Cocteau Twins "Heaven Or Las Vegas" (1990)

After a discovery hiatus and with a new year ushered in, I felt it was time to return to the Cocteau Twins. This next destination being the one other record of theirs I knew alongside Treasure. Heaven Or Las Vegas is the trio's commercial peak and a record of notoriety among "albums to hear before you die" lists and whatnot. Rearranging the various aspects of their sound, the group hit a stride and roll with it through ten fantastic songs that revel in the Dream Pop realm they helped to pioneer.

Opening with Cherry-Coloured Funk, the temperament and pace is swiftly set as each song moves with this steady shuffling drive, as lavish, pedal effect drenched guitars drone in a wash of color and delays. Its the defining aesthetic of each track which hinges on simple, straightforward song structures. Each one plays out presenting its main idea and upfront with a few variations woven in. With Guthrie on a stride its a fine curation of ideas, resonating well with his fellow musicians who put icing on top.

Fraser pivots from her wordless performance style to sung lyrics which arrive with a magical cadence and distorting accent to throw one of the scent on occasions. The way she lays emphasis and elongates notes is charming yet often out of step with expectations, giving her words a cryptic dimension. Behind them, on every song, Simon Raymonde pumps away simple yet warm and cushioning bass lines, with an occasional tough of groove but mostly very simplistic and straightforward playing.

 

Brief moments of electronic synths can be heard too, often woven into the drum machine arrangements. They can sound bare and stiff on some tracks, bearing its mechanical nature with claps and snaps. Counter too that, it sounds completely organic on a handful of songs too. All in all its a beautiful aesthetic arrangement of Ethereal colors dazzling in the wash of dreamy guitars and singing that finds its charm swiftly and keeps you with them for the duration of the record without a blemish, bar a couple of drearier songs, however they bring their own rainy day magic too.

Rating: 8/10

My Top 10 Music Discoverys In 2021

 As mentioned in yesterdays Top 10 Albums Of 2021 post, I've been in a rut! There is however a rather nice list of artists here, even if the short list was just as small. Three of these are a regular features on my Twitch streams too! So on that front I'd say its a success. I have decided however to be far more fussy when it comes to listening to the same bands still pedaling out the same old music. Its time to give a little more focus on whats fresh and new! I say this often but this time I have a plan of action that starts with reduction.


(10) Secret Stairways

The exploration of Dungeon Synth continues to be an interesting one. Its roots before the online explosion of Bandcamp records a decade ago seems to have fans unearthing lost relics. These newly surfaced cassettes have us enjoying a deceased musicians work from a time before there was much of an audience to enjoy it. An interesting sentiment but the music is good too!

(9) Tetrarch

Initially I wrote this band off for its formulaic creation of era inspired Nu-Metal. A lack of originality doesn't necessarily mean bad music. It can be a tough thing to look past but with time passing from my initial assessment, I've found myself really enjoying this record and getting those nostalgic youthful chills too!

(8) Chevelle

Very much of the Tool inspired camp, the reference point has helped me find a way in! Its a new breed of metal for me and with little else of familiarity, I've really enjoyed this bands take on the Progressive and Alternative Metal sound. Originality is not a strength but the whole approach is fun and exciting for me right now.

(7) Arcanist

Another Dungeon Synth record but this one is way more inline with what I'd like to hear. A new taken on the genre that infuses "Berlin School" synth ideals and paints an exciting soundscape with its progressive songs that move together on a journey. It was a short but sweet journey and is now very much one to look out for future releases.


(6) Cocteau Twins

Not a new discovery but an intentional deep dive into an artist I knew of two records already. Sadly, the plunge into both an extensive amount of EPs and albums went a bit sideways as fatigue quickly set in. I will pick up the journey again at some point. It was however a really nice experience to get a bigger picture of a band with timely influences felt in the decades that followed them. Treasure is still an all time favorite of mine but now I got to add a few more songs to the list.


