Heaven Or Las Vegas

Thoughts before listening: I have noticed a recent surge in this album being mentioned as a major influence on modern musicians. I do not remember that being the case in the 90s and 00s, so its interesting that a newer generation has latched on to this. From my perspective, I have heard of Cocteau Twins, but I always dismissed them as new wave pop that wouldn't be for me. This will be a first listen. Review: So I can definitely hear a lot of this sound in some of the more recent dream pop bands like Beach House. This is better than I was expecting and is definitely more than just an 80s new wave also ran. There is a lot of effective moodiness to these songs and I enjoy the vocals. Not necessarily the type of music I'd typically be drawn to, but its enjoyable all the same. 3-stars

Maybe it's one of them i get later on but they all blend into one for me

Good album, earlier stuff was always a bit weird for me - this is where they came into their own

This is the only album of theirs I can really listen to due to Liz Frasers weird vocals on all the earlier stuff. She's a bit more normal sounding on this one where you can almost make out what she's singing 🤣 I love dreampop and shoegaze but, brilliant as it is, I'm not sure I'd recommend this as an entry into the genre. Better starting with bands like Ride, Slowdive, Lush (specifically Spooky as it was produced by Robin Guthrie) and then revisiting this to appreciate it more.

El sonido atmosférico etéreo de Cocteau Twins adquiere en este disco ciertas dosis de experimentación (sin exagerar, eso sí) consiguiendo uno de sus mejores trabajos. Y lo hacen desde el primer tema, "Cherry-Coloured Funk", un compendio temático surrealista aparentemente sin sentido y repelto de sensualidad. Destacan otros temas por su hermosura melódica sobrevolando la estupenda voz de Liz Fraser, como "Fifty-Fifty Clown", o la canción que da título al álbum, "Heaver or Las Vegas" con unos preciosos coros. También me gusta bastante el tema con el que cierra el disco, el contundente "Frou Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires".

weird

had never heard of them, really enjoyed it

Very good!

Pleasant 80s indie guitar jangle with nonsense lyrics. What's not to like?

Given this project's fascination with semi-obscure Scottish and Welsh artists, I figured it was just a matter of time before we got the Cocteau Twins, although I'm a bit surprised there are two of their albums in this collection, given how..niche...their sound is. I had a musician friend in high school who was absolutely obsessed with the band, and he played their weirdly ethereal music *all* the time (he was also obsessed with Stanley Jordan's two-handed guitar tapping, in addition to the standard death metal lineup, so it wasn't really 24/7 Cocteau Twins, even though it often seemed like it). I think this was more of their "Treasure" era music than this album, but it always felt like they were what The Cure kind of wanted to be if they didn't care about being accessible or popular. And even with "Heaven or Las Vegas", this still seems to be true, although perhaps more Cranberries-like than Cure-like, and there are definitely hints of more mainstream tunes ("Pitch the baby" a great example, also "Heaven or Las Vegas"), if you could only understand or even make out the lyrics amongst the lush wall of sounds (I'm really impressed that watching her lips in the videos doesn't seem to help *at all* in understanding what she's singing). I always enjoyed small bits of the Cocteau Twins back in the 80s, and I think that still holds true today.

I never really cared for the sort of dreamy pop of the late 80s / 90s but this is probably the best version of it. Still, It says a lot that there were a few songs where I didn't think they were singing in English but I didn't really care enough to figure it out. Lovely female vocals I associate with this style (think Kate Bush or Sundays or even Human League). I'd play this album as background music if I had a yacht and was inviting a bunch of strangers over for cocktails.

I preferred the front half of the album. Was leaning towards three stars but made the mistake of looking the album up on review aggregators and was convinced to bump the rating up a notch probably as a result of those positive reviews

I've always found the Cocteau Twins to be boring. Nothing here changes my mind.

Frequently suffering from the 'I liked their earlier stuff better' syndrome, this is in reality a fine continuation of the ethereal majesty of the band. Highly recommended.

Absolutely loved this. I didn't think it would land with me from the description but I'll definitely be checking out the rest of their discography.

I'd heard of this band, but never listened to it before. Really solid dreamy synth pop. Had me engaged the whole way through.

# 336 : All the songs sound the same. I thought it was ok and I could listen to it. Its not awful, though nothing really stood out to me.

Airy and ethereal, every instrument is drenched in flange, phaser, chorus, reverb, or all of the above. Lyrics are impossible to understand for me, as the vocals are just as wet. Of course, after looking them up, they don't make any freaking sense anyway. Overall, pretty pleasant to listen to, but just a bit over-layered, which makes it sound jumbled.

this is going straight into my autumn/winter rotation

I've always felt like I'm the kind of person that would love Cocteau Twins, but have never listened to them very actively. It was... nice. Didn't blow me away, but it was great focus music and I enjoyed it more the more I listened. I guess I have to listen even more now.

If you’re already a fan of these guys I guess this is fantastic. If you’re not is pretty uninteresting. Like Bjork, the music is kinda cool but I don’t understand a damned word.

Mjög ljúfir tónar.

Mjög fín plata hjá Skotunum. Cherry coloured funk frábært lag og hin rúlla öll bara mjög vel.

dromerig en goede vocals

Loved it.

Maybe one day I will appreciate this band more. Today is not that day. 3/5

Decent

Shoegazey and mostly pleasant to listen to, although it is hard for me to really grasp onto any particular song. Maybe \"Iceblink Luck\"

Very enjoyable album then. Still enjoy it today.

Sounds so dreamy and amazing, the three track run ending with the title track is so good

Great foreign album with a cool vibe. Loved the Smiths/Cure sound with a twist.

I was only vaguely familiar with the band, so this was mostly a discovery. Really like the shoegaze / dreamy songs. And what a voice Frazer has...

