Heaven Or Las Vegas

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

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

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.

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!

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!

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

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

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.

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

Fantastic.

Quintessential dream pop.

what? insane

obsessed w all the songs <3 lol cherry-coloured funk, pitch the baby, fifty-fifty clown have been in my rotation o:♡

I love all the songs on this album but I think Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires is my favorite <3 I wasn't expecting to see so many 1 star reviews on this but I guess you have to be smart and hot to understand :/

Fuck Yes.

Très planant, le genre de musique relax pas plate du tout, pas comme Pink Moon par Nick Drake EDIT DU FUTUR: C'EST BEAUCOUP PLUS RICHE ET DÉVELOPPÉ QU'IL N'Y PARAÎT À LA PREMIÈRE ÉCOUTE, PAS COMME PINK MOON PAR NICK DRAKE

Sooo so good. One of my top 10s.

sick af

Love it as always!

Not earth. That voice. Love this album. Language on the edge of a nervous breakdown becomes fully an instrument in its own right without having to have meaning encapsulated in words. Music can have intent and meaning outside of language.

Nice

The Scottish accent is something else, I couldn't understand any of the lyrics. This album has a very distinct sound which is great, but listening to all the songs back to back was a bit much for me, like eating a lot of pickles at once. I really like the album cover, fits the vibes. Edit -- One of the most unique albums I've listened to, there are a couple songs that I didn't like but overall really good, changing rating to a 5.

so. fucking. good.

9.5/10 - Loved this album. The chill vibe was fantastic. This felt similar to Emperor Tomato Ketchup where I can see how this turned into the music I listen to in my free time. Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer is just absolutely amazing. I loved it from the first song all the way through.

I enjoyed it, was expecting it to be pretty good with how much hype it was getting from everyone 9/10

Shoegaze bible 10/10

dreampop at its finest. this album is so /cinematic/. the layers r so gooooood and there's so much emotion put into this. love love love

Aaaah genieten dit. Echt een meesterlijk en tijdloos album. Hier zit pure magie tussen. Sowieso zijn Heaven or Las Vegas en Cherry-Colored Funk fantastisch. Maar wat kan ik ook genieten van Iceblink Luck en Pitch the Baby. De vocalen zijn uniek, betoverend en meeslepend. Het gitaarwerk dromerig maar het kickt hard in. Een ware bakermat voor shoegaze en dreampop. Highlight: Fotzepolitic. Dit nummer is zo magisch lekker. Je zweeft echt weg met dit nummer. De tekst is aardig mysterieus, begrijp absoluut niet waar het over gaat. Maar dat doet er allemaal niet toe. Luister en zweef mee. De laatste 30 seconden van dit nummer zorgt voor een heus oor-gasme. Rating: 10/10

Exceptional vocals that haunt and inspire alongside a consistently developed bass that resonates the message of nostalgia and longing.

n 1990, amidst the burgeoning alternative scene, Cocteau Twins unveiled Heaven or Las Vegas, their magnum opus and arguably the definitive dream pop album. It was a culmination of their sonic explorations, a celestial tapestry woven with ethereal vocals, shimmering guitars, and innovative production. Exploring themes of love, escapism, and spiritual yearning, the album transcended genre limitations, leaving an indelible mark on music history. This review delves into the intricate layers of "Heaven or Las Vegas," examining its lyrical poetics, musical grandeur, production mastery, thematic depths, and lasting influence, while acknowledging its potential shortcomings. Lyrics: Elusive Poetry or Frustrating Ambiguity? Elizabeth Fraser's vocals are the album's focal point. While not adhering to conventional language, her soaring melodies and melismatic phrases create an evocative soundscape. Phrases like "cherry-coloured funk" and "frou frou foxes" paint vivid sonic pictures, leaving open interpretations to individual listeners. Some find this approach mystical and beautiful, while others perceive it as frustratingly abstract. "Bluebeard" hints at a narrative, drawing inspiration from the fairy tale, but remains intentionally elusive. Despite their ambiguity, the vocals conjure powerful emotions, whether it's the blissful longing in "Heaven or Las Vegas" or the simmering tension in "Iceblink Luck." Music: Where Guitars Dream and Basslines Pulse Robin Guthrie's guitar work is integral to the album's atmosphere. He creates shimmering textures, utilizing effects pedals and unconventional tunings to evoke a sense of ethereal beauty. Tracks like "Cherry-Coloured Funk" and "Heaven or Las Vegas" showcase his ability to build sonic crescendos with cascading melodies and shimmering arpeggios. Simon Raymonde's basslines provide a powerful undercurrent, often pulsating with a hypnotic rhythm that adds depth and weight to the soundscapes. The intricate interplay between these instruments creates a unique soundscape that feels both dreamlike and grounded. Production: A Canvas Painted with Sonic Innovation Producer Tim Friese and engineer Hugh Padgham play a crucial role in shaping the album's sonic textures. They utilize unorthodox recording techniques, manipulating vocals and instruments to create an otherworldly feel. Reverbs, delays, and distortion are employed judiciously, adding ethereal dimensions to the sound. The use of unconventional instrumentation, like the harp in "Pitch the Baby," further contributes to the album's sonic tapestry. This meticulous production elevates "Heaven or Las Vegas" beyond a mere collection of songs, transforming it into a cohesive auditory experience. Themes: A Spiritual Journey Through Love and Escapism While Fraser's lyrics remain evocative rather than literal, themes of love, escapism, and spiritual yearning permeate the album. "Heaven or Las Vegas" itself presents a dichotomy between an introspective, heavenly realm and the vibrant, exhilarating energy of Las Vegas. Tracks like "Iceblink Luck" and "Pinkflood" hint at darker emotions, but the overall mood remains hopeful and uplifting. The ethereal soundscapes evoke a sense of longing and escape, urging listeners to transcend the mundane and embrace the beauty of the unseen. Influence: A Dream Pop Legacy "Heaven or Las Vegas" had a profound influence on the development of dream pop. Bands like Lush, My Bloody Valentine, and Sigur Rós cite it as a major inspiration. Its impact extends beyond dream pop, influencing acts like Radiohead and Björk with its innovative production and exploration of ethereal soundscapes. The album's enduring impact lies in its ability to evoke a sense of emotional resonance and sonic exploration, inspiring numerous artists to push the boundaries of their sound. Pros: Groundbreaking production: Innovative techniques create a uniquely immersive soundscape. Hauntingly beautiful melodies: Fraser's vocals and Guthrie's guitar work leave a lasting impression. Cohesive atmosphere: The album flows seamlessly, creating a unified sonic experience. Influence and legacy: A pioneering work that inspired countless artists across genres. Cons: Lyrically ambiguous: May frustrate listeners seeking conventional storytelling. Accessibility: The ethereal nature might not appeal to everyone. Limited emotional range: While beautiful, it may not encompass the full spectrum of human emotions. Conclusion: "Heaven or Las Vegas" stands as a testament to Cocteau Twins' creative vision and mastery. Despite its potential drawbacks, the album's innovative production, ethereal soundscapes, and evocative vocals create an unforgettable sonic experience. While it may not resonate with everyone, its influence and legacy cement its place as a landmark achievement in dream pop and alternative music.