(5) Pop Will Eat Itself

As a huge fan of Metal and Hip Hop it is practically an embarrassment to have never stumbled on this British act before. There 80s crossover of the two opposed sounds is just wonderful! A true moment in time capturing the energy, spirit and culture of that era like a musical time capsule. Its dated in the very best of ways!


(4) Gelure

Having had permissions to stream this artist, my love of the music really settled in as its relaxing ambience and warmness creates a wonderful relaxed state that comes along with waffling about whatever is on your chest for hours on end. It suited the experience so well my worry now is that I might listen too it too much. A good problem to have!

(3) Jim Kirkwood

Another from the streaming list, Jim has been on a "Dungeon Synth origins" list of mine for years. Finally pulling that trigger, I have now discovered wondrous world building music that has an ancient nostalgic charm, built on those classic keyboard tones without the steering into darkness that is all to common now. The Tolkien themes and general vibes of the music is very Dungeons and Dragons and that stream of imagination is my cup of tea!

(2) Lena Raine

To extend the simply enigmatic music of C418 and his Minecraft soundtracks would of once sounded like an impossible task yet Lena has stepped into that space wonderfully well. Reflecting many of the old ideals and injecting some of her own personality, it seemed likely her genius would extend beyond contributions to the soundtrack. That has certainly turned out to be true and I am now deadly excited to check out her debut album!

(1) The Alan Parsons Project

For all the Progressive Rock I was raised with, The Alan Parsons Project was not a part of that picture. It is however a perfect fit for that era and thus I've had the odd nostalgic experience of discovering new songs that remind me so fondly of my childhood music. Its as if I knew these songs already. A novel and rare experience that I've treasured working my way through the three records considered to be his best. I think I'll has a couple more to the playlist at some point next year!

Cocteau Twins "Blue Bell Knoll" (1988)

 

Arriving at our 13th installment in the Cocteau Twins journey, fatigue comes to mind with a full length record that is both pleasant and joyous as it is consistent and routine. The sparkle is either missing from the record or myself. Put simply, Blue Bell Knoll failed to rope me with a lack of surprise within the musical idea portrayed. It is however a spirited pivot away from the Ethereal and dark that often lures me in. The majority of its ten tracks focus on bright, appeasing melodies that twinkle between the cracks in their hazy aesthetics. Simple song design and easily indulged moods make it a rather inviting record despite not feeling much deeper than its surface.

Two of its songs do hint an electronic element but alone with this duo, the experiment is brief. The title and opening track beefs up its bongo led percussive track with a synth tone to give of some subtle difference. It emerges boldly again on A Kissed Out Red Floatboat with an unmistakable likeness to Kraftwerk's The Man Machine main melody. The busying notes of osculating wave synth bustle their way through the song like a happy accident. Not adding anything in particular to the song but just coincidentally matching the musics key and peaking audibility when the other instruments quiet.

I could describe once again the details of these band mates contributions but I would be recycling my words. Its as one would expect from the trio with Fraiser finding her most quiet yet fitting performance. She dances through these songs effortlessly yet her presence doesn't have the punch her tricky annunciations on Treasure would. All in all its a reasonable effort but lacking a spark to distinguish itself in the shadow of their great works of musical art that came before.

Rating: 6/10

Cocteau Twins "Love's Easy Tears" (1986)

 

And so the Cocteau Twins musical journey continues on with what will be the last of these brief EPs, for a few years at least. Its been a consistent drip feed of mediocrity with the occasional spark of magic and Love's Easy Tears is no exception. Hot off the back of an experimental Victorialand, the band slip back into a groove as a trio again. The ever present drum machine and a persistently muddy bass presences rears the band into a familiar space. The title track and Sigh's Smell Of Farewell hit the similar trend of lacking chemistry between Fraiser and Guthrie, however it should be said the rhythm section brings little beyond bare bones to bolster their performances.