Seemed nice as background music. Floaty.

uninspired

This sounds like if ABBA went "scene." That's not a criticism. It's simultaneously polished and alt. It pulls off a vibe I don't really want in a way that works, but I'm not really going to seek this out in the future.

Left me unsettled, curious and at awe.

Yeah, really good from a band I already had a liking for. Iceblink Luck a track I particularly enjoyed.

Would've been nice to have heard the instruments, or anything actually

This is such a good album, I don't even care what she sings

Ik kende enkel Heaven Or Las Vegas. Best een goed album eigenlijk. 3.7

Terrific production that ages so well. Otherworldly vocal performances and instrumentation that is solid and lilting at the same time.

This makes me want to ride a bus around Tokyo or somewhere lit up at night. I don't know how to expand on that feeling.

An album that's easy to listen to and quite nice throughtout. Great vocals. However, the songs are quite immemorable, I don't remember a single song after listening to the entire album twice.

Cool 80s vibes, with echoey synths and floaty riffs. There's a good amount of reverb on the vocals, it seems, and I don't know if it's that, but I find the woman incomprehensible. I wondered at several points if she was singing in French. I still don't know. Highlight was the title track, 5, Heaven Or Las Vegas. Also, 8, Wolf In The Breast. Vocals on Cherry-Coloured Funk remind me of Shakespeare's Sister. This album is from 1990. I don't know how I didn't come across it before. I may have seen Cocteau Twins on "Now That's" compilations, but I don't think they would have clicked. I'm not blown away by this. It's good, interesting, but would I listen to it regularly or repeatedly, probably not. Three stars seems harsh, four too generous...

Cocteau Twins son una banda, un sonido, único y fundamental en la música. Cualquier disco suyo podría estar en el listado de mejores álbumes a escuchar, sin bien este o Treasure (1984) destacan por méritos propios en su discografía. Con estilo y estéticas propios han sido influencia capital en multitud de grupos desde sus comienzos en los 80´s. La inconfundible voz de Elizabeth Fraser, un instrumento más al servicio de las composiciones y faro en el que se han guiado una pléyade de artistas desde Enya hasta Beth Gibbons o Prince (para muestra Love... Thy Will Be Done). La guitarra de Robin Guthrie, el bajo de Simonde Rayomonde la estética inconfundible de 4AD... todo en Cocteau Twins cobra sentido. Emparentados, en cierto modo, con Kate Bush (con Hounds of love o The Sensual World el año previo) o The Cure que habían publicado un año antes Disintegration, el reverso oscuro de este luminoso Heaver or... claramente afectado por la maternidad de Fraser (el disco se publicó la fecha del cumpleaños de su hija Lucy Belle) Desde la inicial Cherry-coloured funk uno se da cuenta de que está ante algo diferente y genial. Pop ensoñador, luminoso, etéreo que se mantiene hasta la última nota del disco. Se le puede poner el nombre que uno desee pero es una experiencia obligatoria. Iceblink luck, Fifty-fifty clown, Heaven or Las vegas, Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires... el listado de temas excepcionales no tiene fin. Otros discos esenciales de 1990 también fueron: The KLF- Chill Out, NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE - Ragged glory, THE BLACK CROWES - Shake your money maker, NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS - The good son, GALAXIE 500 - This is our music, YO LA TENGO - Fakebook, THE HOUSE OF LOVE - Butterfly album, Violator de Depeche Mode, Goo de Sonic Youth, Behaviour de Pet Shop Boys, Fear of a Black Planet de Public Enemy, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got de Sinéad O'Connor, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic de The Sundays, Jordan: The Comeback de Prefab Sprout, The Comforts of Madness de Pale Saints, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan- Mustt Mustt, Mazzy Star- She Hangs Brightly, Blaze- 25 years later, Happy Mondays- Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, The LA´s- The LA´s, Ride- Nowhere, Dee Lite- World clique, A Tribe Called Quest- People´s instictive travels and the paths of rhythm... También: IGGY POP - Brick by brick, PIXIES - Bossanova, THE POGUES - Hell's ditch, THE WATERBOYS - Room to roam, Ritual de lo Habitual de Jane's Addiction, The Razors Edge de AC/DC, Los Enemigos- La vida mata, Fugazi- Repeater, Veneno En La Piel -Radio Futura, Hunted By The Snake- Cancer Moon...

Very pretty.

An absolutely gorgeous album. I hadn't appreciate this band in the past, but this year I spent time going through their catalog. Their work and Fraser's vocals are airy, ethereal, and lush. Two of my favorite songs are on this album: Cherry-coloured Funk and Heaven or Las Vegas. What a lovely listen. It made my day.

I really liked this. The vocals are beautiful and I found the general sound is something I already listen to quite frequently. My only gripe is I couldn't understand the lyrics very much but from a quick look at their Spotify description that might have been intentional?

Paar nummers geluisterd, maar had geen tijd voor meer. Apart album.

Spot the fake Cocteau Twins track name is the quiz round we never knew we needed... a) Iceblink Luck b) Fifty-Fifty Clown c) Socketface Grapefruit d) Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires Some albums just scream 80s at me from the first few seconds and I immediately fear the worst (despite being released in 1990). In fairness, it has some hooks and the overall sound is richer and less cheesy for the most part than I was worried it could be. I find myself quite enjoying the shoegazy production and her vocals somehow both irritate and intrigue me, at times I swear she's singing in a strange foreign language. Spotify doesn't have the lyrics so I never bothered finding out.

3/5

lots of synth and some good vocal parts... probably wouldn't ever listen to this again except for Cherry Colored Funk

Flipante!!!!