37 minutes of otherworldly bliss.

This shit was so beautiful - I have no notes. Immaculate

Cocteau Twins' most popular album, and probably not coincidentally the one that overlaps with Shoegaze's imperial era as well. Both Dream Pop and Shoegaze started out deconstructing pop music by transforming them into something unrecognizable. In early Cocteau Twins, the atmosphere was inscrutable and Elizabeth Frazer's singing even more cryptic and siren-esque. By the early 90s, both genres had come up with an unique sound out of their experimentations and were now moving back to pop: what would be the most approachable, poppiest music they could make without losing that characteristic sound? Here Cocteau Twins presents ten simple pop songs laced with their own sound thats probably one of the best ways of introducing someone to Dream Pop (without immediately throwing them into the deep end like you would with Loveless). The textures the guitars produces sound unlike anything you have ever heard a guitar make, almost closer to a jangly chippy synth. And Elizabeth Frazer, though now more discernably understandable, still sounds angelic. It gives the effect of her singing being both a sweet and lovingly way but also a fundamentally not 100-comprehensibly way, still allowing for an air of mystery to pervade. You can't get closer to heavenly vibes than this. Strong 4 to Light 5

This album is peak dream pop. Literal perfection from beginning to end and the album that began a long obsession with dream pop and shoegaze for me. If you can’t enjoy this album there’s something wrong with you.

Glorious

Absolute classic

This album is also on npr’s list of 150 best albums by women so I’ve listened before. It’s so great. This would be a good chill cooking dinner album

Standout- "Cherry-coloured Funk," "Heaven or Las Vegas," "Fotzepolitic," Vocals/Lyrics- 4/5 (no idea what they said but they said it beautifully Instrumentals- 5/5 (Very dreamy Vibes- 4/5 Overall- 5/5 I loved this album. While difficult to understand, it was very "dreamlike" and just scratched a specific itch in my brain.

An all time fave, listening to the album all the way through made me appreciate I Wear Your Ring a lot more. 5 stars all around.

An absolutely stunning, ethereal and beautiful album from start to finish. I don't think enough praise can be given. Openly, I don't care for a lot of late 80s-early 90s pop albums, but this is a shining example of a standout dream pop record in an over saturated environment. There are no bad, or even subpar tracks present. The runtime is a breezy 37 minutes, and every one is essential and very welcoming.

When David Lynch wrote, "We are like the dreamer who dreams, and then lives inside the dream,” I think he might have been listening to this (perfect dream pop) record.

The lyrics are unintelligible, the melodies are slow and dreamy, it's the very definition of the shoegaze genre, and I bloody love it

4.8 Dreampop at its finest, Elizabeth Fraser's the queen of shoegaze and dreampop. Fave songs: Iceblink Luck, Frou-frou Foxes, Cherry Coloured funk, pitch the baby

Fantastic album. I'd heard a few songs off of it before and really enjoyed it, but this is the first time I'd heard the whole album. It transports me to a dreamy place, and the album colors make my eyes happy.

Ethereal and soft. Reminds me of a calmer My Bloody Valentine. I loved it.

oo I got this one on vinyl Despite that, I've only heard Side A; luckily, what's good in the first half continues in the second. The feeling I get from seeing the album cover is very similar to what I get listening to the songs: like an aurora in that it's transient, & leaves me wanting more. Generator has been on fire this month, more Scottish nonsense pls HL: "Cherry-Coloured Funk", "Iceblink Luck", title track, "I Wear Your Ring", "Fotzepolitic", "Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires" January 22, 2024

Vastly prefer this to Treasure. I love how shoegazey and dreamy it is. It’s just a vibe.

Excellent album of dream Pop that doesn't meander or waste time

I can't believe I haven't heard this before. What an amazing sound that no doubt lays the foundation for modern indie but was also very much a product of its time: 80s dream/ambient pop full of wavy, dreamy rhythms. Loved it!!

Son étonnant et assez euphorisant. Ethéré, mélancolique mais heureux. Entre du shoegaz et de la pop, quelque part entre My Bloody Valentine et ABBA. Difficile de ne pas être accroché dès les premiers instants de “Cherry-coloured Funk”. La chanson titre est excellente également. “Iceblink Luck”, “Wolf in the breast”... C’est un quasi sans faute. Grosse hésitation entre 4 et 5, mais à la longue il devrait devenir un 5 obligatoire.

This was my first 10 that’s been recommended to me. I absolutely LOVED this and had never heard of the Cocteau twins before. Definitely need to check out their other stuff now. Just really enjoyed their vibe.

Really otherworldly pop!

Pretty much perfect all the way through. I’d never heard this before. It has an unreal dreamlike quality I gotta relisten to Loveless now

sempre uma experiencia

Beautiful! Really enjoyed this.

One of those rare flawless albums. Incredibly beautiful. Haunting. Elizabeth Fraser's voice is otherworldly.

FUCK YEAH SYNTH

Known before: Yes Cherry-coloured Funk Iceblink Luck Heaven or Las Vegas Road, River and Rail 10/10

Known Before: No Standouts: 2. Pitch the Baby 9.0

Haven't listened to this album in ages and have forgotten how much fun it is....the sound of a new decade of pop

That was awesome. Have never listened to them before but will be now. Rating: 4.8

Great ethereal sounding record. A perfect blend of dream pop and rock.

Like falling in love in a dream and waking up with a smile still on your face. Still have no fucking idea what they’re saying though.

A brilliant slice of alternative nonsense

Люблю люблю сука люблю! Альбом - столовая ложка британского альт-рока 80х. Шугейз + постпанк + готика = этериал вейв. Обожаю вокал Фрейзер, обожаю гитару, обожаю драмку...