Those Eyes, That Mouth perks the ears with the two finding an esoteric spark to lure us into a mysterious Ethereal tension that never finds a release its yearning for but ventures through its darkly atmosphere finding a rising tide as intensities swell into the closing phase. Orange Appled sounds remarkably different from the other three. Fraiser's singing is in a deeper range and her wordings more pronounced and upfront yet still ambiguous. Its hooky bell melody come on strong but the tune doesn't quite land for my ears. All in all its another collection of B-Sides, fun to dive into but pales in comparison to their album material.

Rating: 4/10

Cocteau Twins "Victorialand" (1986)

 Having recently split a subpar album into two EPs in the previous year, the Cocteau Twins return with a full release that on paper you'd suspect would be more likely to suffer that fate. With bassist Raymonde tied up with other commitments, Victorialand strips out percussion and bass in a bold, experimental move that actually turns up gold. Initially it stands apart for lacking what is seemingly a core part of the groups music and ironically the focus on guitar and vocal alone forge a beautiful chemistry between the two, something their recent string of EPs seemed to lack all too often.

Guthrie refines a sound heard before, often intermittent between his echo delay experimentation with ambiguous guitar texture. With a touch of roomy reverberation his focus lands on lush, bold acoustic guitar chords and plucked strings. Dreamy, bright and glossy they flow lavish and oozy as the melodies vibrate and resonate in soft feedback loops. Although a little hazy and foggy they dance in the Ethereal wash, swaying with a timeless dreaminess the band yield, somehow unlike anything before.

Fraser finds a stride heard many times before with the best of her spirited singing. She leans in on the unusual pronouncing and annunciations that put emphasis and feeling in the unconventional spots. She meanders around the guitars like a wandering spirit, rising and falling, exploring her range and depth of expression. Her pace is drawn out, lingering on scenic notes, voicing with a ghostly intent. The use of pre-echo and other manipulations artfully expand the avenue this duo carved for themselves.

Chemistry is often king and here it reigns supreme as the focus on two instruments have them finding the sublime connections on its best tracks. All sorts of fantastical places of adventure and intrigue are conjured in the imagination when they find a stride. A Saxaphone and Tabla can be heard chiming in on occasion and one or two song use a tiny sway of percussion and sometimes bass. Its so subtle it seems almost necessary yet irrelevant in the shadow of absence the majority of the music carries.

A bonus track, remixed by Massive Attack, serves to show how well the music can stand on its own while being completely open to percussion and bass. Final song, The Thinner The Air, is a tense, winding closer that dissipates at the albums end. The accompaniment of Trip Hop thuds, cracks and piano chords add in a foundation entirely optional. It highlights how much magic is birthed in this chemistry and how the common and expected are sometimes unnecessary to what makes the music tick. Victorialand has its moments and some songs may not click so sweetly but it is a change in pace worthy of attention!

 

Rating: 7/10

Cocteau Twins "Echoes In A Shallow Bay" (1985)

 
Echoes In A Shallow Bay is the second half of what could of been a fourth album for the Scottish trio. Tiny Dynamite has the favorable pick of songs, with three of these four tracks offering subdued darkly obscurities that indulge but don't shine. Its a familiar take on their Ethereal sound with the opening Great Spangled Fritillary lingering on dense, elongated guitar noise that shivers through the cold, spacious setting, a tone somewhat adjacent to much of whats heard on Lycia's classic Cold.

The following Melonella and Pale Clouded White usher in stiff chord cycling pianos that get enveloped when swells of guitar noise arise. The moods are gloomy, of dusk and come with a little magic in its build ups. Again, Fraiser just doesn't find the charm, she is subdued but in this reserved performance she gels with the nightly atmosphere.

Eggs And Their Shells has a subtle pivot, a warm uplift arises from its simple melody and the angular insertions that compliment it. Fraiser takes her voice to a delicate, airy height, a carefree delight. Its a slightly disjointed song but its differences create the best out of the subdued sound and that seems to be the key word on this record. If looking for something Ethereal with less immediacy, then this is it.