This album is full of dreamy, ethereal music. Almost every song feels straight out of a dream. Ironically, the only song that doesn't fit is Cherry-coloured Funk. I don't know what people see in this song to make it so popular. As for other songs, Heaven or Las Vegas feels nostalgic, like the McDonalds with play areas. Pitch the Baby is basically a fever dream. I Wear Your Ring feels like I'm watching something in slow motion. There's a lot of range in the emotions that I feel listening to this album. Whenever I listen to the Cocteau Twins, I essentially listen as if the vocals are another instrument. While this album may be lyrically dense, I can't understand what she's saying enough to even try to dissect them. Best Songs: Pitch the Baby, Iceblink Luck, Heaven or Las Vegas, I Wear Your Ring, Worst Songs: Cherry-Coloured Funk

This album wasn’t for me, didn’t like it at all

80s girlie prog pop. Some interesting moments but tending towards the forgettable at times

4 - an easy 5 if you’re into elevator/background music. More seriously, it just blended together

Great background music

Very nice

I'm awake! I'm awake...What time is it?

Nice background music

A dreamy masterpiece. Sparkling and hazy.

Ethereal bliss

I absolutely loved this album! It felt fresh and freeing and floaty in a way that I can’t really describe. The singing was gorgeous, and so melodic, even if it didn’t really say anything, and the orchestration and harmonies were absolutely beautiful. I’ll be coming back to this album again and again. I’m very glad I have been introduced to it!

Angelic. I loved it

Love it

I always like songs that make good use of stereo; either blatant like in 'Cherry-Coloured Funk' where it plays a different melody in each channel for a kind of counterpoint, or more subtly in traditional 4-piece band settings to aid in separation of instruments. It's definitely for a certain vibe. Otherwise, it's just fine

Going from a very nice goldfrapp album the day before to this is a bit jarring. It reads like it's the same genre and everything, but this was way worse than goldfrapp. Would not listen to it again.

Right off the bat, love Cherry-Coloured Funk starting the album. The whole album helped regulate my nervous system. I’d listen again.

Gorgeous synth washes over ethereal vocal melodies. With singing this gorgeous, who cares if you can't undersand the words?

Most of it is fuzzy and non memorable but my god. Cherry coloured funk has been copied stolen, and reworked for the past 30+ years so. Well done Cocteau twins.

I liked it. Wasn't expecting female vocals so that was kinda nice

Hypnotic. 3.

Hypnotic. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

Very airy vibey ‘80s album. Not exactly my favorite style but it’s well don.

Pleasant but drones on. Lyrics are hard to decipher

Didn’t feel anything special about this album. I kept waiting for a single song that would grab me, but it just never came through. Didn’t sound unpleasant, just wasn’t really for me.

3 Stars. I liked it a lot for having now familiarity with it. There were a lot of times in this album that a part of a song came up and started nodding my head. Glad to have listened!

This one came in with some high praise from the Wikipedia blurb but it failed to live up to it. Nothing special, and wasn’t a bad listen, but it didn’t captivate me in the least bit.

Really enjoyable. This feels like it could come out today with no problem. I was really jamming with the first half of the album, but the back half fell off a bit for me. This is almost a 4 star album, but I think it's going to stay as a 3.

Another wonderful album from the Cocteau Twins. This one is a little more accessible than ‘Treasure’, a bit more direct musically, but still very much in the same vein and I loved it just as much if not more. Another strong 4, very close to a 5.

Good record. Not exactly my favorite kind of music but a nice, easy listening time.

Had heard singles but not the album, enjoyed it more than I expected, really helps you get engrossed in the specific sound.

As the kids say, this is a "vibe". It's my kinda thing where it's a bit trancey and sythy, the vocals are a tad hit or miss

❤️

Sonically this is great. Otherwise, I hate it. It is more like proto-Britney Spears than the origins of shoegaze.

Less weird Kate Bush. Pleasant and surprisingly enjoyable.

There are a number of songs on here that I'd enjoy getting in a playlist, but an entire album of this dreamscape type sound wore out its welcome

Bueno

Naaah this ain't it. 1.4

Some of these songs are just alright, but some ("Cherry-Coloured Funk" and "Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires," especially) are the prettiest few minutes you can hear in music.

Massivly beautiful dream pop.

This is okay--I enjoy Cocteau Twins, but they don't really make too much of a dent.

First time hearing! Lovely themes. Totally unique approach to sound. A classi!

forever fave <3

2/5

It sounded fine but, as ethereal as dream pop is, I have forgotten nearly everything I heard now that a night has passed.

Not bad. Lovely voice. Would be interesting to hear her sing real words.

auditory bliss

Muito bom

Still trying to figure Cocteau Twins out. And you?

Started off hating it, the first track was just annoying, no real content to it. After that it started to get better and by the end I was actually enjoying it - in a "nostalgic, sound of the 80's" way. It made me think that maybe you have to get into the right mood to enjoy it, so I listened to track 1 again - it was still fucking awful though! Overall, better than I was expecting.

Идеальный альбом для поездки, трэк Heaven or Las Vegas захватил мой разум и заставил погрузиться в сон , но альбом довольно однообразный

See, this is more like I wanted from the dream pop album my group got yesterday. Beautiful, etheral... Absolutely dreamlike; as if you could float away on it. And as far as I can remember, this is the best "vocals as an instrument" album I've heard in a while—where, yeah, there ate lyrics, but they maybe don't really matter? They're another melody, to help everything else flow along, and they're great at that. Jus', mm. I'm in love. It's real good stuff.

Absolutely beautiful sound that predated the indie dream pop scene, even if the lyrics are a bit incomprehensible. Easy 5.