Hope to see them at Coachella next year

Shoegaze meets disco-pop.

classic :-))

A beautiful ethereal masterpiece. Gives me goosebumps every time with such emotionally intense vocals and powerful waves of shoegaze melodies. With Treasure stands as the greatest dream pop records of all time. I love the double-tracked vocals which add to the ambiance of the room this record builds in your head. It's busy and fast, but leaving moments of repetition to slow down and appreciate the vibe. Moods vary from relaxation to mystery to pure bliss and euphoria. Fraser has such a versatile voice that there's always new tricks to show off in each track. She doesn't hold back. Not a single weak track on here. Starts off very strong with mesmerizing hits, moving to the euphoric tracks, and toning it down in the second half in wonder and curiosity with abrasive effects overtaking energy, like the second side of Treasure. Every one is memorable for both the melody and the vocals. "Road River and Rail" is the only track I'm not saving, but it's just as essential for its dark mysterious vibe, and that lovely optimistic bridge and closer. "Frou-frou Foxes" is such a beautiful and satisfying closer. It's a masterpiece in what pop could achieve and evoke into the audience. Fraser shows that lyrics don't matter. The story could be told through other means, and interpreted however the audience likes. This is a record that transcends music in the traditional sense, and like techno and house, it serves as a medium of sound to place the audience in another world, one so serene and blissful. A world I'm glad to have discovered and occasionally re-visit.

If this isn't playing in Heaven, I'm not going.

Here we go, a consistently lush and intimate dreampop album that never fails to transport its listeners

An absolutely magical, dream and atmospheric album by Cocteau Twins. The vocals are stunning and an instrument in itself (proof lyrics aren't always that important), the guitars are beautiful, too. Overall a gorgeous dream pop album that belongs high on any 1990s list.

Finally, a redeeming quality of Grangemouth, Scotland.

If there was a genre of just psychedelic Scottish bands I’d listen to it all day. Favs: Cherry-Colored Funk, Pitch the Baby, and Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer (but really the entire album if I could) Least Fav: you’d be insane to put any of these songs here

Easy one for me, I love Cocteau Twins and this record in particular. Dream pop that influenced many other (dream pop/shoegaze) bands I love down the road, so there’s that to appreciate too.

Really enjoyed it. You can hear the influence it has on a lot of bands i listen to. Will listen again.

Dreamy and atmospheric vibes. I've never heard this before, never heard of Cocteau Twins in general. But if someone were to play Cherry-coloured Funk without me hearing it before, I'd think it was from the last decade, not 33 years ago. That might potentially be more a case of modern music being a throwback rather than this being ahead of its time, though. But I wouldn't doubt the latter either. Everything fits together so well - The instrumentation is wonderful, the vocals are otherworldly, everything is layered but it doesn't ever feel like a mess. This is very good. Some beautifully ethereal Dream Pop that's just a great album to chill with. Press play and lose yourself in aural psychedelia. Favourite: Iceblink Luck

Excellent 4.5/5

no idea what she’s saying but ok slay queen x Seriously though, this album is beautiful. I am a big fan of shoegaze and I can see how this was clearly very, very influential. Favourite songs (after listening multiple times): ‘Cherry-coloured Funk’, ‘Pitch the Baby’

Glad to be reminded of this, haven't listened to Cocteau Twins for a while. Great album.

This album is so textured. I could hear influences of post-punk, new wave, and shoegaze in this gauzy dream pop record. I could not understand the lyrics but that seems completely secondary to the purpose of this album. The effect is tremendous; it feels like a warm all encompassing hug that ebbs and flows.

I had never listened to the Cocteau Twins before, and based on the album name alone, it wasn't quite what I expected. But I caught on real quick. Amazing album with such an ethereal sound!

A dream pop classic

best dream pop i’ve ever heard

i have no idea what she’s saying but i do not care ❤️‍🔥

Fav Tracks: - Cherry Colored Funk - Heaven or Las Vegas

THIS is why I'm doing this project. An album of Simlish esque dreampop? Yes please. Gives me nostalgia for things from my youth that didn't even happen to me it evokes an image so well. Can't stop listening to this.

i don't know what she's singing but it's speaking to me

Perfect. Elizabeth Fraser is possibly my favourite singer ever. All the songs are brilliant with the title track standing out as one of the best songs I’ve heard from anyone. Also my favourite album from this incredible band.

Sooooo good. Couldn’t tell you a single lyric, though. Favs: Cherry-coloured Funk, Heaven or Las Vegas, I Wear Your Ring, Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires

i felt very relaxed throughout

I *always* had the same complaint when it came to the Cocteau Twins. I wanted more urgency in the music. I wanted harder hits and higher bpms. I wanted occasional crunch and intermittent grit — deliver a line with a throaty yowl once in a while. In other words, I wanted them to be a band that was not who they were. I wanted, craved, yearned for a version of the Cocteau Twins that was more punk than they ever wanted to be. I went so far down this road that a punk band I was in covered Wax and Wane. But, I've only begun to ask myself: Why? It may be as simple as this. The Cocteau Twins make truly great music that I'm drawn to; but as with many things we love, I sought to impose my vision on them, my own will, I could not step back and give them the space to be who they were. I loved them partially for what they were, but I loved them more (and was always hurt by it) for what I wanted them to be. Robin and Elizabeth, I've finally grown up. I'm sorry. I'm only now mature enough to fully love you for what you really had to offer. I no longer want you to be something that you're not. I'm grateful these records are still here for me to come to that understanding. Younger me would've foolishly rated this three stars, but not anymore...full five.

At the time had this album on cassette tape, with Treasure on the flip side: both are timeless classics and two of the best pop albums made during 1980-90. HoLV has a more dreamy sound, much lighter than Treasure, but that's rather deceptive.

Can't get enough of this album. Beautiful dreamy music, interesting vocal harmonies, great songs throughout.

