only Liz Frazer's voice but Kate Bush too. No way, that's sacrilege. The only thing I dislike about CT is the town they come from, Grangemouth. Not a place that holds happy memories for me, quite the opposite. Yes, I'm from Scotland.
Great artist pick, have really enjoyed diving in:
Heaven or Las Vegas- 5 (10)
Treasure- 4.5 (9.3)
Head Over Heels- 4.5 (9)
Victorialand- 4.5 (8.7)
Blue Bell Knoll- 4 (8.2)
Milk & Kisses- 4 (7.7)
Four Calendar Cafe- 3.5 (7)
Garlands- 3.5 (6.7)
One of the most sublime discographies seen in this channel. I wouldn't mind to see Head Over Heels, Heaven or Las Vegas, Tresaure, or Blue Bell Knoll at number 1. All of them are A ranking albums. Maybe the only record I just don't get from them is their debut. It's just so repetitive and raw, and all its guitar riffs are so plain and don't take you anywhere. The only promessing aspect of it it's Elizabeth Fraser vocals. Then, my personal #1 is probably Blue Bell Knoll. It's the first of their records to go in a more concrete and commercial sound, making the production brighter and the songs easier to catch the meaning. I believe that while in Heaven or Las Vegas they went full at it, here they found a connection between their ethereal projection in Victorialand and their most dream pop and shoegaze rhytms. Great video boys.
Very entertaining and exciting countdown, guys! I have been obsessed with this band ever since hearing "Pandora" one night in the late 90s. I can't recommend their compilation box set Lullabies to Violaine high enough, as it features many of their best songs. I would rank their studio albums like this:
1. Four Calendar Cafe
2. Milk and Kisses
3. Heaven or Las Vegas
4. Treasure
5. Head Over Heels
6. Victorialand
7. Blue Bell Knoll
8. Garlands
One of my all time favourite bands, so thanks for sharing your impressions.
If it's not too much to ask: have you ever considered creating content for a Wire week?
Yes but it could be a while until we get to them.
I've been into Cocteau Twins to some degree since learning about them in the mid 00s. I've really gotten more into them in the last few years though. Heaven or Las Vegas has grown considerably for me in the last couple years, before that I probably would have put Treasure at the top.
I was not surprised that Jason was not into them, I expected that. But happy to see that he appreciated Heaven or Las Vegas. I am pleasantly surprised by Joe and happy to see that he enjoyed Heaven or Las Vegas so much! And I definitely wasn't expecting Kramzer's #3.
Here's my ranking of the albums:
8. Garlands - 3 (6.5)
7. Four-Calendar Cafe - 3.5 (7.0)
6. Milk & Kisses - 3.5 (7.2)
5. Victorialand - 3.5 (7.3)
4. Head Over Heels - 4 (8.0)
3. Blue Bell Knoll - 4.5 (8.9)
2. Treasure - 4.5 (9.2)
1. Heaven or Las Vegas - 5 (9.7)
(I did listen to the collab album The Moon and the Melodies which I gave 3.5 (6.9) and it would fall second from the bottom.)
Once again we are remarkably close to each other in our ratings. Nice work.
Excellent review. I really enjoyed this. Treasure and Blue Bell Knoll are my first and second favourites.
Fun fact: The cavernous snare sound on “Treasure” is a sample of John Bonham’s drumming on “When the Levee Breaks”
Some of their best work is in the EPs. They have 2 EPs they released on the same day that have been packaged together on a single CD in the past, Tiny Dynamine and Echoes in a Shallow Bay.
Oh and they have a song called Orange Appled on an EP.
Orange appled is on Lullabies v2 but it was originally released on Love's Easy Tears. Probably one of my favorite EP songs next to Pink Orange Red
When a Goth dies and goes to Heaven, when entering through the Pearly Gates they will do so accompanied by the music from Treasure.
I am fully acquainted with 7 of their albums and rate them as follows:
7 Garlands 2
6 Victorialand 3
5 Four Calander Cafe 3
4 Blue Bell Knoll 3.5
3 Head Over Heels 4
2 Heaven or Las Vegas 4
1 Treasure 4.5
Anemoia (noun) ... "to experience nostalgia for a time you have never known, for example, old photographs or sounds that correspond to a time other than the one in which you were born, grew up, and lived". The Cocteau (Cock-toe, by the way) Twins evoke this magical feeling on their utterly sublime third album *Treasure*. To me, the archaic forenames in the title of every song, Guthrie's breathtaking soundscapes and Liz Fraser's otherworldly, eccentric delivery evokes a gothic, ghostly Victoriana that is perfectly realised. Fantastic reviews (even Jason's!) of this unique, pioneering catalogue.