I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4. Gotta tell you – not used to an album without proper lyrics. I just don’t know that I could personally give a 5 to an album with vocals, but without lyrics, simply because I’m a sucker for storytelling… but I think a 4 means the album was pretty damn good regardless. And this was pretty damn good. Sometimes, soundscapes do make an album, and even though this is a 1990 album, it’s very much the dying gasp of the 1980s in full effect – everything here is a sort of pastiche on every 80s trope and style you could think of musically, and it comes together really well. Vocally, I think she’s got a mesmerizing tone to her voice that usually meshes pretty well with the instrumentals, but occasionally, I think the production blends them together too harshly on some tracks where it just kinda negates the positives of both. That’s not to say there’s any bad tracks here, just some suspect mixing – this is even more of a car album than the last one was, but it’s honestly more of a dreaming album to me (I guess that’s why it’s “dream pop”). I could easily see myself falling asleep to these, or even dreaming up something close to these – good soundscapes with lyrics just out of reach, but the occasionally clear word or two to keep you a little grounded to reality. I just had fun with it – I can’t wax too much about it because the extent of my criticism is “that sounded really good, but sometimes it didn’t,” and that’s kindergarten-level criticism. It’s a very nice listen; it sounds great, it’s relaxing as hell, and while it does go a little bit too long, I think it doesn’t overstay its welcome long enough to be actively annoying. I’m fine with bumping it up to a 4.

If ABBA went to space... 3

Their sound is clearly from the early 90s UK push into mainstream radio

Ok I guess for an early early drive to the airport

After nearly twenty years they produced this, usually a bands best album is at the beginning of their career. They all sound the same anyway. Is she really bad at writing lyrics, remembering them or both. Does a song sound the same each time it's performed live? Can't work out if this inspired or lazy. It just ends up being annoying. Leaning towards the latter. If the nonsense was intelligible would it make the songs worse, possibly, probably. It's a no from me.

At it's worst, this is kind of Enya-like background music and at it's best, it's kind of Roches-like tight female harmonies and that's good enough for me.

This album would be amazing if produced in 2024, it's difficult to appreciate all the layers to it

Why is there a second Cocteau Twins album on this list when they both sound absolutely indistinguishable from each other? Okay, I'm being harsh. This does sound a bit different from Treasure. But not sufficiently so to warrant two entries on this list for the same band. Has elements of Kate Bush hiring Peter Hook as the bassist, plus lyrics that definitely inspired Sigur Rós. I can't say much more about this. It's not rubbish, but for me, listening to this drove home that dream pop really isn't my genre.

I love you

Second CT album in relatively quick succession. This one was a bit better - great shoehazey guitars, more poppy production including some good programmed drums. Vocals were up a gear here too This kind of fits in with some of the current dream pop stuff too Best: Heaven Or Las Vegas

already listened, amazing album

I liked Fraser's vocals a lot, definitely dreamy, prob a 3.5 but when I am in the mood.. a 4

Dream pop, is that really a thing? It does have a dreamy sound, nice background for a nap.

I recognise the beauty but for me this was pretty forgettable

This is music that would be played on a movie when a character is using heroin.

I like the vocals 3.5

Favorite Tracks: Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires Iceblink Luck

Se me olvido hacerle una reseña o quizás quise buscarle adjetivos rimbombantes y nunca le hice reseña en su momento. Este album es como una espiral, una secuencia de Fibonacci, una cebolla llena de capas y capas con sonidos y frecuencias románticas y cautivadoras. Las letras se entienden poco, pero aunque cueste entenderlas, uno sabe instintivamente que Elizabeth Fraser le canta al amor con regocijo y celebración. Para mi es perfecto, desde su arte, como estan organizadas las canciones y los arreglos que dan una atmosfera que asemejan una explosion colorida, segura y calida. 10/10. Pioneros en su género y avanzadísimos a su época. Tuve la suerte de escucharlo el 03/03/26 en vinilo, en mi casa.

Este álbum fue uno de los primeros que escuché cuando empecé a expandir mis horizontes musicales y me ayudó a entender otros géneros musicales fuera del rock y el hip hop. 10/10

Masterpiece. This album means a lot to me. It's without flaw.

My first thought was 'this can't be true. I don't need to hear this'. Then I saw how popular every song on this album is on my streaming service. Now I'm excited to listen to this band I've largely ignored over the past 40 years. And.... if this is the music you like it's a great album. I wasn't too into it, but I understand how people are. I found myself perking up at the songs I was familiar with, and then not really caring about the ones I wasn't. Good album, just not for me. 3.5

This is an odd one, I mean, is it French? Is it abba-esque?! I spent the whole listen being unsure about the whole thing but also sort of enjoying it.

3/4

An old faith that I have heard of hundreds if not thousands of times

Day218 - i’m sorta surprised how much i enjoyed this album. i wasn’t familiar with them and they remind me of siouxsie and the banshees

I enjoyed this more than I expected. 3

A good album, I liked Cherry-coloured Dunk, Heaven or Las Vegas, I Wear Your Ring and Fotzepolitic. My favorite song on the album was Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires.

Honestly quite liked this one as well, I enjoyed the ethereal vibes and I've added some songs to a playlist

I'll admit that before this I thought the Cocteau Twins were like Youtube content creators or something.

Weird, but in a good way

5/5. I don't know what it is about this band, I don't normally enjoy shoegaze or even unintelligible lyrics, but this creates a beautiful and uplifting feeling while listening, akin to a mix between Abba and Sigur Ros. The vocalist is such a perfect choice for this album, which is why every Cocteau Twins album I've heard so far feels so unique and wonderful. Just each song stands on its own and creates an ethereal world while being down to Earth. Awesome album. Best Song: Cherry-Coloured Funk, I Wear Your Ring, Iceblink Luck

Wow, another Cocteau Twins album in my first 130. I had never heard of them before and I continue to be pleasantly surprised. Their ethereal sound and fun harmonies sets it apart. The 80s textures aren’t my favorite, but their creativity overshadows it.

The sheer ingenuity of the babble pushes this into 4 star territory. I’d listened to a handful of Cocteau Twins tracks before but this was my first full album and I really enjoyed it.

Pleasant but forgettable.

This was enjoyable. Never heard of the Cocteau Twins until today.