This record’s evocative title compares two heavily-lit locales, both quite desirable to many men-n-wem. One’s the perfect palace of the high-n-holy. The other is the celebrated Sin City. The songs serve such a dichotomy with their divinity and danceability. Whether you seek spiritual treasure or just want some quick thrills, this record’s right for you. I've written descriptions for each song below: Cocteau Twins’ 1990 masterpiece Heaven Or Las Vegas kicks off sounding like a spacey Sgt-Pepper-turned-Saint. ‘Cherry-Coloured Funk’ bops with blue notes, the tune technically up-tempo but not really too fast. Icicle guitars twang sharply. Some phase-y sound twitches like the slowed-down “wow” of Owen Wilson. Come chorus: sole angel sings with rhythmic tenderness, her voice frail and falsetto. It’s a touching contrast to the low-n-slow earthly verses. More angels abound in choral rounds of choruses. Divine! ‘Pitch The Baby’ opens ominously. Some choppy rhythmic alarm-like sound, copied by guitar, cuts through the mix with a fat bass funking it up. Two-note vocal route rips through a fast-paced passage each verse. Things change here-n-there, but the main mood holds true all tune. “Wah-wah-wah” wails the baby, pitched up-n-down in the end. Time to dance to an irresistible tune about ‘Iceblink Luck’, a popping song with a wickedly simple synth riff and some rollercoaster vocals. Layered guitars build the tension into a blissful chorus, double-tracked harmony heaving around your head in a dizzy day-dream of summer. The moody ‘Fifty-Fifty Clown’ must have had a bad day, hence the unhappiness of this track. Its pulse pumps on as pinging vibraphone-like guitars ring out around delayed drum-machine beats. The vocals stream freely, a harmony weepy and worried like a stressed-out housewife. The song could quite well be the soundtrack to some synthetic 1950s-New-York-City-in-rainy-night gangster videogame. That’s the vibe in my mind. ‘Heaven Or Las Vegas’ gracefully goes on with two sweet major-seventh sonorities presiding over a shaky beat. The singing is calm yet declarative, strong and self-assured. Majestic melodies soar during the chorus, layered beyond belief. Guitars bloom full out with fuzz and thrumming feelers extending every whichway. It’s like sunshine exploding and coating everything. The bridge brings new gnarly liquid lines of incisive slide guitar. More chorus. Bridge again. Heaven or Las Vegas? Whatever it may mean, it’s all light and it’s all right. It feels good, friends. ‘I Wear Your Ring’ returns to mournful means with breathy synth sadly oozing over latin percussion. Frantic bass blasts in with the entrance of the vox. The singing sticks with a few notes, back-n-forth and back-n-forth, the fast mesmerizing lines of a fortune teller. Multiple melodies occupy a crazy chorus and make for a tough sing-a-long. Final minute music of outro follows a new chart. The singing gallops up in a “hey hey hey hey hey” line that hits the heart with its tight last-minute motion. Fine and fine and fine, the layers entwine, fading. Fade in ‘Fotzepolitic’, distant guitars griming 6/8-style strums under another busy vocal delivery. The beat bounces lazily. It’s a paradise of pleasure or curiosity. It all gets a bit more grim and serious though at the end when the descending chords come out and the words warn again and again the same sentiment, something like: “See and saw / Bounce me back to you, will you?”. Seems like a dream. ‘Wolf In The Breast’ comes the closest to country the Cocteau’s ever composed. Rollicking guitars roll and sometimes slide in this drowsy ditty. Naked vocals sing clearly yet cryptically. Only the back-up unchanging “my baby” can be clarified from within the wash of words. As usual, lots of layers move through the mellow mood of this music. ‘Road, River And Rail’, another gloomy tune, features an unflinchingly doleful guitarpeggio the entire time. Various atmospheric sounds zoom and swoop and droop around the sadsong. For the first time on the album, vocal layers are relegated as slaves to the main master melody. They solely serve as special effects during the chorus, gasping ghostlike in the background indistinctly. Last track ‘Frou-Frou Foxes In Midsummer Fires’ dawns all dramatic. An abandoned piano plays in the opening accompanied by clattering cymbal-clicks and quietly-screaming guitar. Eerie singing reminds me of a regretful little girl confessing to her crimes. A hiccuping interlude shimmers and throbs beautifully over ascending chordal comeuppance. After another pass on this sad stuff, snare drums snap and the music erupts into ecstatic rapture! In this anthemic arrangement, a sturdy guitar strums swiftly as bass-n-drums keep the beat balanced and two vocal lines race around a choral carousel: a low-toned rapping passage pummels on and on as higher-pitched spectral singing hems in each sublime measure. This has to be heard to be understood. The entire structure resets and resumes, the music notably noisier on round two. It puts on great weight and eventually comes to its cathartic close on that absolutely mad abundantly lovely chorus.

Perfect rainy day sitting in a cafe reading, being all pretentious and trying to impress the quirky goth waitress. Heavenly memories of a misspelt youth.

я врубил настолько громко насколько мог себе позволить и утонул

Tremendous on all fronts.

Pure bliss. Perfects the genre of dream pop in every way.

Loved it. Great discovery and so unique.

The Cocteau Twins and their album Blue Bell Knoll were quite popular with many of my peers when I was in college, so I heard a lot of them. Seemed to be pretty good music to study by. Even though this subsequent album isn't one I heard much, it was still very nostalgic to listen to them. No one else sounds anything like this, and it's a wonderful, ethereal sound. Lovely, warm feeling with it today.

I love the song Heaven or Las Vegas. But that's about all I have heard from the Cocteau Twins until today. The album was a fantastically hazy, lush dreamscape that I enjoyed most of the day. I didn't understand the words, and often wasn't sure what language I was hearing, but I didn't much care.

For much of the 1980s, the trio named after one of the more enigmatic avant-garde filmmakers of the 20th Century crafted a world in which murmurs and riddles occupied the territory, existing only to mystify those who came across their path and served plentiful returns for many a fan's investments. Heaven or Las Vegas was Cocteau Twins fraternizing with the mainstream and coming away from it largely with their aesthetic intact. Deciding that accessibility is the key to succeed, they mainly do so on their terms and it is fantastic throughout. Dreamy, ethereal, stargazing, euphoric... it's a shame that they had one or two more albums left in them for, had they continued down this path, Cocteau Twins could have been bigger than imaginable. But it's best that they didn't. Alas, phenomenal album.

One of the greatest albums of all time. I listen to this album frequently.

I have been really hoping this would come up on the list. Over the past few years, it has become one of my favourite albums, and over the Covid lockdowns became important to me in a way I find hard to put into words. The production is fantastic, both warm and icy in equal measures (if that even makes sense). The songwriting is amazing; even though the lyrics are mostly unintelligible, the melodies speak for themselves. Overall I wouldn't change a thing about this album. 6/5.

A bit frontloaded but it's hard to deny how the Cocteau Twins set the standard for this genre.

I love this album. It’s so layered and filled with little nuggets that you want to keep coming back over and over again. It may not get as much spotlight as its shoegaze cousin Loveless, but it is every bit as lush and amazing. The phrasing of the lyrics is so intricate as well, it makes it somewhat hard to understand the words, but the feeling is so strong in the delivery, it could be another language entirely it doesn’t matter. I started at a 4, but then probably listened to it 10 times in 2 days because it’s pretty short and I could probably listen to it another 10 times and love it more.

One that I'd have to be in a specific mood for, but I really appreciate it.

I love shoe gaze and dream pop, so you can’t ask for much more.

an absolutely incredible album, one of my favorites of all time. another excuse to listen to it was lovely. easy 5

Magical album that always makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up at some point while listening to it.

By far my fave so far

Love this album, sounds great and enjoyable throughout. No real complaints from me.

Amazing. Need to have on vinyl.

