Cocteau Twins

Cocteau Twins is a pop group Scottish, tendency New wave.

This Scottish group appeared at the beginning of the Années 1980 durably marked the British pop music, with this mixture of melancholy, fairyhood and lightness. One spoke besides, in this connection, of dreampop , rather vague term which indicates a whole fringe of the rock'n'roll independent of the Années 1980 especially (but also the Années 1990), sung by women with the éthérée voice: it is thus in all logic that Elizabeth Fraser (one says sometimes Liz Fraser), singer of Cocteau Twins, is regarded as a model of the genre. Its voice very easily identifiable (made famous for its Massive collaboration with Attack, on three pieces of the album Mezzanine , in 1998, and in particular “Teardrop”), impression which accentuate the “invented words” (it would rather be necessary to speak about singing exercises) of the songs of Cocteau Twins. The English critic rock'n'roll (not very inclined to however pour in the easy compliment) called Liz Fraser “The Voice off God”.

During the Years 1980, Cocteau Twins constituted one of the spearheads (with other groups, such Dead Can Dance, This Mortal Coil, Pixies or Throwing Muses) of the English independent label 4AD, one of most influential of the time.

Between 1982 and 1996, the group left ten albums, unequal, especially towards the end, as well as about fifteen EP (or maxis 45 turns), containing most of the time new pieces on albums.

In addition to Garlands (1982, first album marked enough by sonorities of the time and which is not without evoking Siouxsie and the Banshees) and Head Over Heels (1983, first signs of what will make the very personal sound of Cocteau Twins), Treasure (1984), genuine proclamation of the group, at the same time pop and Gothic, followed Victorialand (1986) and The Moon and the Melodies (1986, in collaboration with the pianist Californian Ambient Harold Budd). One can also quote Blue Bell Knoll (1988) and Heaven gold Las Vegas (1990), more accessible, undoubtedly, than their predecessors.

After Heaven gold Las Vegas , Cocteau Twins leave the label 4AD to sign on a major (a large label, with broader diffusion). They will leave two albums ( Furnace-Calendar Coffee , in 1993, and Milk and Kisses , in 1996).

Among the outstanding EP, Sunburst and Snowblind (1983), The Spangle Maker (1984), Aikea-Guinea (1985), Tiny Dynamine (1985) or Echoes in has Shallow Bay (1985) are to be announced.

Several compilations exist, most recent being Stars and Topsoils (2001).

The members of the group also took part in various collaborations, simultaneously with the career of Cocteau Twins, in particular the collective project This Mortal Coil.

Discography

Albums

EP (Maxis 45 turns)

  • Lullabies To Violaine (Individual and Extended Plays 82-96) (2005) This box of 4 CDs limited to 10.000 specimens appears on November 21st, 2005 at the time of the 25 years of the label 4AD and gathers the entirety of the EP.

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