I wasn't sure what this was going to be, but I was pleasantly surprised by the chill nature of the music.

Great to grove to. Felt like a nice mashup of multiple artists and genres I prefer. Now just need to learn the words!

This band is so special. Their sound is so beautiful and compelling. I don’t have to love everything to know that this record is valuable. It’s imagination music. 5/5

very new soundscape to listen to.. Favorite track: Cherry colored funk other picks: heaven and Las Vegas, fotzepolitic, frou-frou

Fireeeeee makes me think of the Holly St. days

Very cool. Very 9ps. Great to work to

mid

Not for me 2/5

More like "Purgatory or Des Moines." So much meh.

I feel like Cocteau Twins was a band I first heard on MTV's 120 minutes back in the 80's. I'm sure I would have dismissed it because it wasn't metal. But my much younger self did that sort of thing frequently. In the last decade or so I found that I really enjoy the dream pop/shoegaze genre. It's been a pleasure to listen to this album again.

7/10 I like the guitar work and the aimless vocals feel resolved even if I don't know what she's saying. I don't think it matters. a nice relaxing listen 7-17-2024

Brilliant, unique, ethereal

it was better than others

Það oft er hart rokkað þarna undir, en mixað svo lágt að það heyrist varla. Heildarmyndin er loftkennd en líka töff. Bara ljómandi gott sko.

Hmmm... odd... That's what this is. It's like they thought, what would I sound like under the influence of NO at the dentist office. Comforting and painful at the same time.

It is dreamy, ethereal and interesting. I struggle an amazing amount understanding any of their lyrics, but the electronic layered vibe is great. I enjoy the mood and its really immersive with headphones. Loved it.

pretty odd album, very dreamlike. 8/10

Love everything about this

Like the first track- cherry-colored funk 😃 Really enjoying it. Not something I’d put on all the time. Vocals are great. Sounds summery

My sister took me to see them in Paris in the Summer of ‘96. It was my first ever concert and I was completely enchanted. This record captures all their ethereal majesty in its most iconic and accessible form.

Decent, easy-listening, slightly out of mainstream pop

Perfect, jangly dream pop. This is the stuff.

Nobody sounds quite like Cocteau Twins. It might just be one of my favorite overall sounds of all time. They’re absolutely brilliant.

It's not a bad album, but I just don't see myself seeking it out again in the future.

I haven't any idea about a word she says, but I like it. It's ethereal.

Never heard of this band. Pretty boring female vocals. Not required listening at all in my opinion. Best track: Heaven or Las Vegas.

wasn’t amazing. wasn’t terrible. twas just ok.

I had heard of this band, but never heard them. I like it but it came out a few years too late I reckon.

The Twins write a full on pop album and wind up with the best record of their career

56/100

Origins of dream-pop? Of course I was going to like this. Weirdly, no single standout track, but I liked the whole sound.

Didn't grab me, but it's nice.

Liz Fraser's voice might be the closest thing to the sirens our old buddy Homer was describing a few years back. Whimsical, hypnotic, mesmerizing. Except this is definitely contemporary. The siren is occupying a box, but she has not lost her freedom. Her voice does not expand in space but she fully inhabits the small corners and fills everything that is to fill. Her bandmates have crafted the perfect case. It has space, texture and mystery. It holds nuance, as not all is soft in this world they have created, but even the abrasive can be lush here. It sounds like it comes from another world, but it's very much this one.

AHHHH LUV SHOEGAZE ME

Such a vibe for playing in the background bc I want my life to feel like this all day everyday - wtf do they be saying tho

Loved it. Listened to some of the back catalogue as well, because I knew I'd neglected them in my youth, oddly, as I've always loved a shimmering guitar. So I had a very happy three hours or so. This particular album didn't disappoint even though I do prefer their earlier stuff (I'm such a cliché). Beautiful stuff.

In no way my favourite Cocteau Twins album, yet still far superior to a lot of the stuff that’s been presented on this site so far. And if people can’t understand that Liz Fraser uses her voice as an instrument, then I feel sorry for them. Marvellous, literally.

Beautiful to listen to again

The perfect Album. I have listened to this so many times and haven’t gotten any sense of fatigue. We have to be grateful for albums like this. It’s not often we get them

Just incredible. Breathy ethereal, still somehow rocks.

Holy reverb Batman! Seems like they should to turn that down a bit, or not rely on it so heavily. It takes over the album. From reading reviews, it seemed people either loved or hated this album, and I fell somewhere in between. It's definitely a unique album, but it was hard me for to really get into this. 3/5

Love these guys! How come they sound so familiar? I guess it kind of reminded me of a song on The Crow but it's not. I like the sound of this. Better than yesterday's jazz. Most of their top songs are from this album. HM! these guys are Scottish!

Gillar första låten. Andra är inte lika bra. Det blir lite väl esoteriska. Det passerade. Skulle inte säga att det är så bra. En stark 2a

Nja. Helt ok, men inte mer. Försökte lyssna en andra gång men kände "meh, nä"

Trivsam lyssning men inte så värst mycket mer än så för min del. Börjar riktigt bra med Cherry-coloured funk, men därefter är det rätt slätstruket.

Call it dream pop or shoegaze, but neither label completely fits. They're a bit too muddled to be completely dreamy and a bit too light to be shoegaze. It feels like being pulled between the earth and sky, or as they've aptly named it, 'Heaven or Las Vegas'. The clear highlight is Elizabeth Fraser's vocals but the music also has an unusual quality to it, like a daydream you can't quite wake up (no matter how much you might want to) from on a mild afternoon. There's a mild discomfort about it but also a temptation to lie back and let it wash over you. It's hard to say how much I actually like it, but is growing on me.

I choose heaven. 3.5/5

I'd heard of this band, but never given them a listen. The vocals sound ethereal, with the guitar added giving it a laid back shoegaze sound. Really works as a complete album, compared to some which are held up by some strong singles. 4/5

Interesting. Good vibes, but I could not tell one song from another.