"Treasure" has been my favorite Cocteau Twins album I've heard to date. After the very enthusiastic reviews of what you guys gave to "Heaven or Las Vegas", however, I will be making a beeline to check out this one out.
Heaven or Las Vegas, Blue Bell Knoll and Treasure are 3 almost perfect albums. Cocteau Twins’ sound was both ahead of its time and very of the time if that makes sense. My tastes often align with Jason’s but in this instance he is completely out to lunch. I am a sucker for that early, dark, gothic sound as well (I guess I love both their dreampop and nightmarepop eras) and the comp “the Pink Opaque” is fantastic and was my introduction to the band many years ago. I probably pull it out of the stack more than any of the other albums these days.
LPs RANKED:
1. Treasure (1984) 5/5
2. Heaven or Las Vegas (1990) 5/5
3. Blue Bell Knoll (1988) 4.5/5
4. Head Over Heels (1983) 4/5
5. Victorialand (1986) 4/5
6. The Moon and the Melodies (1986) 3.5/5
7. Four-Calendar Café (1993) 3.5/5
8. Milk & Kisses (1996) 3/5
9. Garlands (1982) 2.5/5
EPs RANKED:
1. Aikea-Guinea (1985) 4.5/5
2. Tiny Dynamine (1985) 4.5/5
3. Sunburst & Snowblind (1983) 4/5
4. Echoes in a Shallow Bay (1985) 4/5
5. Love's Easy Tears (1986) 4/5
6. The Spangle Maker (1984) 4/5
7. Peppermint Pig (1983) 3/5
8.Twinlights (1995) 3/5
9. Lullabies (1982) 2.5/5
10. Otherness (1995) 2.5/5
11. Snow (1993) 2.5/5
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER:
2.5 Garlands (1982)
2.5 Lullabies [EP] (1982)
3.0 Peppermint Pig [EP] (1983)
4.0 Head Over Heels (1983)
4.0 Sunburst & Snowblind [EP] (1983)
4.0 The Spangle Maker [EP] (1984)
5.0 Treasure (1984)
4.5 Aikea-Guinea [EP] (1985)
4.5 Tiny Dynamine [EP] (1985)
4.0 Echoes in a Shallow Bay [EP] (1985)
4.0 Victorialand (1986)
4.0 Love's Easy Tears [EP] (1986)
3.5 The Moon and the Melodies (1986)
4.5 Blue Bell Knoll (1988)
5.0 Heaven or Las Vegas (1990)
3.5 Four-Calendar Café (1993)
2.5 Snow [EP] (1993)
3.0 Twinlights [EP] (1995)
2.5 Otherness [EP] (1995)
3.0 Milk & Kisses (1996)
Centered around Robin Guthrie's shimmering guitar and Elizabeth Fraser's angelic voice, this Scottish outfit occupied a unique sonic niche through the 1980s and early 1990s. The Cocteau Twins' earliest recordings are "of their time"- they sound like Siouxsie & the Banshees- but they start coming into their own on the Peppermint Pig EP, where their music gets more complex (especially rhythmically.) The lush, ethereal sound they're famous for arrives in full on 1983's Head Over Heels. "Sugar Hiccup" presages their light side, "The Tinderbox" their dark. Released that same year, "Hitherto" (from the Sunburst & Snowblind EP) straight up gives me goosebumps. 1984's The Spangle Maker EP spawned their biggest U.K. hit, "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops." The Cocteaus' 3rd LP is indeed a Treasure: "Lorelei," "Pandora," and "Donimo" are bolts from the heavens (and some of the other tracks aren't that far behind.) Elizabeth Fraser's gibberish lyrics don't bother me, they just refocus my attention on the music, which is fine because the music is great. She's one of those rare singers who can convey emotion with only the sound of her voice. On the trio of EPs they released in 1985 (Aikea-Guinea, Tiny Dynamine, Echoes in a Shallow Bay) it seems like they relax a bit and the music flows even more effortlessly. Victorialand (LP, 1986) turns the "spacey" meter up to ten. The absence of bass and drums gives the album a slightly folksy feel. They go full ambient on their next LP, The Moon and the Melodies, a keys-laden collaboration with American composer Harold Budd. 1988's Blue Bell Knoll is where the label 'dream pop' becomes most apropos. It's some of the most beautiful music of their career, and a sleeper candidate for their best album. (The title track and "Cico Buff" are my favorites, but the whole thing is great.) The Cocteaus ushered in the 1990s with their first commercially successful album in the U.S.A., Heaven or Las Vegas. It employs denser intermentation and, while classified as dream pop, it kind of feels like an indie rock record to me. It's probably their most fully realized album for both lyrics and melody. Four-Calendar Cafe (LP, 1993) was recorded after Guthrie and Fraser ended their decade-long romantic relationship, so perhaps it's not surprising that album is the most subdued and conventional of their career. Things came to an end with the likeable but unremarkable Milk & Kisses (1996), after which Fraser quit the band. My own journey to Cocteau Twins started with my love for bands like My Bloody Valentine and Stereolab, and following that thread backwards. Like last week's artist, Echo & the Bunnymen, I consider Cocteau Twins to be one of the best groups of the 1980s and a serious candidate for my personal "top 100 artists" list.
