Heaven Or Las Vegas

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.

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.

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

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

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

Day217 - 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'll admit that before this I thought the Cocteau Twins were like Youtube content creators or something.

Weird, but in a good way

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

Beautiful to listen to again

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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

i love how i actually have no idea what shes saying

Chill

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.

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

Actually quite enjoyed it 8/10

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

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.

Awesome. Very cool. Loved it.

Shoegazey heaven

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

i love emo

4 stars

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

This was really good. It reminds me of Beach House if they were a 90s band.

Call me a mumble pop fan (I hope the title track is never not stuck in my head)

Mac Demarco for people in 1990

Pretty good stuff, it feels like the last hurrah of the 80's just before the wave of the 90's hit

So ahead of their time

Liked the vibe - didn't understand the lyrics well.

This was a fun listen to drive home to. Some songs were very sound alike to tracks from other albums. And I can't say I'd jump to put this on outside special listening situations. And for that, 4 stars.

Listened 3/1/24. First time hearing this. I can hear the appeal. Lots of cool sonic elements. Not really my cup of tea, but I appreciate the artistry.

Very cool, ethereal vibes. Thoroughly enjoyed

Landmark album. Amazing textures, ahead of its time. Very fun, deep listen

Great album, ethereal chill sounds

dream pop royalty.

dont know what to listen to? putting this shit on

3.5/5

Solid album all the way through

super interesting to listen to - elevated and unique synth pop sound

What a beautiful, ethereal album. It strikes a wonderful balance of happiness and melancholy that can either let you get in your feelings or pull you up out of them. The fact that the lyrics are indecipherable also allows the listener to take away whatever they need from the music.

I love the dreamy trance vibe. One of my favourite songs on this album is iceblink luck, I did quite enjoy listening to this album, very nostalgic 80/90s vibes, makes you feel like you're living in a movie

This is a band that I’ve heard of but never intentionally listened to. This was perfect to have on at work. I actually listened two times. I can definitely see how they originated dream pop.

Dreamy, airy. I liked it but didn't love it. Would listen again. Hearing the words she is actually singing would be nice, but it adds to that dreamy sound.

Als je goed luistert, dan hoor je de geboorte van Beach House. Het is een beetje een cliché, toch moest het even genoemd worden. Maar ondanks dat Beach House overduidelijk inspiratie uit deze groep haalt, hebben ze het genre wel volledig een eigen draai gegeven. Cocteau Twins stonden wél vooraan de wieg van Beach House, en dit album is wellicht hun grootste bijdrage aan deze muziekstijl die we vandaag de dag veelal terug horen in de popwereld. Het markeert ook een kantelpunt in hun eigen carrière, waar de groep in de 80s een dromerige soundscape creëerde die veel voeten in de aarde had in goth/post-punk invloeden. Deze is wat luchtiger, en legt een accent op het tweede woord in het genre dreampop. In veel nummers voert 'hoop' de boventoon, terwijl we soms ook nog wel wat droefgeestigere muziekstukken voorgeschoteld krijgen. Ik denk dat het een fantastisch voorbeeld is van muziek die verschillende gevoelens onder een vergrootglas weet te leggen. Zit je in een goede mood dan zul je zweven van extase, zit je in zak en as, dan duik je waarschijnlijk met een broodrooster in bad. Bij wijze van spreken. Het is een unieke kwaliteit van dit genre, wat het een mystieke status geeft. In het hoopvolle spectrum vinden we bijvoorbeeld 'Iceblink Luck'. Een song die wijdverspreide aandacht trok voor de band die jaren in relatieve obscuriteit doorbracht. Het is ook één van de nummers waarin Elizabeth Fraser het best te verstaan is, en in combinatie met een The Cure-achtige basgitaar is het een prettig popnummertje. De andere single van het album is de titelsong, die instrumenteel wat meer de melancholie opzoekt, maar je door het super catchy refrein vooral met een opgetogen gevoel achterlaat. Waanzinnig nummer. Naast de enigszins poppie singles van de plaat, weten de goth roots van Cocteau Twins zich ook nog steeds stevig vast te grijpen in verschillende songs. De opener 'Cherry-coloured Funk' heeft een donkere ondertoon, die wat mij betreft echt samengaat als peanut butter and jelly met de zoetzure stem in het refrein. Waar ik soms mijn vraagtekens heb bij wat er allemaal met de nummers bedoeld wordt vanwege de cryptische vocalen van Fraser, moet haar stemgeluid vooral gezien worden als een extra instrument. Het vormt één geheel met de dikke lagen synths, drones en basgitaren, en wat ze zegt doet er eigenlijk niet toe. Weet jij nog woord voor woord wat er gezegd werd in jouw dromen? Ook de afsluiter 'Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires' voelt aan alsof het is opgenomen in een gotische kerk, en zet een kille sfeer neer. Tot de orgastische explosie in het refrein, die laat horen dat dit genre korte lijntjes heeft met shoegaze. Van alle memorabele trucjes die Fraser deed met haar stem op dit album, vind ik dit nummer het meest iconisch. De hoge, melancholische stem die subtiel omslaat in zwaarder en geruststellend stemgeluid, tot ze in het refrein samen te horen zijn. Voor mij vangt dit slotstuk alles waar het dreampop genre voor staat. Een delicate mix van stemmingen die er allemaal toe doen. De synthpop in 'I Wear Your Ring' verdient ook nog erkenning. Ik kende deze niet, maar hij ontpopte zich in de loop van het nummer tot één van de felst stralende diamanten van dit album. Het resultaat is een David Lynchiaans muziekstuk dat laat zien dat er niet perse een heldere songtekst nodig is om een verhaal over te brengen. De stem van Elizabeth Fraser is een cruciaal instrument, en doet de luisteraar er aan herinneren dat zang in zijn beginselen hetzelfde doet als een piano, een banjo, of een Moog synthesizer. Het speelt met de lucht om zich heen, of zoals ene T. Waits ooit zei ''Singing is just doing interesting things to the air. Elongating it and twisting it into shapes.'' En dat doet ze fenomenaal. Tussen 'Fotzepolitic' en 'Road, River and Rail' verdrinken nummers een beetje in de gelaagde golf aan bovenaardse geluiden, en verliezen ze mij ook even. Dan merk ik ook al snel dat haar stem juist een bron van irritatie wordt, en dat ze overtuigingskracht verliest als het niet perfect aansluit bij de rest van de instrumenten. Gelukkig is het merendeel van het album een meeslepende trip langs een wijd spectrum van rake emoties. 8/10 Highlights: Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires Heaven or Las Vegas I Wear Your Ring