Curioso: mezcla de The Bee Gees, de las hijas de The Beach Boys, Kate Bush.

This effort deftly combines two of my biggest album pet peeves — nonsensical lyrics and a poor vocal mix! Given that I’m pretty sure atmosphere over enunciation was the goal here it’s a bit more forgivable, though difficult to fully ignore. The dreamy, optimistic timbre of the tracks is refreshing, but also fails to meaningfully evolve over the full runtime. Pleasant, but fairly one-note outside of the closing track. Listened to: walking through Brooklyn. Favorite tracks: fifty-fifty clown, Fotzepolitic, Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires

Beautiful sounds

Goth heritage (both me and the album) says I should like this. But I've tried numerous times over the years and don't get it. Too jangley shoegazy for me.

felt like a transition from 80s to 90s. Liked more as the album went on. Good vibe.

Not for me. Didn't really stand out.

Shoegaze pioneers that influenced the likes of Beach House, St. Vincent and all

A couple of fun dancey tracks but overall too dull.

Silly made up language, interesting shoegazey noisescape, are they Scottish? I can't tell. Fine when played at low volumes int he background while something more interesting is happening

Not for me

algunos temas se pasan ya pero ta bueno

I really liked the album. I would have probably loved it had I been able to decipher what she was singing about.....Definitely a mood.

Strong wistful vibe. Filled me with something like that feeling of nostalgia for something that you've never experienced, but instead of nostalgia it's regret. Not for anything in particular, just feels like "the past" Loved it

I love this album. It's one of the closest you can get to hearing angelic hymns Listened to it many times prior and will listen to it many times again

One of my favourite albums from the Cocteau Twins, up with Treasure and Head over Heels. 10/10 love the album, love the band.

It's weird, because I know I have heard the title track before, but I can't place it. The etherealness to every track is amazing. I know it was something that Kate Bush was shooting for, but this definitely outdoes it in a lot of ways. I know thys was likened to shoegaze, but there was something brighter to it. I will say some of the songs did to start to sound a bit same-y, but things like the title track and "Fotzepolitic" were definitely interesting to listen to. I just wish I remember where I had heard the title track before. Top tracks: title track, "Fotzepolitic," "Road River and Rail," "Frou-frou foxes in Midsummer Fires"

Oh great, the Cocteau Twins are back. At least the album leads with Cherry-Coloured Funk, which is one of the only songs of theirs I know or liked already. This album definitely reminds me of My Bloody Valentine and Mazzy Star releases that came within the next couple of years, between the fuzzy or vibrating guitars and the muffled vocals. Honestly, despite not looking forward to listening to this album, it's quite good. I did not like their previous album on this list but this one spoke to me. They perfected their art on it. The first half up to the title track was really good, without a weak song and with Iceblink Luck (their first single) every bit as dreamy good as the opener and title track. I feel like it dipped a bit for a few songs after that, but picked back up as it closed with Road, River, and Rail and with Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires. Definitely surprised at how much I enjoyed this album.

Didn't realize shoegaze was a category. I like it, though- smooth and melded sound that I enjoyed listening to. Similar to a smoother, lighter version of one of the songs from Pink.

Heaven or Las Vegas is a really cool song, gives strong Twin Peaks vibes. Turns out it was an influence for the music there, which makes sense. The rest of the album is ok, easy to get lost in, but not nearly as memorable as the title track. I also liked Cherry-Coloured Funk.

Not conviced their singing in a legit language. It's like that song from the 60s where that Italian bloke sang a song to sound like English but it was all just gibberish.

This album shows up on so many lists that I was excited to finally listen to it. The lyrics are unintelligible and the music was entirely forgettable. Very disappointing.

One of my favourites. Still can't understand the lyrics but it doesn't matter it's about the vibe.

I can't sing along to it for shit but I still love this album

Absolutely gorgeous. I was kind of in awe of it on my first listen. The instrumentation and sonic textures are immersive without a note out of place; not to mention the melodies. I don't even mind that I can't really understand what Elizabeth Fraser is singing--the feeling she imparts is more important. Maybe a perfect record. The Cocteau Twins hype is real. Highlights: Cherry-coloured Funk, Pitch the Baby, Iceblink Luck, Fifty-fifty Clown, Heaven or Las Vegas, Wolf in the Breast, Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires

The album wasnt over and I already forgot its earlier tracks

Don't think im going to either, this was straight to Boringtown

Excellent album. Will listen again

Music as light as a feather. It's nothing revolutionary, but I had a nice time listening. 3.5/5

Un très bon albumm, le genre qui passe vite. Ils ont vraiment un son propre sans sonner pareil tout au long de l'album. Quelques moments qui sotn un peu plus fade, mais généralement c'est un album vraiment solide. Très belle production, belle instrumentation, la chanteuse a une très belle voix qu'elle utilise de façon à super bien complémenter les instruments. Définitivement à revisiter. 8.5/10

Never heard of this before, but it was pretty good.

i love how i actually have no idea what shes saying

Chill

It was alright, nothing about it really grabbed me though

Great run of albums the last few days, hoping it lasts. The Cocteau Twins' creative peak.

This is good stuff from a band I’m not as aware of as I should be. But I enjoyed this. And I think is an act that belongs here. Whether it’s this album or not I don’t know. But one of their albums should be here anyway.