A mixture of Enya and The Cranberries. This sounds damning but I *loved* it. The first time on this I've heard and album on this I'd not heard before and played it on repeat all day. Best songs, Wolf in the Breast, Iceblink Luck and the standout Heaven or Las Vegas.

Sublime discovery for me. Had heard of, but not heard of Cocteau Twins and need to hear more.

A bottomless sea washes over me as the needle spins. Turning and turning, feeling dizzy has never felt so liberating.

98 / 1069 Evokes memories and times that I'm pretty sure don't exist… interesting. Absolutely beautiful album; I'm a fan of Beach House, but compared to this I'm not sure they're as great/innovative as I thought. Not that it matters I guess, they're both fantastic. Anyway, absolutely worth listening to, easily one of the best albums to come off the 1001 list so far (although, somewhat ironically, I was thinking of playing this last night before it came up on the generator today).

Amazing dream pop. Every song is at least good. Most are great!

Love this album, a beautiful atmospheric masterpiece

Cherry flavored funk is something else

FIRE ASL! 9/10

An absolute joy. I almost feel like my life was incomplete before finally hearing this album, and kicking myself for not playing this band back during my college radio DJ days. This isn't dream pop as much as it's ABBA with an edge.

Among my favourite ever albums just perfect

Se siente como un verano, un viaje o un recuerdo, la voz, esta al mismo nivel que los instrumentos, pero no se pierde en ellos, y es suave, el álbum mantiene una coerción de principio a fin

I have no idea wtf she's saying but idk I'm living for it!

Lovely album

Stone cold classic! Already know and love this album, just went and listened to it twice back to back, still freaking amazing. If anything, this (and every other Cocteau Twins album really) just keeps getting better and better the more I listen to it. Effortless 5.

heaven pour ma part

Beautiful stuff

Absolutely loved this. What a surprise - struggling for adjectives, but I think 'bewitching' is close enough. Pearly dewdrops drops was a jaw-dropping moment for me, but that was 35 years ago and I never followed it up properly, so the Cocteau Twins just fell outside my radar. What a shame, because this is great. Loads of beautiful melodies to send shivers down the spine.

Pure bliss.

Very good.

A god damn classic for a god damn reason. This album is a perfect culmination of the sound they invented.

I went into the album thinking I was gonna end up giving it a 2 or a 3, but oh my God, was I wrong. I absolutely love the sound of this album. I think having headphones on definitely helps this album. My only critic for the album would probably be that I wish the sound varied ever so slightly more from each song, but even so, I still loved this album. The 90's are truly becoming my more divisive decade. My favourite song was probably I Wear Your Ring, but it's hard to choose.

Loveeeee Will probably buy on vinyl Would love to learn the lyrics Sad spotify doesn’t have the lyrics for this album Definitely a night album NIGHT DRIVE album So valid

Amazing!!

Couldn’t understand any of the words but overall feel was dreamy. Favourite song was wolf on my breast or the last one, frou frou

Oh nostalgia hard. This is the good shit.

holy shit, this is like if Abba made shoegaze only thing I hate about this album is how fucking short it is, jesus christ I had to replay this like six god damn times in a row it’s so good too good for the five star scale

LOVE THIS ALBUM from beginning to end, the dreamy atmosphere that is maintained throughout is just my favourite thing ever. Easy 5 for me

I'd never heard of this band before and really liked it. Looking into it after listening, I found I was familiar with a lot of other artists on the 4AD label which explains why I really vibed with it. Very dream pop and will 100% be going through the other albums from this band.

This is a good one imo

Один из самых красивых альбомов вообще.

Great

Osjećam se glupo jer nisam nikad čula za njih i ovaj album. Ta prva pjesma mi je skoro dovoljna za peticu ali pomaže i to što je ostatak albuma jako dobar.

Ovaj album sam znao dosta slušati u zimi da me ugrije, jer su melodije bile takve, poput pokrivača. Iako je to već meme dosta godina, kurca ih razumijem, al taj glas u potpunosti nadopunjuje glazbu i to je taj pogodak. Ovaj album je must-listen dream pop album, iako ima šačicu shoegazea kako po kojoj pjesmi. Jače je od četvorke, pošto vamo ne mogu dati ono što želim kao i većinu puta, bit će ovaj puta ovako kako ga sad dadnem. Lijep pozdrav.

Wonderful, marvelous, magnificient, sensational, outstanding! Really had a great time with this one, I must listen to them more often!

I needed that his morning. Cocteau Twins are such talented artist. Album is really interressing, I migth listen to it one more time just to feel the atmosphere.

All my friends who love Cocteau Twins agree that this is their best record. It probably is, but my favorite is the one after this (Four Calendar Cafe). I'm giving this a 5 because its objectively in the top 2-3 shoegaze records of all time. I love this genre and this is one of my favorite bands of all time. There is nothing objective about this review.

Cherry-coloured funk is one of the most important songs in the history of dream pop and it feels like the final tunnel scene in the Perks of Being A Wallflower I really like Pitch the Baby A humongous fan of Iceblink Luck Not to mention how excellent the DRUMS AND GUITARS ARE I love the title track I am biased but my most listened-to songs have to be fotzepolitic I barely skip any of the songs on the album which is a key thing for me The essence of vertigo and not knowing where you are is what I love the most, I also really enjoy the fact that it's blurry and Elizabeth's vocals are not really easy to hear. Top 100 albums of all time for sure

Loved this. It was full of ethereal sounding dream pop.

Love this so much, every track, from start to finish, just wish it was longer.

Hi- Cherry-Coloured Funk, Fifty-Fifty Clown, I Wear Your Ring, Fotzepolitic, Wolf In The Breast Cocteau Twins have been at the forefront of the genre of lazy, sweeping and melodic guitars, the shrill, angelic voices, and the swirling, echoey tapestry of bright synth melodies of "Shoegaze" or "Dream Pop". Heaven or Las Vegas (both the album and the song) is the poster child of the genre, and if Cherry-Coloured Funk is your introduction to the style, it would probably leave you wanting more. I would say this album's peak is Fifty-Fifty Clown, A track that starts off and builds on a smooth and steady synthwave bass serves as the heartbeat for the entire track, and goes off the rails weaving bright synth and layers of Elizabeth Fraser's lilting soprano before returning to the heartbeat, a rush that's all too brief. The titular track neatly ties up the first act, but the show isn't over here, as the b-sides are just as delicious as the a-sides, each track is brilliant, unconstrained, but relaxed and never rushed. This album might be a showcase, but its followups (Four-Calendar Cafe & Milk & Kisses) are just as gorgeous and absolutely worthwhile, as are their contemporary acts such as Lush, Slowdive, Ivy, The Dandy Warhols, and even Venus Hum...It's a shame the wonder of Shoegaze/Dream Pop has fallen by the wayside in recent years, its charm is endlessly adorable and still holds up today.