MY RATING SYSTEM:
5.0 = major classic (consistently great *and* stratospheric highs)
4.5 = minor classic (consistently great *or* stratospheric highs, but not both)
4.0 = great (a clear majority is worth revisiting and it's an essential record for this artist/style)
3.5 = seriously good (at least half is worth revisiting)
3.0 = nominally good (less than half is worth revisiting)
2.5 = decent (competent but uninspired - not worth revisiting)
2.0 = poor (difficult listen)
1.5 = awful (can't finish it)
1.0 = historically awful (musical apocalypse)
▪︎"Consistently" does not mean "flawlessly." I allow for a few duds if the rest of the songs are good enough. "Stratospheric highs" refer to albums that either feature iconic songs or have a highly influential sound. (Albums I consider to be "perfect" can also reach 5 stars, even without containing iconic songs or being highly influential.)
▪︎I don't go below 1 star because once I'm in the realm of the truly terrible I don't care to differentiate anymore.
▪︎Anything I rate 3.5 stars or higher is an album I'm enthusiastic about and would likely revisit at some point.
You're wrong about Snow, two of the greatest recordings of holiday songs ever
@@zacharypopp3549 I contemplated giving it 3 stars but my ratings are based on how likely I am to revisit something. I'm not the world's biggest fan of Christmas music to begin with, and neither of the 2 Xmas songs on that EP are the definitive version, imo. Also, only 2 songs? That's barely even an EP. It's closer to a single
I do not see Amelia getting enough attention in Treasure probably one of their best songs of all time
Try Shelleyan Orphan, they're in that C. Twins, Bjork, Kate Bush, Nick Drake style. *Blue Bell Knoll is my favourite, then Heaven or Las Vegas. + nice The Sundays reference.
I think Jason would honestly like This Mortal Coil more. Her vocal performances are more what he seems to want from her and the songs are very melodic. Their covers of Another Day and Song To The Siren are overwhelmingly beautiful.
really like your channels, good stuff. Ive increased my list of music to check out because of you guts...good job. dont know why you dont do a Dead Can Dance ranking systems.
Probably not one that’s going to be on the radar. A little obscure. Maybe someday. - Joe
I'm in the minority who has Garlands at the very top. I acknowledge it's not their finest work but it's the album I enjoy the most. Perhaps the nostalgic feeling it instills has something to do with that. Thanks gentlemen.
Ok, Joe, you picked the wrong album, but cheers to you for getting to five stars. Good job, buddy. Your commentaries on Treasure were pretty good as well.
Tough to rank The Cocteau's because many of their best tracks are on EP's from 1983 -1986. So .. # 9 Garlands # 8 Victorialand # 7 Four Calendar Cafe # 6 Milk & Kisses # 5 The Moon & The Melodies # 4 Blue Bell Knoll # 3 Heaven Or Las Vegas # 2 Head Over Heels & # 1 Treasure .. Definitely check out This Mortal Coil .. It'll End In Tears is amazing Liz singing Tim Buckleys Song To The Siren is otherworldly. They were amazing ! ✌️
Enjoyable vid, took me three hours to get through it because I kept pulling up songs on another browser window. I'll admit I didn't know that much about CT. My wife was a decent-size fan.
They remind me a little of Mr. Gnome.
1. Treasure, 2. Heaven, 3. Blue. I was in college ‘86 - ‘90 so was listening to them when they were at their peak. Even though you guys are younger and were not listening when this was current, I think you get it - your top 3. One of my fave bands from the period and still today. I still recall the excitement the day Blue came out - got it at the college record store , and on vinyl even though it was 88 and cds ruled. Still have it today.
1. Blue Bell Knoll - 4
2. Treasure - 4
3. Heaven or Las Vegas - 4
4. Victorialand - 4
5. Head Over Heels - 3.5
6. Milk & Kisses - 3.5
7. Garlands - 3.5
8. Four-Calendar Cafe - 3
Very fun discography!