Ik ben gewoon een sucker voor de dromige atfosmeer van de dreampop en shoegaze uit de jaren 90. De zang is -net als bij Slowdive- net zo onverstaanbaar als onweerstaanbaar maar drukt wel een hele grote stempel op de muziek. Soms lijkt het bijna Frans- of Spaanstalig. Dat het onverstaanbaar is deert mij niet. Het draagt juist bij aan het gevoel van een droom of dat de atmosfeer om je heen muziek uitstraalt. Wat dit album zo uniek is maakt zijn de poppy en catchy melodieën die over de atmosferische tonen worden ingezongen. Deze zanglijnen doen denken aan veel verschillende popartiesten. Cherry-coloured Funk lijkt te zijn ingezongen door Kate Bush, Iceblink Luck is ABBA onder een laag shoegaze. De zang van Heaven or Las Vegas doet mij denken aan Alannis Morissette. Isn't it Ironic? Heaven or Las Vegas is voor mij echt het hoogtepunt van het gevoel wat dreampop/shoegaze oproept. De soundscape geeft het gevoel alsof je drijft op wolken die geluid maken. Beter kan ik het niet omschrijven. 37 minuutjes drijven op de Cocteau Twins wolken is gewoon veels te kort. Ik doe dus nog een rondje! Highlights: Heaven or Las Vegas Iceblink Luck

Beautiful. Such an ethereal album. The songs do all sound the same given that it has such a celestial sound. Things start to blend if a different style isn't brought into the mix. That, however, is my only complaint. Everything else, production, writing, vocals, instrumentation, structure, lyrics, etc. 4/5

Rätt intressant.

first listen a lovely shoegaze record

Really satisfying. I wish the lyrics made more sense, but I suppose that’s part of its charm. Some songs are MUCH stronger than others.

Melancholic, moody, and dreamy. I like both vocalists, one reminds me of Dolores from the cranberries. We’ll not be pitching this baby 3.9*

Dreamy

I didn’t understand a single word but sounded cool and whimsical.