Rating: 4/10

Cocteau Twins "Tiny Dynamine" (1985)

 
This four track record, named Tiny Dynamine, is the first of a double EP release by the Cocteau Twins. Essentially, it could of been the groups forth album but due to internal dissatisfaction, it was cut in half and released quietly through the shorter format. A reoccurring theme in these songs that failed to make the cut, is Fraiser, who often fails to find the magic that makes it to the likes of Treasure or Sunburst And Snowblind. This time however there are sparks and notably no failed endeavors.

What stands apart is Guthrie's compositions. The luscious and lavish reveb soaked acoustics are elevated in fidelity and tone, starting to unpick the lock on this magic. Instrumental piece Ribbed And Veined goes to a whole new realm as its chemistry with the soft and airy synths pinned beneath slip into a nightly indulgence. In this moment I can barely tell both the aesthetic and melody apart from Autumn's Grey Solace. Perhaps it is this era that is their biggest inspiration.

It and the opening song are worthy of much attention. The remaining two are foggy tracks, where the punching power of crisp instruments is muted in their unresolved focus. On both it seems as if clarity never lands on any set instrument or voice. The result is moody atmospheres that pass by without a hook or lure to bring one into the music and set it alight. With another four songs to get too, it does already seem pretty clear why this double release decision was made.

Rating: 4/10

Cocteau Twins "Aikea-Guinea" (1985)

 

 

Its another EP from the Cocteau Twins but this time the four songs are of notable intrigue! Perhaps it is the title track and lead single that is the least impressive! Its temperament is rather adjacent to Treasure, with brightly polished bass lines plucking at a steady pace and a drum machine dressed up to be more convincing, the swells of emotional sound from Guthrie's noisy guitar and airy synths are peaked by the melodies of sparkling bells yet it is Frasier who doesn't find the charm. Her vocals toy with the wordless dynamic, drifting up to circle the high ranges but miss the mark.

With a similar temperament on the following Kookaburra, it is Guthrie's shrill guitar grinding, dissipating into atmospheric swoons over the warm piano chords and keen bass lines that sell the magic. Quisquose pivots to a strong piano led march, brought to life by luscious acoustic guitars painting a darkly mood. Its the instrumentation that shapes up to be the endearing quality of these songs, the compositions generally repetitive and shifting between complimenting arrangements back and forth.

It seems to be a reoccurring theme that Fraiser's normally enthralling performances just don't land on these EPs. The final and bwat song is the short Rocco, an instrumental it would be hard to picture a voice in. The textural mystery of Guthrie's guitar noises get pinned by these bold, upfront base notes marching hard. The interchange between the two provides tension and then relief for the magic. The song doesn't progress anywhere much from its main idea but the chemistry is its charm. This is definitely a better set of b-sides. As always they lack that finishing touch.

Rating: 4/10

Cocteau Twins "Treasure" (1984)

When embarking on this newest musical journey with the Cocteau Twins, it is this record I was itching to write about. Discovering them back in 2011, Treasure was the album to lure me in and I have adored it too this day. Admittedly it doesn't get much rotation anymore but spinning it up again has been a pleasure and with critical ears I love how the stiff fidelity of its drum machine and awkward production were details I never heard before. These songs are so gorgeous and engulfing, that the magic simply glosses over its flaws. As I've commented before though, its aesthetic ruggedness very much works to enrich the slightly esoteric and ethereal vibes.

Stepping away from their Post-Punk roots and into Dream Pop territory, Guthrie's layered guitar experimentation finds refined glory in pivoting to acoustic guitars. Golden plucked strings lavished in reverbs often feature alongside other sparkling instruments that put emphasis on dreamy tones and a warm melodic rises. There are occasional uses of guitar distortion and its tone can sway into the shadows with these ten songs forging a wonderful variety for peering into peculiar places. Its obvious though, much of its instrumental magic is birthed from the expansion of instruments, used subtly in the swells of ethereal sound that gush forth. They play out the colored tuneful melodies the likes of Garlands before it once lacked.