Heaven or Las Vegas - Cocteau Twins A new band for me. The names are familiar but that's it. There is a sense of 80s cool going on here. Their term “lazy calm” - the name of a track on another album - is something they seem to convey. Something I might have heard in a David Lynch film perhaps. I don't recognise anything though. Let's discuss the vocals. I recognise the sounds and rhythms of English and am frustrated by my inability to understand them. It's deliberately obscure - like made up words are dropped in, and then further inveigled by layering the two vocals; one atop the other. On auditory palimpsest of blathered words. It would be interesting to experience as a work of conceptual art. To make a point, doubtless subtle and refined. But for listening music? I found it frustrating, so frustrating ,and the music wasn't so amazing as to redeem the problem with the vocals for me. (Being more patient than most with conceptual artistic stuff and having broader tastes than most, I do feel this is exactly the kind of music that might have touched me if heard in the right place, time and mood. Or with the right explanation of what the hell is going on. Perhaps today it is just that none of those converged suffictly for me. I am left feeling that this is too intentionally inaccessible to the point of being rarified and cold and it's esotericism more alienating for me, than curiosity arousing. Reluctantly giving it a 2.

I’d be lying if I ever claimed I knew what Cocteau Twins were ever on about. I just know that I’ve always been a big fan of Elizabeth Fraser’s voice. There were a handfull of their songs that I really liked - The Spangle Maker (1984), Aikea-Guinea (1985) - but generally speaking in the record shop I worked in, each of their albums, as it was released, was like aural wallpaper. It didn’t matter that I didn’t get a handle on them, because Fraser’s voice was sublime & her approach to singing was unique. A bit like Kate Bush with no boundaries. It was her vocal on This Mortal Coil’s cover of Tim Buckley’s Song To A Siren(1983 & one of the greatest covers of all time) that I never tire of hearing. So by the time Heaven Or Las Vegas was released, I was used to the Cocteau Twins. For me, this album was more wallpaper - classy & her voice was as good as ever. I do love Wolf In The Breast.

Cocteau Twins are a really singular band; they had a sound that is instantly recognizable, beautiful, atmospheric and unique. They are the stereotypical 4AD band; weird, outsiders, strange but beautiful, sparse and ethereal. They really set the tone for 4AD in the 80s. Robin Guthrie is like the Edge, except even more so. His guitar playing technique is rudimentary, but his ability to create soundscapes with innovative use of effects is amazing. He takes it even further than the Edge into a whole new space, that was massively influential on shoegaze and the way that guitars have often been recorded ever since. But the Cocteau Twins are nothing without Liz Fraser. Her vocals are startlingly original; tangential melodies, intricately woven harmony parts, barely even in English. God knows what she is saying, but it is like a canvas onto which the listener can project their own emotions. Extraordinary. Prince and Jeff Buckley were both massive fans. I find it a bit hard to pick between Cocteau Twins records (and I own a bunch, but not his one; it was very hard to get on vinyl). They are such a distinctive oeuvre unto themselves, that they are just their own thing. But they were certainly never better than this record. Maybe the best Cocteau Twins album is the one you are listening to right now.

The missing link in my knowledge of 80s introspective goth-ish bands - love it.

Actually quite enjoyed it 8/10

Very similar to the first album we had from them. Less chaotic, more generic. Still can’t understand anything she be yodeling. 4/10

Too Pop-Electronica for me. No interest. 1/5

Stick a fork in my eye and get me out of here.

An all-time favorite album, by one of my all-time favorite bands! I was fortunate enough to see them on the tour for this album and it was amazing!

Very atmospheric album. Really liked the melodies and the music. The lyrics are interesting, the ones I can understand.

Estos discos siempre estuvieron en mi lista de la compra en su época, pero eran difíciles de encontrar en las tiendas de música que tenía a mano y pedirlos por correos no recuerdo que fuera posible. Desconozco si eran tiradas muy cortas o solo eran de importación. Hasta que no llegó el digital no pude disfrutarlos. Entiendo que habrá gente que no los aprecie, es un sonido y unas vocalizaciones muy particulares. Para guardar: "Cherry-Coloured Funk", "Iceblink Luck" y "Heaven or Las Vegas".

Not my thing. Really didn't enjoy the sound of the singer's voice. I won't go as far as calling it "grating" but it nearly was. Almost couldn't finish the album.

Love the vibes of this album, it creates such a dreamlike atmosphere. It feels very 80s. I have no idea what they're saying most of the time, but it sounds cool regardless.

Snore

Writing this review immediately after listening to the album and I can't remember anything about it

Currently on my 3rd time through this album today.

I think I'm a long lost Cocteau Twin. Triplet. This is basically how my soul sounds; pretty, slow, harmonious, gazey. Takes real effort to stop this loop and put other music on. Forget Vegas, this is heaven!

Layered singing and bright for shoegaze. Standout is the title track. Melodic and beautiful closing track. Feels short (37 min runtime), was left wanting more.

This album had me questioning if I spoke English at times. Why did it sound like it would drift into japanese or something. I'm pretty sure it was all English. Who knows.

Nice easy listening, not great though.

This is a hard review for me because the genre the Cocteau Twins operates in is my main go to. So there are two things to consider. I have a huge pool of artists floating around to consider, and most of them I view as having "this song" or "that song" I really love, and don't dig deep into their playlists. Also, those I have dug deep on are really quite special to me for whatever reason and I have been swimming in their pools for a long time. I have been viewing the Cocteau Twins mainly from the first pool, and LOVE a few of their songs. On the other hand, after a full album listen, I can see that I could get into this band enough to maybe consider putting them into my first pool after all. It may take a bit of a deeper plunge is all.

Elizabeth Fraser, the woman you are…this album is like slowly waking from a hazy dream to a beautiful sunrise.

Begint met bekend nummer en ik vind het wel een lekker geluid maar het kan niet het hele album m’n aandacht vasthouden.

Not bad, but not very interesting either. Overall just did not grab my attention. 2.5/5 Won’t listen again

Very synthetic, but in the wrong way for me. The instrumentation feels too sharp and brittle. I preferred “Treasure” over this one, which has a bit more meat to its sound, but Heaven or Las Vegas is not a bad record overall.