This album is so beautiful and dreamy. I love the prominence of the bass that grounds it all. I can't tell if the lyrics are supposed to carry much meaning, but I'm struggling to read much into them if they do. That doesn't really break the experience for me - this is a lovely listening experience. 9/10. Favorite Songs: Iceblink Luck, Heaven or Las Vegas, Fotzepolitic, Road, River and Rail, Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires Least Favorite Songs: Fifty-fifty Clown, I Wear Your Ring

Very solid, magical album. Fotzepolitic is definitely the best song. On a side note what the hell is that lady saying.

This kind of dreamy, atmospheric pop is right up my alley. Highlights: Cherry-Coloured Funk, Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires

Eccentrically engaging and pretty charming, with somewhat deceptive shimmering. There's more depth and darkness, more shadows and shades than surface listening will reveal. Highly intricate, too, with a generally off-kilter feel that makes it quite likable, with the vocal's angelic sheen really elevating affairs, and often achieving outright ebullience.

I have seen their albums for years but never knew a single song or anyone to push me to listen. “Dream Pop” does have its place occasionally.

Listening to this I'm really split between giving a 3 and a 4. The more albums I listen to on the more I wish this scale went from 1-10. I'd put this at like a 3.8 3.9/5 rn. Idk if this would be called new wave or what but I’m enjoying chilling and listening to it.

The vibes are immaculate

listened to this while building a minecraft house and it made me feel like I was floating on a cloud made of cotton candy and eating little pieces of it so it was good.

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

Just lovely. Vocals emerging from soundscapes, lyrics almost intelligible. Escapes the late-80s production sound that I didn't like about some earlier efforts (and that so many bands suffered from).

4.5/5

Karaoke Night’s gonna be a movie with this one.

LOVED IT

This was great, I had no idea what they were singing about. I actually thought they were French until I looked it up halfway thru. I really did enjoy the synth ambient sounds. Gave their 84 release a listen afterwards, just as chill. 4 stars

got me feeling ethereal 💯

Really really nice

Liked.

Oh woah hey that’s some good dreamy shoegaze

Love this album, love shoegaze, give me more. 4.4/5

Hidden treat. Heard of the Twins - could not recall, but enjoyed this none the less, It gets a 4 as a hidden gem no. 88 on my quest

Jävligt bra

Nenän limakalvo turpeaa ja septumin alueella ärtynyttä. Tärykalvot helmen harmaat, läpikuultavat... tärykalvoihin myös tämä albumi hakkasi.. oikein mallikaaasti teki.. uskomatonn määrä mielenliikutusta tässä.. Se on aina uskomatonta mihin ääni pystyy. Kuitenkin obj muut äänen elementit ei kovinkaan sievää kuunneltavaa ole. En lyriikoista selvää saanut.. silti fiilistelin albumin mahdollista sanomaa...

If I had one adjective I could use for this album it is textured. It is really well produced/layered. The songs themselves though don't all hit that well. There is nothing I can complain or pinpoint that I don't like but I just imagine swaying/driving to this.

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

This is sweet. I cannot understand a word but the vocals, harmonies are so good. Lots of reverb adds to the atmospheric effect.

Something about this really worked for me

I liked it. Then again 90’s indie/alternative is my jam

Had to listen to it a few times to get my head around it. I really like it even if it is a little off the wall. I think it’s definitely a band/album I’ll revisit

Great, ethereal album

Very good and Liz Fraser has a great voice.

Great album. Shoegaze but make it shimmer. If you’re stuck on the fact that you can’t understand the lyrics you’re focused on the wrong thing. Allow yourself to accept the vocals as another part of the musical track and embrace what they add to the album. You don’t need words to feel something.

A classic shoegazing record.

Known Before: Standouts: 1. Cherry-Coloured Funk 5. Heaven or Las Vegas 8.0

Known before: Album Standouts: 01. Cherry-coloured funk 04. Fifty-fifty clown 05. Heaven or Las Vegas Rating: 8.0

This is another shockingly good album. I kind of missed the 80s, so there is a lot that I missed, especially the more under the radar stuff. I don't have any affinity for the typical 80s sound, but this album isn't that. It's a very dreamy, gauzy dream-pop precursor, and I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that Chino Moreno from Deftones absolutely loved this band. Again, I'd love the ability to do half stars, as this is a solid 3.5. I wouldn't say it's as good as Superunknown, but it's definitely better than Teenage Head, which I gave 3 stars.

Nice and cozy.