Its all held in place by this clanky drum machine. Rigid and stiff in timing and tone, its repetitive strikes are often soaked in reverb, rattling off with forced punchy grooves that penetrate with a contrasted composure to everything else around it. Somehow, mysteriously, it just works so well. Fraiser's voice is another vector in the chemistry. These three components feel so distant from one another at times, yet together its a wondrous mix. I must say though, it comes in temperaments. The album jumps all over the place from track to track. Persephone may be the biggest example of what I've just described and yet with the following song Pandora it flips to its most cohesive and in tune composition. Notably, two of my favorite tracks as well.

Best of all, Fraiser comes completely into her own on this one. I was always under the impression her performance was entirely wordless and I loved putting my own words into her cryptic singing. Reading online lyric sheets does have me wondering. If they are true then its stunning how she pronounces words with such a mystic overcast. If not, its still just as magic but I prefer the later. The inflections and places she carries her voice too with vibratos and what not is endlessly joyous. Sailing high to low and dancing on her way. Every word, or lack of, just oozes with an endearing quality which never fails to cast a spell. Its some of the best vocal delivery you'll ever hear.

 Treasure is a milestone record for the group, an ascension to the spectacular. Its artistic, expressive, magical and stunningly mysterious. Knowing these songs so well, Guthrie's swell of ambiguous sound still spark the imagination. Fraisers veiled voicings always an indulgence. Its only shortcomings are in execution. Some amateurish swells of bass noise occasionally gather in the mix and some of its songs tend to end without direction. Sudden wind downs and lack of conclusion do hinder the odd song but otherwise its a classic, one anyone curious should give a go.

Rating: 9.5/10

Cocteau Twins "The Spangle Maker" (1984)

Knowing whats to follow, The Spangle Maker is a stopgap EP seemingly distant from its surroundings. Its title track is the most subdued song the group have written to date. Its a slow burn crawling to a quiet roar with a swell of layered sound in its closing cycle. With new bassist Simon Raymonde joining, perhaps this was an exercise in integration, becoming accustom with one another in writing and the studio.

 

Either way, its a familiar tale of music that misses the spark. Peraly-Dewdrops' Drops and more so Pepper-Tree have the hallmarks of the groups blossoming sound heading in the direction of Treasure. Somehow, Fraser's timeless singing and the Ethereal persuasion of Guthrie's effect soaked guitar magic just don't click.

 

Pepper-Tree does delivery a gorgeous shadowy acoustic guitar timbre, resonating off its chilling pianos with an eerie ambience. Somewhat of a cornerstone for Autumns Grey Solace's sound. It's also rather noticeable that the bass guitar steps away from that defining upfront presence of Post-Punk music, taking a more subdued roll with a softer aesthetic. All in all its another unremarkable but slightly intriguing EP of which they have a fair few main between releases.

Rating: 3/10

Cocteau Twins "Sunburst And Snowblind" (1983)

 
Journeying on with our deep dive on the Cocteau Twins, we have another EP featuring Sugar Hiccup and three songs left over from the Head Over Heals album. I'm getting the impression we may not find hidden gems in this avenue. These smaller release are a deeper insight to the band but more so a reminder that not everything is gold. Each of the three additional songs lack the killer spark to make them work. Possibly unfinished, they show their difficulty as the ideas present in the guitar work doesn't seem to gel with Fraser and that chemistry is absolutely vital.

From The Flagstones has all the markings of their sound, the washy guitars come across and its soft airy synths lack the gusto to elevate. Fraser comes in with power and persuasion but it misses the mark. Hitherto is the better of the three, its slow, dark and mysterious atmosphere more engrossing but on this track its Fraser who's voice doesn't quite catch the wind. Because Of Whirl-Jack brings upbeat pianos with a jovial energy and its pivot to focus on plucked acoustic strings works but the song feels like it never finds a crowning moment, perpetually swaying between verse and chorus.