Heaven or Las Vegas - 5
Treasure - 4.5
Blue Bell - 4
Head Over Heels - 4
Cafe - 4
Milk & Kisses - 3.5
Garlands - 3.5
Victorialand - 3
I saw them from the front row of the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis around 1990. They deployed so much dry ice fog that my friends and I were completely engulfed. I couldn't see a thing and it was perfect.
Joe redeems himself from a horrendous week last week providing some excellent commentary. Jason I’m not sure what he was listening to this week.
So buzzing for this, Cocteau twins are from a twin very near mines in Scotland and one of my favourite bands ever
I love when either of you discover albums you love by doing these discographies.
I don't think the Postpunk is missing from Treasure, there's just more emphasis on the beauty. It still sounds otherworldly and a bit Goth-y at times.
How timely, I'm just discovering Cocteau Twins myself!
Found myself diving into their discography thinking Song To Siren was one of theirs (turns out that was by This Mortal Coil) but got completely hooked on the Heaven and Las Vagas album, which has been on a bit of a loop recently and I've not ventured much further than that, so very much looking forward to seeing your views on their other albums.
Song to the Siren IS basically by them, the only performers on it are Liz and Robin.
This Mortal Coil was pretty much a "collective" of 4AD artists collaborating with each other. There were some regular performers, but for the most part, you would get a guest spot from CT or Dead Can Dance.
Kramzer always loves the debuts way too much...pretty rare for me that I find a band's debut to be a good showcase of what really makes them great
Treasure all the way. A revelation when I first heard it way back when and it still sounds amazing today 30+ years later.
Unfortunately, any review of the Cocteau Twins’ output without discussing the EPs is a trick missed in my book.
08) Head Over Heels (1983) 4/5
07) Milk and Kisses (1996) 4.25/5
06) Four-Calander Café (1993) 4.25/5
05) Blue Bell Knoll (1988) 4.5/5
04) Victorialand (1986) 4.5/5
03) Garlands (1982) 4.5/5
02) Heaven or Las Vegas (1990) 5/5
01) Treasure (1984) 5/5
Ratings Scale:
0 stars - irredeemably terrible/insultingly bad/the worst
.5 stars - terrible
1 star - bad
1.5 stars - pretty bad
2 stars - fair
2.5 stars - meh
2.75 stars - "It's OK, but quit playing it."
3 stars - OK/decent
3.25 stars - pretty good
3.5 stars - good
4 stars - very good
4.5 stars - excellent
5 stars - ???
Chronological Order:
1982 - 4.50 - Garlands
1983 - 4.00 - Head Over Heels
1984 - 5.00 - Treasure
1986 - 4.50 - Victorialand
1988 - 4.50 - Blue Bell Knoll
1990 - 5.00 - Heaven or Las Vegas
1993 - 4.25 - Four-Calander Café
1996 - 4.25 - Milk and Kisses
Notes:
* I'm not sure what got me into Cocteau Twins, but I was 15 or 16 when I picked up my first album on cassette, The Pink Opaque (an incredibly fantastic compilation from 1986). It could be that I was just attracted to the cover (they have great album covers).
* Cocteau Twins created some of the most atmospheric, otherworldly music ever. Worlds you can almost step into. Elizabeth Frazer's vocals are a big part of that - strange, beautiful, and amazingly acrobatic.
* If you ever get a chance to listen to Cocteau Twins on MDMA, I highly recommend it. It's like they were made for each other.
* A lot of their best music is found on EPs and singles.
* Garlands has the classic Cocteau Twins sound with heavily reverbed guitars, except it's darker. The guitars are more scary than beautiful. Some people call it Post-Punk or Goth music, and I'd say that's reasonable.
* Head Over Heels is a transitional album. Some of the songs retain a Gothic edge while other avenues are explored. "Multifoiled" has some piano and sounds a little like lounge jazz. "Sugar Hiccup" is the first instance of their pioneering Dream Pop sound. Unfortunately, I HATE hiccups and thought a "sugar hiccup" sounded horrible. It's a great song, but I've never been able to enjoy it. Yes, I'm weird.
* For me, Treasure is their masterpiece. It's alternately dreamy, playful and edgy. Always incredibly gorgeous. "Lorelei" is so good it gets me high without the drugs. "Otterley" is drumless, full of whispers. It's like actually being in a dream state. Then "Donimo" comes in to close out the album, lovely and majestic, and then when the full force of the music surges forward it's such a rush.
* Victorialand is another gorgeous album, more Ambient with a lot less percussion.
* Blue Bell Knoll is one I listened to a lot when it came out. Liz's twisty vocal gyrations are just sick on this one. Some of her vocals are slightly less appealing to me, but they're always impressive. Such a great album.
* Heaven or Las Vegas is maybe a bit more accessible without sacrificing any of their creativity. Lots of people put this one at the top but not me. It is truly wonderful though.