Vilkey galet sammanträffande att de bara e album som ja ha lyssna förr som förtjänar femmor!!!!

Ethereal beauty

Claassic

Amazing. Beautifully painted soundscapes all thought the album make it a true classic of the genre. Can't help but adore it.

Great stuff

Great!

Frábær plata! Þarf að hlusta meira á þetta band.

I love this album, have always loved it, will always love it. Blast to listen to today!

dreamyyyy

The only "Dreampop" album that matters truly.

🤠

Goodness, this album is superb, so soothing and calm/

Truly genuine pop music with a distinctive sound.

amazing

Its a 5 star from me! Loved this album for a while now. Its fun and different from anything else I know really.

This music just always makes me feel so dreamy. Her voice is perfect for dream pop . One of the best albums of this genre

Stone cold classic album. You can hear the influence in so many other albums. I'm a huge sucker for dream pop and this is just one of the titans of the genre.

Absolutely gorgeous album.

A classic dreampop album, for good reason.

So dreamy. 9/10

отцы, че сказать. Не такой великий альбом как Treasure, на мой взгляд, но всё ещё где-то очень близко к идеальному релизу без плохих песен. Это что касается, так сказать, общего впечатления. Но есть нюанс - альбом всё-таки по большей части выполняет роль фона, какие-то резко цепляющие мотивы ловятся раз в 3 песни примерно. По этой причине не могу для себя 10/10 влепить - да, всё очень нежно, зефирно и красиво, но хочется ещё и хуков на века, тем более, что группа может. Но на 9/10 сойдусь изи, хороший вкат в околошугейз для тех, кому Loveless тяжеловат. Лучшие песни: Cherry-Coloured Funk, Iceblink Luck, I Wear Your Ring (ваще кайф), Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires (ваще-ваще кайф) Худшие: я честно не обнаружил

actually liked it

Very ethereal and dreamy. Love it!

Gets better as it goes on...great last 2, 3 tracks

Heard this bad boy quite a few times Really really good!

I liked this album a lot. It reminds me of MGMT and I’m glad to have found this.

ahh nice

sehfjahfbeljdlhsdfjashkdf streeeet

Cant understand wtf liz fraser is singing. 5 stars

Uhh ich liebe die Produktion

Heaven

I got introduced to this album about a year ago, and at first it was kind of hard for me to entirely grasp it. Still I fell in love with the first and last tracks so I gave it a couple of tries more and now I think it is just lovely.

Loved it

I've already heard this album a few times before. It's lovely.

One of the best sounding records I’ve ever listened to

Great album

Lovely album, very 80's synth pop feel but also beautifully arranged vocals and mixture of sounds. Very enjoyable album

Surpringly enjoyed

what she saying

Good indie sound with a heavy 90s feel.

The original vapourwave. Listened

First song was sampled on the morning by The Weeknd. Old rock easy listening

Why haven't I listened to this before?

Now we're talking! Har lyssnat på albumet några gånger nu, så det säger allt. Känns som en korsning mellan typ The Cranberries, Highasakite, och lite annat smått o gott.

i actually kinda like this type of music. almost indi esc. has some nice rythm to it, tho idk what the lyrics were most the time

I couldn't process a single word that was said but fun surreal vibes, for the girls Favorite Song: Cherry-coloured Funk

Never listened. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - I quite like Treasure so have high hopes for this album as it is very acclaimed. Cherry-coloured Funk is an immersive opener that has a wash of sound. Pitch The Baby is dreamy and filmic. Iceblink Luck is a bit more grounded and the vocals are much easier to follow. The pounding start of Fifty-fifty Clown leads into the moodiest track so far. The title track reminds me of something that I can't quite put my finger on but it's really good. Maybe I hear a hint of Stevie Nicks in the vocals. I'm really enjoying this album and I can see it being even better in a different setting. Wolf In The Breast is beautiful. Frou-frou Foxes In Midsummer closes things on an ethereal note that is stunning. Fantastic album that I wish I had listened to sooner.

I first listened to this a few years ago and I thought it was just ok. I listened again to it yesterday and my opinion has changed. I now think it is good, I still don’t know what she is saying but whether it was just another listen or the situation I was in or maybe my mood, I enjoyed it.

This is an interesting one. The Cocteau Twins started out making records that had a foot in post punk and goth. This record moves to something a bit more ambient, although those post punk elements aren't completely gone and there are moments where there is a stronger element on melody and traditional songwriting in the indie tradition. It feels similar to a lot of projects that are working in electronic music, even though it tends to stick to rock instrumentation with a lot of reverb. There is also a connection to the burgeoning shoegaze scene, although without the volume. I can also see how this was initially thought of as a more commercial record given some of the production elements that align with more mainstream aesthetics, although they were a bit overstated and work within the overall project. Overall, this is an enjoyable album.

Overall a great listening experience. At times can feel a bit gimmicky or substanceless.

That was wild. Incredibly unique, they truly have a sound of their own.

8/10 I didn't have much expectative about this project but it surprised me

If only Abba morphed into something like this, I would have appreciated it much more. Haunting, beautiful, weird.

This was an incredible listen, so far the best new find since I joined this project. Its colourful, swirly, hazy and relaxing in all the right ways... really felt the world was spinning around me as the music played. It doesnt get a 5 because I didnt find many hooks, catchy melodies or moments to remember... could also be that I need to hear it more times but it felt more like a long continuous piece of music instead of a collection of songs. I would have trouble telling each song apart. Loved it!!

At its best, dream pop is increcible. At its worst, it's really bad. At her best, Elizabeth Fraser is practically perfect. At her worst, she's remarkably good. 4.0

I quite enjoyed it ! was scared not to, due to the over-repetitive rhythms, but those heartfelt vocals do seem to help break the risk of monotony. still a bit too long for the lack of variability though

I'm not sure I could pick out any songs in particular but I enjoyed listening to this album front to back; just really atmospheric and right up my alley.

I will be returning to this album & Cocteau Twins. Didn't really pay attention to the lyrics but it didn't feel like I even had to. I love chill music like this which you can play & just lounge around or do whatever chill activity you wish. Elizabeth Fraser's vocals are heavenly!

I'm very stingy with my 5-star ratings, but honestly, if I could give this 4.5 stars, I would! This whole album is a vibe of mellowness, dreamy, ephemeral chillness. I downloaded the entire album to my library and will be saving it for the nights when I need to unwind or when I'm sitting on the back porch sipping on some wine with a friend. It would also be a pretty awesome soundtrack for an afternoon nap.

