Description

After the ambience that was ‘Four Calenda Café’, I decided that a return to the form that I cut my teeth on was long overdue. Not quite ready for the embryonic sound that ‘Garlands’ promised, I spotted a fairly cheap, second-hand copy of this mid-80’s compilation. Meant primarily for the American market, it offered potted history to the Cocteaux to mark their signing an American distribution deal.The main attraction of this release is the inclusion of the track ‘Millimillenary’, which is/was unavailable on CD/vinyl elsewhere. Although not my reason, itmore… is an interesting track. Not quite ‘Treasure’, but a progression from ‘Head over Heels’ nonetheless. My driver was the chance of purchasing tracks from difficult-to-obtain EP’s on one disc.‘The Spangle Maker’ is an absolute corker of a track (good opener, too) that slowly pulls you in, then shakes you senseless for the last 45 seconds or so. Call it wall of sound. Call it whatever. It’s a definite ‘upper reaches of the pile’ in terms of their back catalogue.The two tracks from ‘Sunburst & Snowblind’ (Hitherto & From the Flagstones) were just as I remembered them. Again, not quite ’84-’85, but you sense that they were very close to hitting the sound they were after. The former is a 3/4 piece that they do so well. The latter has definite echoes (in the guitars & piano) of the gold standard ‘Aikea-Guinea, which it cleverly precedes on this release.‘Pearly Dewdrops’-Drops’ is much more as I remember it from my 12” vinyl copy (in sound quality & mix, although sadly not the full 12” version here). Interestingly the vocal seems to be much more prominent compared to the re-mastered version. Talking of which.My all-time favourite ‘Aikea-Guinea’ also sounds completely different, in terms of vocals and guitars. It’s much more pizzicato than pulsing, and you can hear Liz’s vocals much more. Still can’t make out what she’s singing, but then I never could on this song (or many others, come to think of it). It just sounds different. I’ve known and loved this track for long enough to know.‘Wax and Wane’ is another track from an era that I’ve never explored, either in the 80’s or now. Still, it is pretty good. Very Siouxsie-esque (and I know they always hated the comparison!) But it does.Other tracks include ‘Musette & Drums’ which always has a chaotic appeal, and ‘Lorelei’ – oft cited as a favourite from ‘Treasure’. ‘Pepper Tree’ from ‘The Spangle Maker’ e.p. is also present – and a track I could not recall for the life of me. Until I heard it, of course. Another 3/4 track, but quite unique in it’s own way.All in all, a worthwhile purchase for the enthusiast.

Tracks

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Info:

Category:

Music > Albums

Case Type:

CD

Release Type:

Retail

Comments:

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Cover Info:

Title:

Cocteau Twins - Pink Opaque (1986) Retail CD

Part:

Front

Dimensions:

809 x 800 px

Size:

92 KB

Downloads:

640 (0 today)

Uploaded:

Report a Problem Wrong Cover Duplicate Image Bad Quality Wrong Info

10/04/07 by allcdcovers

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