I will always love this album. I love the jangly guitar sounds and vocals. It's dreamy.

so beautiful and pleasant and dreamy, but kinda one-note

GARLIC FONDUE

Have you ever wanted to know what it's like to make out with someone in Portland in 2011?

I listened to this album a fair bit around a year ago, as it was one that we reviewed on the YouTube show. I’m going to listen to this again without reviewing what I said last time, as it would be interesting to see if my opinion has changed since then. Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites: Heaven Or Las Vegas, Cherry-Coloured Funk There is a lot to like here. 80’s synth is usually a safe bet for me, and there are lots of catchy melodies. I can see this next point being a little controversial, but I quite like how unintelligible the singing is. It makes the voice sound more like a literal instrument rather than a method of expressing something, and I like how different that is. Overall, a nice enjoyable album. I’ve come back to it a few times, and I’ll likely continue.

Wow another great one. Chill, almost ethereal music with nice female vocals and airy synths 4.4

This album is so sexy. Very lorelai gilmore

really nice! reminded me of the vibe of Last Night In SoHo -- sad, proud, vaguely feminist, deliberately retro, not much uwu.

liked the beginning and the end of the album but hated the middle. not a fan of 80s pop vocals

Ethereal 90s indie rock 👍. Almost a shoegaze kind of sound, but with less distortion. I do think later bands did this better, like Beach house or MBV. Still a very good album and I love the sound. Some of the later tracks really show the 80s pop influence. Pulling in some of the cornier sonic motifs of that genre. Overall really fun record.

надо их ещё послушать, этот хороший + спотифай мне эти песни уже совал + пытаюсь вспомнить - была какая-то интересная связка их с кем-то ещё (ну например девочка пела в массив атаке, но было и ещё что-то)

The dream pop of the late 80s and 90s knows better albums. Still this is a worthwhile listen of this great band.

A gem in an example of moody enigmatic music that helped shape a niche strand of popular music through the 90s. Within a few years there a host of similar acts that rose to the kind of popular acclaim and commercial success that Cocteau Twins may not have fully been able to achieve. The tracks float and occasionally soar sonically despite the lyrics often seeming intelligible.

Wanted to like this more than I did, probs just under a 4 in reality

More convincing than the previous album I'd listened to in this list - Treasure. The oddity of the lyrics doesn't stand out as much here. Probably helps that I've been listening to a lot of shoegaze recently, but this gets a four.

Sounds good, nothing that stands out but the whole album was enjoyable. Chill to listen in the background.

Never heard of them before, but that was lovely. I definitely want to hear more of this.

One of my favourite albums, yeah it’s kind of intelligible, but isn’t that the point?

I'm really amazed at how modern this album sounds. This wouldn't sound outta place with any of the 2010s dream indie rock (esp thinking Alvvays). There are moments where I get the real 90s feel off of it, but overall a great album. Wish it had more of an impact on me, but it has been an absolutely stellar week from 1001albums, so its a bit hard to standout.

Not bad

Solid record.

My first CT, apart from the few songs that got airplay. I love the sound and style, full and rich, and her beautiful voice.

Known. Good.

I'd totally missed Cocteau Twins growing up, I was introduced to them a couple of years ago, and enjoyed this album very much.

This has been a hard choice. I love the Cocteau Twins so much a named a child after one of their songs. And yet... is this really a 5-star album? It's lovely dreampop. I listen to it all the time to relax, but I listen to it because I don't really need to listen to it. It just isn't that complex and interesting. And for me, I'd much prefer some proper lyrics. So, I've reluctantly given it a 4-star.

I like this! Very dreamy sound, something different. Will put on again.

What a great second act the Cocteaus last three albums were: more concise songs, clearer production and even at times audible words. This is the strongest of the three and is a pretty perfect statement of the Cocteaus world - the rest is up to you.

Sounds like it could have been released in 2023, given the resurgent popularity in this type of music

bliusnakaseoñf hsef 4'5

Surprised this one was not boring at all

I knew of the Cocteau Twins, and have heard a couple of songs over a span of years, so I knew more or less what their sound was. I still found myself wowed with this album. This album kind of struck me as a "softer side of Sears" type thing; it has new wave, goth, dark wave, and synth pop aspects, but all of them are mellowed by the overall ambient, ethereal, vibe. You can hear the inspiration from other bands who dominate those genres, and yet Cocteau Twins somehow still make this all very uniquely theirs -- they don't sound quite like anything else. Sometimes on this project, "ambient" can ultimately amount to "put you to sleep", but not here; the ambiance really adds to the vibe and it just works here. Rather than the music putting you to sleep, you already feel like you're IN the bizarre, ethereal dream, which is much preferable! Another thing that keeps the album from being "sleepy" is the fact that songs are not one-note; everything has a distinct vibe and intrigue factor. The way the vocals are sung here are also intriguing. The words are not super clear, but that doesn't hurt the album, in my opinion. Instead, an already rather spectral sound is enhanced by what sounds like lyrics being sung in an alien language. All in all, a lot of weird things just come together here and make this album cool. I really enjoyed this!