This was a weird little album. At first I was skeptical but then after feeling like I emerged from a fever dream, I think I really liked this. It's almost purely melodic, the lyrics mean nothing which I found out later is intentional, and really really cool. Standout tracks were "Heaven or Las Vegas" and "Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires" A solid 4

Liked this a lot, very dreamy and vibey. Even if I couldn't understand the singer!

I love the texture and the general oddness of the sound. It's clear the Twins were feeling inspired when they made this. The confidence is audible.

calm, summery, lil boring at times

This album was great, I really loved it. I don't remember listening to anything by this group before but apparently I'd already saved the title track before.

Klassisk opener. Meget bra ellers også!

Overall, this album is unique to my ears. It's nice to be able to listen to music and vocals as part of the music (due to me not being able to understand the language being sung). It gives me a more genuine musical experience as I can imagine the vocal line and how it fits in with the rest of the orchestration as I would an instrumental work. It's refreshing. My favorite elements are the synth and guitar and how they communicate and support each other throughout the album. Objectively, this is a great album. The last track with grand piano sounds is a great finale. I don't know if I would choose to listen to this album on my own due to me not fully enjoying the sound of super high soprano voices (despite me being a mid-high soprano) I tend to enjoy lower voices for listening. I am very glad for the experience.

The vibes are immaculate. Love the vocals. Love the dreamy haze. I was familiar with this a bit, but this is now a download in my library.

7.5/10 I liked this album!!! I would listen to it again, really liked heaven or Las Vegas the song. I liked the general sounds, you can tell it’s the early 90s as there are still aspects of that synth sound. Thanks fran

Ethereal

230. sometimes its like "there's no way this is english" but its always great

A stone-cold classic. I'm not the biggest dream-pop enthusiast, but I really like a couple of albums in the genre, this one in particular. One of those releases that makes you dig deeper. Elizabeth Fraser has an otherworldly voice, it's the key to this album's greatness. She made gibberish sound profound, that's no easy feat. The rest of the band are no slouches, either. The rhythm section is spectacular at times, the bass on tracks like Pitch the Baby just shines. The guitar and the synths are in perfect harmony as well. All of this is mixed and mastered to perfection, such a clean sound in all the right ways. Lastly, the sequencing is great, the album comes and goes like a flash, a really impactful one at that. Favourite track: Cherry-coloured Funk

One of the earlier bands exploring the dreampop genre. This album is an dreampop delight. As a whole there is some lack of diversity, so 4/5.

Really good and interesting, dreamy. Can’t understand a lot of the lyrics but good!

Some of these go hard.

cherry coloured funk pitch the baby heaven or las vegas

I do love it, but I like Treasure better. Still baffled how she can sing this internal language consistently in a way that sounds like language.

Sterk plate, om ikke noe overhypet. Noe av synthlydbildet faller ikke helt i smak på noen av låtene. Jeg foretrekker mer gotisk Cocteau Twins.

Decent enough to listen through and enjoy. Reminded me of The Sundays at some points.

Det var en ganske ganske fornøjelig gennemlytning

Aldrig hørt før, men det var en totalt god oplevelse og noget jeg skal se mere ind i!

Topniveauet for dream pop er rigtig højt. Bundniveauet er tilmed rigtig lavt. Topniveauet for Elizabeth Fraser er stort set uendeligt højt. Bundniveauet er virkelig højt. 4.0

A great dream pop album, lush, dreamy sound transcending minds

Love it

My favourite yet so far

As far as I know, this album is considered possibly the best dream pop album ever made. Certainly, it's one of the most acclaimed albums by one of the most influential bands in the scene. I can see this album's appeal. "Dream pop" is an apt description for what this album sounds like; it's hooky pop-rock with a distant, almost psychedelic tinge to it. The vocals sound good, but the lyrics are utterly incomprehensible gibberish. I don't quite know what to make of this for that reason. It's a good album that could have easily been very popular with decipherable lyrics, but many of this band's fans point to the gibberish as a thing of sonic beauty. In a way, it is, but it's one that confuses me because I generally haven't seen indecipherable vocals outside of extreme metal, and yet this comparatively tame pop album has them. Fascinating. This album is ranked #3 of 22 albums for 1990. Other 1990 albums rated by me: People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm(2/22)-5 Bossanova(4/22)-5 Fear of a Black Planet(5/22)-5 Shake Your Money Maker(6/22)-2 I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got(7/22)-4 The La's(12/22)-3

Pop hipnótico, suave, lindo. Me gustó. Sobre todo Frou-frou foxes un midsummer fires. Un viaje digno de ser repetido.

La verdad necesitaba una re escucha de este disco. Discazo. No indago en Cocteau Twins porque le doy mayor prioridad a otras bandas, pero god.

Tracks to go back to: Cherry-coloured funk Pitch the Baby Iceblink Luck Heaven Or Las Vegas Fotzepolitic Wolf in the Breast Very solid not my typical music but very enjoyable 07/11/26

Not even a huge shoegaze guy, but I'm into this one. Frou-frou foxes was probably my favorite. The opener was great too.

vibey, unexpectedly atmospheric. enjoyed it, i think the sound was just starting to get stale by the end. favorite song is Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires, just nudged the score up. soft 4

i'd not listened to cocteau twins before although i saw them on spotify many times. the album was much better than i expected, it was sweet and soothing. i saved cherry-coloured funk and pitch the baby, really liked them.

always a classic in mod evident stiam de album, cocteau twins orc e bun album scurt, stiam multe melodii deja dar din ce nu mai auzisem: iceblink luck was funsies

I like CT, I will admit that 37 mins is optimal length for their albums as too much after that the vocals probably go from being a strength to a weakness (they might start to grate) Solid album some of their best tracks on here. Dreamy, melodic, unique and the right length! 4.1

Volado, buena tapa

cool! not really my band i think but this is an awesome sound

Amazing lush instrumentals and a good feeling. Legit transports you to the colourful and bustling city of Las Vegas.

Found it weird the first time I heard it years ago, but now I love it.

Un SÍ. Muy bonito, me hizo sentir, imaginar y disfrutar. El primero femenino y el mejor hasta ahora 🤷🏼‍♀️

Very good. 4/5

love it!!!

4 - Exactly the kind of thing I hope to discover with this challenge. I will be listening more.

gorge!!!!

Such a introspective album. In that it makes me introspect. Feels unpolished but in a good way. Heaven or Las Vegas does remind me of my ex a lot, and so I might not listen to that for a bit lol.

o sea.. es una Vibra pero es un poco monótono. Igual me gustó. Sería un 3.5 para mí pero acá va como 4/5 okkk.