One thing I can say is its fun to hear these songs and a reminder of the hard work and time it takes to craft great music. These songs are in no way bad but they highlight how bands will write songs that often don't make the light of day. Its nice to see that this music and that on the other EPs were shared, although contractual obligations may have had something to do with that given the groups outspoken dismissal of Lullabies. Anyway, whats next? You guessed it! Another EP.

Rating: 3/10

Cocteau Twins "Head Over Heels" (1983)

 
 With the departure of bassist Will Heggie, the now duo find their calling on Head Over Heels, their sophomore effort where the starts align and the magic blossoms. Its opening track When Mama Was Moth is unassuming, a slow dreary build up, nudged along by the booming echo of a drum strike as weary guitars drone under the sparkling astral melody that inspires intrigue. It takes all but twenty seconds on the following Five Ten Fiftyfold for the Ethereal beauty to emerge. Fraser plunges her voice into a spirited swoon, riding the curtails of lavish reverberation. The distant noir saxophone a perfect compliment in this gorgeous moment.

The mood is brighter, an uplift and warmth courses through these songs, arrangement shifts, guitar chords and moving the key upwards steer these esoteric and ethereal sounds to the light. The dreary, gothic darkness is still present in the abstract layers of dense guitar noise. The bass guitar shimmers underneath with a brightly punctuated chorus effect. The drum machine paces with pounds minimal groove, plunged in extravagant echos that add greatly to the muddy atmosphere.

Fraser finds herself with a greater presence in the mix. The timing often brings her in at moments of power to usher in these warm shifts of tone. Although yet to go fully wordless, her singing emphasizes feeling and emotion with many unconventional annunciations of words. The lyric sheet brings clarity but the mystery of how her voice says something different is so alluring. Words take on new meaning, all said as if looking for another, swinging from her swoon they hypnotize.

Its right inline with Guthrie's evolution. His ambiguous guitar noise clambers into new territory where craft and measure balance more obvious chords, arpeggios and string sections with the denser fog of ambiguity. It poises the music in the precarious place where convention and mystery dance in the moonlight. Its overall tone is dark, esoteric and spooky yet consistently blushes with a dazzling beauty.

Although I thought I had not ventured to this record before, a couple of tracks startled me as to how I knew them so well, yet the rest was a complete mystery! My guess Is the random videos from Youtube autoplay when I first discovered the Cocteau Twins, many years ago. Amazing how well the particulars of these songs have stuck. The love I had for this band starts here. Its a technically flawed flourish of creativity and inspiration. Big gatherings of echo crowd some moments and it has tarnishes all over. I'm loving this in a way where I know it will just keep giving and I think these amateurish growing pains are an amazing part of the experience.

 Rating: 8/10

Cocteau Twins "Peppermint Pig" (1983)

 

Before the Cocteau Twins sophomore record, arrives another, ultimately disappointing, three track EP. Released in April of 1983, it captures a moment of creative poverty where the music fails to venture upon anything of remark. Reading up on its creation, the group were forced to work with an outside producer while also feeling that their creative efforts were not up to scratch. It shows just about everywhere. The record has a drab, dry tone where its instruments feel lone and separate. The baselines rumble in repetition with a tone that feels distant from the hazy guitars. They reside in a narrow, chromatic space, dull and meandering. The hypnotic wash of pedal effects and reverb offer up little depth or texture unlike before.

Its fractions from being right but these small differences in feeling turn the songs into dull drones. The title track has some merit as layers of creepy synths and loose, shaky pianos add some much needed depth. The drum machine too is lacking in arrangement variety. The tone is dull and grinding, lacking natural echo and creativity that got it by on Garlands. In front of it all Fraser sings with a routine, that distance between instruments amplify a sore tiredness in her performance. As the band have described it themselves, its not a good record but it should be said the title track holds up okay. Its Laugh Lines and Hazel that offer little musically, further exposed by this drab production style. Disappointing but not a representation of whats to come.