* Four-Calander Café is a nice, mostly laid-back Dream Pop album. It's got some acoustic guitar on it. This is probably Fraser's most conventional, least acrobatic singing. Still gorgeous though.
* Milk and Kisses is their final album, gorgeous as usual, although the songs are not too memorable for me. I just recently heard it for the first time though, so perhaps they could become more memorable with further listens. There's some more acoustic guitar and Liz sounds like an opera singer on "Seekers Who Are Lovers."
* Cocteau Twins never made a bad song. Not one that I heard. A small few might go down to 3 stars, but none are lower than that. Most are excellent.
* Cheers mates!!!!!!!!!!
Nice job, but no EPs! I'd love to see how you rank their EPs. A couple-three of them blow me away.
@@AbbeyRoadkill1 I used to have Tiny Dynamine on vinyl. Later I got the EP collections Vol.s 1 & 2. Would take a lot of work to rate and rank them.
Victoria Land is one of there best, because even with a man down, they still produced an amazing, breathtakingly achingly beautiful, ambient soundscape! No Cocteau Twins 10/10 all the way, they earned it!!! .
Great video guys! My overall ranking of Cocteau Twins albums:
8: Garlands (2.5)
7: Four-Calendar Cafe (3)
6: Milk & Kisses (3)
5: Treasure (3.5)
4: Victorialand (3.5)
3: Blue Bell Knoll (4)
2: Head Over Heels (4.5)
1: Heaven or Las Vegas (5)
Good to see several variations of ranking favourites. It's personal choice, but each one is class. For what its worth, here is my own.
1. Heaven or Las Vegas
2. Bluebell Knoll
3. Victorialand
4. Head Over Heels
5. Treasure
6. Milk and Kisses
7. Four-calendar Cafe
8. Garlands
Jason dude, Cocteau Twins sounds waaaay more interesting than Beach House.
Disagree, but even if you think that, the songs aren’t as good. Not even close. It will always come down to song quality.
My favorite Cocteau Twins album isn't even an actual album, but an EP = Love's Easy Tears
They have quite a few amazing EP’s. I love Tiny Dynamite.
@@Maanebaronen Aikea-Guinea is my preferred. I would echo the people who say that skipping their EPs means you're missing out on a big chunk of what makes the Cocteaus great.
@@Maanebaronen I used to think it was Tiny Dynamite too, but it's Tiny DynamiNe.
Love three of their albums, interested to hear more after this week.
Treasure has been a top album for me for 35 years to the point that I almost can't hear any song out of context of the album as a whole. I really would like to know where Pink Opaque would fall on your lists though. It has some of their best stuff on it I think. As always, love your opinions.
8. Milk & Kisses
7. Four-Calender Cafe
6. Garlands
5. Head Over Heels
4. Blue Bell Knoll
3. Treasure
2. Victorialand
1. Heaven or Las Vegas
I got into this band with "Sugar Hiccup" which was on the Post Punk Chronicles compilation. After going through their discography, still my favorite. This band is alright. There is something impenetrable about their music. The band manages to keep me at arms length at all times.
That's your own arm and you can use it to embrace them at any time.
nice to see Treasure getting some love. that was the album that won me over. I remember someone once told me they used to skateboard to Cocteau Twins. I still have trouble picturing that.
Definitely pronounced "Cock-Toe" as in the French poet and artist - Jean Cocteau
Yes. The "oo" is driving me nuts.
But Cockburn .. you don't say cock 😏 you say co .. I thought that was important to post.
@@davidellis5141 Right. Adrienne Barboo told me that. Or was it Boo Bridges?
Imagine a Cockburn Worst to Best where all three of them got his name wrong every time. Actually, they probably wouldn't care...
@@Ianmackable 😆
Great timing, yesterday was Four Calendar Cafe’s birthday !! This is a top 5 band for me, I’m very excited to hear everyone’s thoughts. Here is my list, 1-3 are interchangeable.
1. Treasure
2. Heaven or Las Vegas
3. Head Over Heels (underrated)
4. Four Calendar Cafe (underrated)
5. Blue Bell Knoll
6. Victorialand
7. Garlands
8. Milk and Kisses
_FCC_ is indeed underrated. Disliked it at first, sounding dry & underproduced on introductory listen, but "Essence", "Evangeline", etc became career standouts.
FCC is great, but most of their other material is that much better.
One of my favorite 80's/90's bands
Cocteau Twins are so awesome! One of my favorites, and Liz Fraser is a once in a millennium vocalist. 🖤❤️💜
Also, just the ending of this video, man..