Gorgeous. Delightful.

Very cool! No idea what on Earth they were singing about, but really enjoyed how eclectic this album was

The most rocking album I've yet heard from the Twins and my favorite of theirs so far. Gorgeous vocals, ethreal guitars and synths and driving rhythms abound. It still has an eclectic quality but much more accessible than Treasure. 4.5 stars

Even though I couldn't understand a single word that was being said, that album ruled. The synthy dream like sound in the background the whole time was awesome. I am going to say something that hasn't been said in this group in a while: I would like to take drugs and listen to that album

Oh hell yeah some shoegaze. If anyone likes this album I highly recommend Beach House. Over the years I've gone back and listened to this album a bunch and can see the influence they've had. Just great sounds. I love Pitch the Baby. Iceblink Luck always makes me want a cherry coke even though I'm 95% certain that is not the lyric. Just a great album with cool sounds I love dream pop.

Ah yes, what a pleasure to hear this one again. This album is effectively the gospel for dream-pop, both the genre and the fans. I really dig it, there are some phenomenal grooves and pockets. I can't say that I personally hold it as highly as many do, but I really love it. I'm sure its existence alone is instrumental to so many others that I love, like Alvvays or Hatchie. Like a great farmer, it's outstanding in its field. I listened to it years ago, and coming back I find a bit more to love. Albums like this are just a nice, enjoyable ride, putting me in a perfect headspace. Favorite tracks: Heaven or Las Vegas, Cherry-Coloured Funk, Fotzepolitic, Iceblink Luck, Frou-Frou Foxes. Album art: Really, really love this one. Was intrigued from the very first time I saw it. Just a swirl of light and color, enough that you can see some neon light streaks, and the title font is really cool too. They just nailed the aesthetic so well with this cover. 4.5/5

Cool. Maybe too cool for me.

like eating candy with a sweet beverage while you masturbate as you travel through a vortex.

I've always wanted to listen to this album but never got around to actually doing it. I can hear so many influences on this one. This basically paved the way for many of my favourite artists playing today. A very enjoyable listen and the first song is the best on it.

Une écoute caressante, envoûtante

Finde ich gut, kannte ich nur namentlich.

My best friend Ben introduced me to this album a few years ago and I've been a fan of it since. Very good chill ambient music. As someone who loves to treat vocals as an instrument for the first few times I hear a song the gibberish that this album has for lyrics is perfect for me. A beautiful instrument in its own right. Great listen!

definitely a cool vibe

Haven't heard this in ages, from an excitable period in my life when classic albums were released almost daily, it seemed. So good, beautiful production with vocals that are both more relaxed and more assured compared to their earlier stuff, and tunes that are almost poppy. Never quite as good again, captured here perfectly. As someone once said, this makes Kate Bush sound like heavy metal, and it's a good trick. Lovely.

A really cohesive album with it's own sound. I wouldn't say it's right up my street but it's only a couple of blocks away at most - I do like me a bit of dream pop. There are several moments when those big slabs of atmospheric guitars and vocals swirl around each other and it's rather blissful. I especially love when the vocals take on a rhythmic, almost monotonous quality (on tracks 2, 6 and 10, for instance); a lovely counterbalance to the weightless nature of the music. Really nice discovery, this one.

стильно, красиво, со вкусом прям очень приятный альбомчик феноменального чего-то нет, но очень очень очень хорошо

Ух как я поплыл-то по течению эмбиента... Очень атмосферная музыка, которая обволакивает со всех сторон как мягкий бархатный плед. Спокойно, чарующе, не лишено вкуса. Единственное - в какой-то момент мне показалось, что альбом "зациклился", а оказывается нет. Может этой музыке не хватает какой-то композиционной изюминки, но звучит она очень модно. Напомнило даже вдруг ABBA немного... только очень меланхоличную.