Rating: 2/10

Cocteau Twins "Lullabies" (1982)

This wasn't part of the original plan but with a bunch of EP releases between albums I though we might as well do the deep dive! I am curious enough, so checking out these three leftover songs from the Garlands session was a bit of fun! Lullabies was released just a month after their debut and its three songs represent different approaches that clearly would not of fit the mold. Its production is also a little beefed up with stronger bass lines, balanced out percussion and a louder Fraiser at the front.

 

 Feathers-Oar-Blades is her moment to open up her voice, become more involved in the music, paint it with her singing. Its a brighter track that relives itself of the dreary grey much of Garlands resided within. Not particularly memorable but the following Alas Dies Laughing take the opposite direction, almost to dark for the full length. Its actually reminiscent of Gothic outfit Christian Death and their gloomy, creepy guitar leads. The bands guitarist Guthrie emulates this tone well, layering and overlapping his eerie melodies and guitar noises with subtle reverberations.

Lastly there is It's All But An Ark Lark. A lengthy eight minute crawl propped up by the perpetual pounding of its warm tom drums and higher pitched bass kicks. Its a slightly hypnotic, atmospheric affair with Fraiser's overlapping singing sounding a little contrasted to the warm bass line and general tone. Its all interesting but obviously these songs didn't quite fit the bill and as an EP simply offer some insight to where the band were at. What was most interesting where how a connection to Gothic influences is made obvious. Of course that music scene was born of Punk and Post-Punk too.

Rating: 3/10

Cocteau Twins "Garlands" (1982)

 
New year, new journey. To kick of 2021 I have picked out the Cocteau Twins, a band who's legacy on Ethereal music is well known to me, they are a huge influence on one of my favorite groups Autumns Grey Solace. I'm dead keen on two of the Scottish Trio's albums but Ive never dived much deeper and that's what we will now undertake.

Starting with their dreary, cold and haunting debut Garlands, released late in 1982 on 4AD Records, they ride a wave of Post-Punk bands exploring new territory and at this stage show glimmers of whats to come. Its of the era, bold upfront baselines permeate the music with solid drives of rhythm and marching tune as wails of effect soaked guitar noise create this eerie ambience of atmosphere, pale and bleak yet densely textured from its narrow confines within the mix. Screeching chords and disjointed melodies play with a grainy quality. The fretwork loops back on itself, panning in stereo, circulating ideas without progression. The music plods on in a consistently depressing manor, monochromatic like the unending grey skies of rainfall.

It was not as I expected, I actually found its temperament most comparable to Lycia's classic Cold. It too being a shivering and dark sombre affair of nightly ambiguity and unease. Yet of course the attraction to all this is the smothering mood of dreary music that can conjure the imagination of darker meditative places. Garlands never relentless from that dreary yet oddly relaxing tone. Its best releases from the tension come with the occasional baseline or lead guitar that wanders off to a warmer state of being but only ever for a brief moment before being pulled back to the norm.

The counterbalance is singer Elizabeth Fraser. Soon to evolve into the acts crowning jewel, at this point she is still finding her voice with a somewhat timid performance that is equal too the murky tone. Soft and shy in stature and performance, she is often matched by the instrumental power but her grace is felt often with beautifully sung words and reoccurring vibrato inflection at the end of her sentences. It may be mostly in the mix as her voice does tend to bleed into the guitars with the baselines still prowling proud, unhindered as they march forever forward with a firm stride.

This is a fascinating record, for its songs tend to feel like singular ideas whirling in repetition. It is dazzling in a curious ability to lure one into its stormy arms. Despite being buddy and murky its production aids the concept well with the drum machines competently keeping pace as its reverberated snare strikes frequently with a cutting harshness occasionally thrown to pitch shifting echos. The only drawback is Fraser's vocals, they sound underutilized an quiet, knowing she will hit spectacular heights with records to come. A truly dark and spooky starting point for a band that will bring much glamour and beauty to this spellbound flavor of darkness.

Favorite Track: Garlands
Rating: 7/10