Jason actually goes with most peoples’ number one,
Joe is actually blown away by Heaven or Las Vegas,
And Kramzer is actually going against the grain for once?
This is the best fucking episode of this show, dude!
1. Heaven or Las Vegas (1990) = 5 stars [Everything that Joe said!!]
2. Treasure (1984) = 4.5 stars
3. Victorialand (1986) = 4 stars
4. Blue Bell Knoll (1988) = 4 stars
5. Head Over Heels (1983) = 3.5 stars
6. Garlands (1982) = 3 stars
7. Four-Calender Café (1993) = 2.5 stars
8. Milk and Kisses (1996)
= 2.5 stars
great list.
I agree that this is probably the best album review episode ever on taste like music. Jason's the evil villain who hates fairies and Kram/Joe are the fairy music lovers.
1) Head Over Heels[1983] - 4 stars (great layered guitars and much more interesting vocals)
2) Heaven or Las Vegas[1990] - 4 stars
3) Four-Calendar Cafe[1993] - 4 stars (Pleasant but gets monotonous after a while. Better suited as background music)
4) Garlands[1982] - 3.5 stars (Hearing part of the origin of shoegaze I think)
5) Treasure[1984] - 3 stars (not a fan of the bells, synths and drum machine. Can't understand what she sings half the time)
6) Blue Bell Knoll[1988] - 3 stars (They are capable of so much more. Kate Bush minus the intelligible vocals)
7) Milk & Kisses[1996] - 2.5 stars (might be even less interesting than Enya.)
8) VictoriaLand[1986] - 2 stars (Ambient and uninteresting. If I had to label this album it would be Dullpop. Also why is she singing at the end of a long hallway?)
Dreamgaze - did you make that up?
@@179rich doh fixed. meant shoegaze although they eventually become dreampop later
I have a pretty fond memory of listening to the track Heaven or Las Vegas while riding a train for the first time late at night. I need to check out everything beyond that record. I do love the track Rilkean Heart too
Cocteau Twins rankings
8 Milk and Kisses 3 *
7 Garlands 3*
6 Four-Calendar Cafe 3 *
5 Victorialand 3*
4 Head Over Heels 3 1/2*
3 Heavven or Las Vegas 4*
2 Blue Bell Knoll 41/2*
NUMBER ONE - TREASURE 5*
If PUR doesn't appear in any of these guys' Top Ten Tracks, they can take a running jump.
Uhmmmmmmmmmm bye. - Joe
Good one. I have to say I am impressed how Joe nailed it, considering he had never really listened to the band before. Heaven Or Las Vegas is indeed a 5 Star album, totally agree. I need to take another listen to Treasure as I haven't heard that one for a long time and I don't remember what I thought of it the last time I listened to it.
Top *Cocteaus*
10. _Head Over Heels_ (1983)
9. _Blue Bell Knoll_ (1988)
8. _Garlands_ (1982)
7. _Heaven Or Las Vegas_ (1990)
6. _Milk & Kisses_ (1996)
5. _Four-Calendar Cafe_ (1993)
4. _The Moon & The Melodies_ (1986) [w/Harold Budd]
3. _Victorialand_ (1986)
2. _Treasure_ (1984)
1. _BBC Sessions_ (1982-1999) - all you need
This is… an interesting list. - Joe
Victorialand is so underrated. Probably my 3rd favorite after Heaven or Las Vegas and Treasure. Pure bliss to fall asleep to.
I prefer their later stuff when Elizabeth really discovered her vocal abilities 8 Garlands, 7 Head Over Heels, 6 Treasure 5 Four calendar cafe 4 Victorialand 3 Milk and Kisses 2 Blue Bell Knoll, 1 Heaven or Los Vegas. I had all my Cocteau twins Cds stolen and never bothered to replace Garlands or the moon and The Melodies. The Pink Opaque is a great compilation album with Millimillenary and Aikea Guinea standouts. Eperdu is probably my favourite Ct song.
1. Blue Bell Knoll (5 stars)
2. Heaven or Las Vegas (5 stars)
3. Victorialand (5 stars)
4. Treasure (4 stars)
5. The Moon and the Melodies (with Harold Budd) (4 stars)
6. Four-Calendar Café (3 stars)
7. Head Over Heels (3 stars)
8. Milk and Kisses (3 stars)
9. Garlands (2 stars)
8. Milk & Kisses (1996) 2.5/5
7. Garlands (1982) 2.5/5
6. Head Over Heels (1983) 3/5
5. Four-Calendar Café (1993) 3/5
4. Blue Bell Knoll (1988) 3.5/5
3. Treasure (1984) 4/5
2. Heaven Or Las Vegas (1990) 4.5/5
1. Victorialand (1986) 4.5/5
Lmao what
@@nawafalghamdi5894 I guess you are suprised by my #1 or what?