Awesome. Very cool. Loved it.

Heaven or Las Vegas stands as a pinnacle in the realm of dream pop, marking Cocteau Twins' most commercially successful release. 4AD president Ivo Watts-Russell's proclamed it being one of the label's best-ever releases, and a testament to the band's musical prowess and innovation in the genre. Elizabeth Fraser's ethereal vocals, complemented by Robin Guthrie's intricate guitar work and Simon Raymonde's atmospheric bass lines, create a mesmerising sonic landscape that captivates from start to finish. Tracks like Cherry-Coloured Funk and the title track Heaven or Las Vegas exemplify the band's ability to blend otherworldly soundscapes with catchy melodies. Even amidst the turbulence surrounding its release, the album stands as a testament to the band's artistic vision and enduring legacy in the realm of alternative music. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 6 STAND OUT TRACK - Heaven or Las Vegas

Heard of them but don't know any of these songs... Standouts: Icebrink Luck, Heaven or Las Vegas 3.5

She has a good voice and there are a few we'll written tracks but by and large this is mediocre.

Some weirdness here that all sounded the same.

Shoegazey heaven

This was ho hum for me. I did not really enjoy the mixture of English and random other languages that happen to sound good in the song, but did not have an applicable meaning in English.

Inaudible but still have fun/interesting sounds.That’s all I need and you need to know about this album

Totally whatever. Really did nothing for me. Didn't hate it but it just really was quite boring. I couldn't understand a word of what she was saying and it felt like there was no passion to it, just sounds. I mean I guess it didn't sound bad so that's cool I guess. Really not my cup of tea, very uninspiring.

wasn't familiar with artist or album, so expectations were quite low. overall I was pleasantly surprised. maybe I was just in a good mood today, but even though it is not my usual style it made for some nice background music. did give up trying to understand the lyrics tho & just focused on music. solid 2.5

Classic album with an amazing soundscape.

Wasn't so sure on this. Then got into it as it went on. Then immediately re-listened as loved the last tune. Then loved every tune. Then went on to explore this band's other albums. Rare gem of a find.

i love emo

I don't know if its just that shoegaze isn't really for me, but if it's meant to sound like one really long song that doesn't really have a rise or fall to it, then I guess it does the job.

I liked this more than Treasure, has a more interesting sound.

4 stars

Again, fine. Kind of like Abba on downers.

Pleasant enough, but not moving. She had a nice voice, but….I couldn’t understand her at all! I thought she was singing in a different language. Then I looked up the lyrics online and found out much to my surprise that they were in English. Not bad, but also not worth further investigation.

Pretty nice, a bit headache inducing if played all at once

My mom problem love ever note of this album. It's got some nostalgic vibes to it because it sounds like things I heard as a kid. Definitely has that Wilson Phillips sound to it but with a synth pop/post-punk/new wave flavor

Bettter than first Cocteau Twins album. Chill, electronic, original, a little weird.

a dreamy, soundscapey pop album from the Cocteau Twins, who I never really got into. The instrumentals are pretty nice here - they’re lush and have that floaty vibe to it. The vocals aren’t as enjoyable. Sometimes they add to the floating, sometimes they pull me back down. Plus I have no idea what they’re saying. Overall, it’s fine - don’t love or hate it. Some moments are pretty pleasurable but also can get a bit boring or just feel like it’s missing something. Or maybe it’s me who’s missing something…there are aspects of this that make me want to revisit, but the music just leaves me wanting something more.

Not having heard of this group, I was kind of dreading it. I figured it'd be some sort of loud screaming or something. It was actually kind of pleasant and relaxing.

Scottish Wilson Phillips singing in Simlish.

Shoegazy pop rock that's aged beautifully. These guitar tones are ripped straight from Siouxsie and the Banshees and I love them. I wish there was a bit more variation in the sounds on this album, but the mood it creates is heavenly.

Songs for moping about a boy who ignores you

I’ve heard of this band for a long time but never listened to them. I liked this album even though the 80s dream-pop vibe is not really my jam. The production is great, the instrumentation is great, the vocals are kind of hit or miss for me, but they do bring a unique feel. I appreciate this album from a historical perspective even if you won’t find me blasting these songs in my car with the windows down on a nice summer day.

Apparently the first dream pop album recorded. It honestly sounds like it could have been produced in 2024. Love it!

3,5!

It’s strangely hypnotic and I love how the songs build and run away from themselves. It also seems oddly timeless. I mean, I’m sure it sure sounds like the late 80s crawling into the turn of the century, but songs like Heaven or Las Vegas at least seem like they could have come out last week too.

Fantastic.

Not my thing

Quintessential dream pop.

Ok

more on a pop vibe than i thought it would be . i liked it

cocteau twins made some of the most heavenly music ever created with electric instruments and voice - and then they made this slightly shimmery restaurant music

no songs really stood out but just a really good vibe and solid album throughout

Hard to rate. There were moments I was really into a song and other moments where it just didn't click. The singing was so different than most, I can't tell if I liked it or didn't.

Sounds like ABBA?

It's alright

Interesting and worth a listen

what? insane

Two Cocteau Twins albums in the first 200? What did I do to deserve this????

Really nice and interesting sound. Just came across Cocteau Twins and I am a fan.

3.2

What a beautiful staring starting song “Cherry coloured funk”. Beautifully crafted soundscapes with a touch of 80s regalia but definitely a different sound than anything else from 1990. “Iceblink luck” is another amazing track. Amazing shoe gaze

A couple of songs were ok.

Smooth and poppy - very nice new wave album. The title track was by far my favorite.

Shoegaze is not my jam, especially when the singer is just making noises as opposed to words.

Incomprehensible Sims radio music

This album wasn't all that bad actually. Has a very nice 90s sound to it and in a weird way kinda reminds me of a (not as good) Cranberries. I've definitely heard worse. 6/10