Very cool album. I need more listens to really take it in but I really enjoyed it.

8/10 para Cocteau Twins, no escuché nada más de ellos que no sea de este álbum, no tengo idea de si (a mi parecer) tienen algo "mejor" pero definitivamente el álbum está bueno che. Algo que destaco muchísimo de este tipo de álbumes es la capacidad de alguna forma aislarte para solo escuchar su música y es un sentimiento que me encanta.

Just a wonderful dream pop album. Liz Fraser can speak gibberish to me as much as she likes.

Elizabeth Fraser that is all. A goddess of a vocalist.

Sehr hyped auf dieses Album. Das letze Lied hat mir am besten gefallen.

I previously discovered the titular song of this album and absolutely loved it. This band has a great sound. I wish I could give it more than 3 stars, but it's really just one hit song and a pretty unique sound. Maybe it's a low 4 stars.

I already loved the songs I've heard before from this album but hadn't listened to the full thing before. Loves it.

A sound that was ahead of its time. Really enjoyed this one.

This album- head shake 🫨. It’s awesome. It’s… full of shit? I actually love the idea of the voice as instrument, sound maker, not word maker. Scat in jazz is a great example. And I can relish the feeling that something is just this side of intelligible. Combined with the consistent atmosphere and ethereal quality of the compositions I can fall deeply into this album’s trance. But then my husband tries to find the “lyrics” online. And shows me. And… well. I told him, if that’s what Fraser is singing it doesn’t sound ANYTHING like it. Good on her. Changing English to gibberish isn’t as easy as it looks. Part of me is aggravated by actual lyrics that I purposely can’t understand. Another part of me tells my brain to let go and “feel the music, baby.” Felling the music wins out again. 4 Boolean: absolutely true

Love this album. It just has a vibe all its own. As a Beach House fan, this seems to have had an influence on their sound. 4.2/5.

I wasn't focused the whole listen so would be interested to see how I feel on another listen but vocals stunning, and the music has such an ethereal moody feel. Really enjoyed. Find it hard to give 5 stars without knowing how I'd feel on a second listen as I don't feel intense love or attachment. It seems like an album that grows the more you listen to it so I'll definitely revisit.

An album that is completely timeless. It could’ve been made yesterday and not sounded at all dated or out of place. A quite amazing record and one that stands out as one truly deserving its place on a list of must hear albums.

Just because I realized that I'm giving too many 5 stars ratings, but this was so good

1990. Has since been recognised as one of Cocteau Twins' most influential works and as a landmark in dream pop.

Very 90s, tho I don't understand the lyrics.

Strong 4

Female singer. Good voice. Dreamy. Uses synthesizers and drum machines. Songs are a bit repetitious. Best song: Heaven or Los Vegas. Good album. Four stars.

Every single album by Cocteau Twins feels like an a dream and I freaking love it.

pretty

one of the best i listen this album all the time

So chill

No idea what she's saying but its gorgeous nonetheless.

Sunday, 31 May, 2026 Great Sunday album. Excellent vibes. What is she saying?

Enjoyed this one quite a bit more than "Treasure" this was the airy, shoegazey music I was expecting. I think I gained a little Cocteau fatigue by the end of the album, but overall, a good experience.

Didnt know their sound…was pleasantly surprised…happy to listen again

Great road trip / early morning car album. 4/5 stars.

Iconic sound

Cocteau Twins music is never going to click the first time you listen to it. This is now my fourth listen of Heaven or Las Vegas and it's finally starting to make sense. The shimmering guitar made ethereal by severe effects pedal usage, the steady and plucky bass supplementing the sparse rhythms, and Fraser's haunting and beautiful vocalizations all coalesce into otherwordly and out of time music that absolutely feels like you're existing within the album cover. The title track especially is so euphoric and extraterrestrial in sound that it is for certain the greatest dream pop song ever crafted. The latter half of the record gradually unwinds and turns down the shimmer just a tad, but for the closing track the drama turns up and flowers into an incredible final moment. For only 37 minutes of runtime, this record certainly does not feel like it, in the best way. As with Treasure, this album is only going to keep growing on me as I spin it.

I own a few Cocteau Twins albums and they are definitely doing something unique.

Beautiful noise. That's the name of a documentary about My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus and Mary Chain and The Cocteau Twins. It's also a perfect two-word review of this album. But, being who I am, I'll add some more words. I love everything about this album. “Cherry-coloured Funk is particularly amazing. It’s dreamy and trippy, sounding to me like if My Bloody Valentine had never discovered distortion. Those minor to major shifts are phenomenal and the not-so-secret ingredient that makes these tunes work so well. Elizabeth Fraser’s voice is another key ingredient. Ethereal and indecipherable vocals beaming in from another dimension. And she hits notes I'd never expect (those high notes are incredible). I'm in love with that opening track. Like head over heels. But everything I've said about it is applicable to the rest of the album too. Layered effects on both vocals and guitar add to the psych-pop vibe and make my head spin. The likes of Prince, Björk, Robert Smith, Santigold, Slowdive and loads of other legends have all gushed about The Cocteau Twins, and listening to this album, it's obvious why. They create some beautiful noise. 4.5 stars

A bit like ABBA meets Fleetwood Mac, I dig it

Love cherry-colored Funk

I'll listen again

this was so good, i like how funky/weird

Dreamy and lovely

Need to listen to more Cocteau Twins honestly.

great album

I listened to this album on my lunch break, once again stopping by the same GameStop as when I was listening to Björk's Debut. I had very little idea of what to expect from Cocteau Twins, but I was pleasantly surprised by this album's spacey and psychedelic vibe. This type of psychedelia is not always my vibe, but I got accustomed to it rather quickly here. This album also represents an instance where I can barely understand the lyrics, but it doesn't bother me; they truly just feel like one of many different instruments contributing to this reverbed ethereal atmosphere. This albums sounds like sunlight streaming in through vine-draped windows in an ancient church, or like the emotioanl essence of joy distilled into musical form. This is the music I imagine would play as I rose into heaven. Once again in this list, I find myself being reminded of my younger days listening to Monstercat, specifically shades of classic melodic dubstep or the sheer positivity of an act like Half an Orange (which is not a thought process I would have ever expected to experience, nor one that I even think makes that much sense to anyone who isn't me). Highlights: Cherry-coloured Funk, Pitch the Baby, Iceblink Luck, Fifty-fifty Clown, Heaven or Las Vegas, I Wear Your Ring, Wolf in the Breast, Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fire

Great album art. Very laid back songs. Really enjoyable.

I know this is English but this must be what it feels like to hear English if you don't speak it. Breezy and fun listen even if it wants for a true banger