Liz Fraser is such an amazing vocalist but I always find it weird when you hear her sing proper words! Her two performances on This Mortal Coil are the highlights on that album, Peter Gabriel’s Ovo has a couple from her, and she was even on the Lord of the Rings!
For me, Song to the Siren is one of the greatest covers versions ever.
she was on "teardrop" by massive attack, incredibly subdued
Before watching the video I’m gonna say a very unpopular statement , but I do love their Fontana era. “Four calendar café” is my #1 above “Heaven Or Las Vegas”. My bottom is “Garlands”. Let’s see…
Jason -"Victorialand drifts too far into New Age territory." Why "too far?" Why can't it be appreciated for being something different? It's a great chill out record to play when you're winding down for sleep.
Unless I'm getting a Rich Latta rubdown, I have no interest in ever hearing New Age music.
@@TastesLikeMusic 😂
Yes! Love to listen to Victorialand while sleep, lol.
@@TastesLikeMusic There's no rule that says you have to listen to New Age or Ambient music when you get a massage. You can listen to whatever you want! With me anyway. Whatever you want I'll bring up on my computer and play with my trusty Bose speaker.
To me personally Victorialand does not touch "new age" music to me. I'm flipping through my mental catalog and no other modern-day band that I've heard of has ever made something that sounds similar to Victorialand.
I did some research, and the first listography I ever watched, your Neil Young listography, which covered 43 albums (!), is only 1 minute longer than the Cocteau Twins' 8 records.. This is not a criticism or complaint! Quite the opposite. You've all gotten better at the reasoning for your placements. Whether I agree or not, it's always a blast to hear new takes.
I agree 100% with Ryan - Blue Bell Knoll is what I think of first when I think of this band. That said, I also agree with the others that Heaven or Las Vegas their most coherent and consistent album.
The 10 EPs ranked:
10) Otherness - 2.5 Just not into the electronic thing.
9) Peppermint Pig - 3 A nice movement toward something a little poppier.
8) Lullabies - 3 This and PP are a significant progression forward from Garlands. Like the first and third tracks a good bit.
7) Twinlights - 3.5 The acoustic versions of these tracks are arguably superior to the originals.
6) Sunburst and Snowblind 4 Love "Hitherto" and "From the Flagstones." Moodily gorgeous, and better than most of the tracks on Head over Heels.
5) Tiny Dynamine 4.5 Combined (as they were released shortly afterward), I rate this and the next one 5 stars. But they need each other. This one isn't as consistent as the other. "Pink Orange Red" is obviously the star of the show, but it's one of my greatest disappointments in the Cocteaux catalog, because they should have redone Liz's vocals. She's flat all the way through, and it turns a dazzling masterpiece into an uncanny earworm. Only misstep in her singing career, tbqh, regardless of what idiots named Jason may say.
4) Echoes on a Shallow Bay 4.5 As I said, much more consistent. The first three tracks are epic.
3) The Spangle Maker 4.5 Raymonde arrives and makes an immediate mark. "The Spangle Maker" is black pearl gothic majesty, and "Pearly Dewdrops' Drops" is a pop masterpiece.
2) Aikea-Guinea 5 The title track will rank very high for me on the songs video, and "Kookaburra" might make the top 10 too.
1) Love's Easy Tears 5 My second-favorite EP of all-time after chronic town. Three of the songs are pop masterworks, and the fourth is nice. Highly influenced by The Beach Boys.
Otherness is great for a remix release, I don't understand why some CT fans are dissing it
Very cool discussion. Since you asked…
1 Heaven or Las Vegas (5)
2 Victorialand (5)
3 Blue Bell Knoll (5)
4 Milk and Kisses (4)
5 Treasure (4)
6 Four Calendar Cafe (3)
7 Head Over Heels (2)
8 Garlands (1)
I think you guys might not have gotten it about Victorialand. It’s meant to be simple.
For the EPs, I would recommend Love’s Easy Tears (5). The best song outro in their discography is on it-Those Eyes That Mouth.
Waterlillies-early 90’s. You might like them.
Cocteau Twins - Glorious Gorgeous Dreamy Otherworldly Hallucinogenic.....playing on a loop in Heaven🌌🌌🌌
Glad I’m going to hell then. -Jason
@@TastesLikeMusic Alright Jason, you do realize that in Hell, Insane Clown Posse, Limp Bizkit, Smashmouth, and Air Supply are played at full volume through speakers strapped to your dome! There is no way in Hell you are going to Hell, people who spread the magic of great music, and have the balls to throw shade on popular artists who put out shite - their final elevator trip will be going UP! Dig you guys musings on
M
@@TastesLikeMusic that last comment should finish with: dig your guys musings on music and look forward to saying hello at a Cocteau Twins concert, in God's backyard! Peace, brother, Treff
Love the band! My list is closer to Kramzer’s:
8. Four-Calendar Café
7. Victorialand
6. Milk & Kisses
5. Heaven or Las Vegas
4. Blue Bell Knoll
3. Garlands (criminally underrated debut)
2. Head Over Heels
1. Treasure
I’m a sucker for their first three albums…
There's no reason for FCC to be number 8 when Pur is on the track 💔
Love the Cocteau's, ❤️
I do feel that not including their EP's misses out on a significant element of their catalogue.
Aikea-Guinea / Love's Easy Tears / Tiny Dynamine /Echoes In A Shallow Bay
are all excellent and worth a listen.
That said:
8. Garlands 2.5
7. Head Over Heels 3
6. Treasure 4
5. Four Calender Café 4.5
4. Milk and Kisses 4.5
3. Victorialand 5
2. Heaven or Las Vegas 5
1. Blue Bell Knoll 5
Thanks for the week guys!
Agreed the EP's are excellent but rules is rules
At least Joe and I suffered, i mean listened, to the EPs. A few track may show up on the Top 10 lists. -Jason
@59:37 When Joe starts talking about the "Abba-esque" harmonies 🙌😂😂😂
When our alien overlords reveal their presence and intent to extinguish humanity because of our general depravity, somehow having them listen to Carolyn's Fingers may be our best chance to get them to cancel their plans.
I looove Garlands and Victorialand but glad you liked my other fave Heaven or Las Vegas
I bought Treasure on release and played it more or less every day for weeks. I also played Head Over Heels to death and bought the EPS from that era. But then Victorialand came out and, agree with Kramzer, not exactly boring but just more of the same but far less interesting. I bought Heaven or Las Vegas which I liked but the magic had somehow been lost. As another comment says their finest hour is their cover of Song to the Siren as part of This Mortal Coil. Sublime. Saw them in 1983 as support for OMD at Hammersmith Odeon. Memorably weird😊
🤠 Oh, Jason...Dear, dear Jason...
We can’t all love everything. And anyways, I got to 4 stars, so calm your cowboy hat.
@@TastesLikeMusic 🤠 Love is such an abstract concept, Jason. But it does bring to mind a recommendation;. Study the concepts, history, and works of the Abstract art movement and think about how it relates to modern and postmodern music and lyrics.
Another band I knew about, though missed in the 1980s. 👍
I gave you guys a shout out on Andy and Alex yesterday. Trying to spread the word. 🙂
High five!!!!!
Nice pick, Kramzer! One of my fave bands from the '90s. TREASURE is a gorgeous masterwork. If you like Fraser's voice, check out her backing vocals on "Primitive Painters" by the British band, Felt.
12:53-I respect Jason's opinions but thanks guys for roasting him here.
The same insult Kram uses every time I don't like something??? I'd hardly call that a roast. -Jason
Jason: how many times have you listen to Garlands, it's absolute classic
08 Garlands 3
07 Four-Calander Cafe. 3.5
06 Milk & Kisses. 4
05 Treasure. 4
04 Blue Bell Knoll. 4.5
03 Head Over Heels 4.5
02 Victorialand 5
01 Heaven Or Las Vegas 5
Love seeing Victorialand near to the top. Great list!
@@RostyslavLogachov Thanks! I was tempted to put it on the top spot. Love that album!
It's always such a joy to see Joe overcome a blindspot and fall in love!
I've got a lot to say about this episode - it's pronounced "Cock-Toe" I believe - but I agree with Joe's final statement. Heaven or Las Vegas is often described as blissful dream pop but it really features so many tiny hooks in the interweaving vocal melodies and guitars that it's got far more dynamics than I ever thought before listening.
Episode 4/5 (Jason's rigidity...bleech)
If she can make up words, I can pronounce the band name however I see fit. -Jason
@@TastesLikeMusicWell played. Well played.
@@TastesLikeMusic No, no you can't. Or else I can call you Fuckson.
1. Heaven or Las Vegas (a masterpiece)
2. Blue Bell Knoll (also a masterpiece)
3. Head Over Heels (the first shoegaze album ever? I think probably)
4. Victorialand
5. The Moon and the Melodies (a collaborative album, but it sounds exactly like a Cocteau Twins record)
6. Treasure
7. Garlands
All at least good records in my estimate! Haven't listened to their last two recently enough to rank them - I remember them being alright.
You can rank EPs for side 3 or do a bonus video.
Great stuff lad's.