однозначно буду переслушивать. вкусно, мягко, приятно

dreampop.. more like nightmarepop. tuohon loppuisi arvostelu jos olisin lerppu lepsuttelija. mutta en ole. ei riitå yksi lause kuvaamaan tätä albumia, ja harvemmin muitakaan albumeita. hengittåkää ihmiset syvään...OTA LÄÄKKEET! ja laittakaa vähän enemmän luettavaa meillekkin pliis kiltteinä fotzepolitik

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Cherry-colored funk, Pitch the baby, Heaven or Las vegas, I wear your ring

Not really familiar with Cocteau Twins. The album was pleasant.

Very listenable, at times glorious.

Such a great dream pop album, can see where so many artists got their inspiration from.

Beautiful crafted songs 7,5 out of 10

I enjoyed this far more than Treasure. I actually liked it. It's more mainstream, but that's not the reason. It's the singing. I couldn't stand how they sounded on their earlier albums.

Really good! Great vocals and cool guitars. Cherry Colour Funk is a belter!

I liked this! Not really a mood I crave very often but I enjoyed most of the songs on the album. I love the synth/reverb/spacey vibe they throw.

Dream-pop, new to me and I like it. The album started a bit meh for me, but the mid and back end picked it up. It reminded me of aurora mixed with the cranberries (vocals mainly) and something else I can't quite identify. I like the kind of swooping atmospheric sounds that do give a dreamy feel.

Despite a lot of nonsensical lyrics, this is a very cool album and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Did I need to hear this album before I died? No. But it was good music. I liked Cherry-coloured Funk the most, and I recognized Heaven or Lost Vegas.

Vibey album! Definitely a few songs that stick out, but doesn’t jump beyond “atmospheric” overall. Would listen again!

I quite like Cocteau Twins. One of them bands I seem to dip in and out of every so often without delving too much into them. This record is one of them, I’ve listened to it a lot without really paying too much attention so this time round a few songs sounded new. There is a bit of filler on this, but the songs that are good are really very good. Frou-Frou Foxes and Heaven or Las Vegas being the two killer tracks for me. Can hear their influence on pretty much every shoegaze band that followed, especially MBV (minus the decibels).

Love the Cocteau Twins. The Dreamcore/Shoegaze sound is one that always seems to resonate with me. This album is pretty solid throughout, and has one of my alltime favs (title track). 4.5/5

I listened to this album on my run. I like it but didn’t love it but I’m also not really in a vibe MOOD. Listening to it again in the car on the way home from Biloxi I was like ok yea I see how influential it is and it’s cool and ethereal and dreamy soo I like it more now

I refuse to believe she’s singing actual words

Heaven Or Las Vegas was part of my introduction to Cocteau Twins. I have listened to this album several times, but it's been a while since my last listen. A couple of my all-time favorite tracks from the band are on this album ("Iceblink Luck", "Heaven or Las Vegas"). "Pitch the Baby", "Cherry-Colored Funk", and "Wolf in the Breast" are pretty good too. There are a couple of tracks that are a little less engaging, but I could easily give the whole album a re-listen.

Liked the sounds but listened to it at work and don’t think I got a full representation of the lyrics. Will need to listen again, listening for lyrics

I enjoyed this album. Mid-tempo reverb heavy sort of spacey vibes. Jangly and shimmery. Very pretty and very pleasant. I really like how they implement vocal multitracking, it adds so much. Bass is simple and consistent which serves the songs perfectly. The album feels like late night introspection.

A landmark album for dream pop. A seductive album that sounds like a pleasant night out. Lush melodies and strong performances all around.

A group that I knew more on reputation and influence than their actual music, this was my first listen to an album of theirs and I have to say I enjoyed it. Just an all around nice listen and clearly so much of modern Indie music plays off this blueprint. A solid 4.0 for me, and one I look forward to revisiting (and I could see the score going higher upon repeat listens).

I've listened to this album a few times but I feel like I don't usually think about it afterwards. I decided to give it an active listen today instead of using it as background noise... ...I need to add it to my regular rotation because I thought it was great. It's not a perfect album but I would happily rate it a 4/5.

Pleasant Dream Pop that is engaging. It is easy to see why the band is so lauded and why they are often imitated.

I am really digging Cherry-coloured Funk. I am really digging this entire album! It was a great time!

Listening to Cocteau Twins from the start, I guess I will always prefer the earlier work. Nevertheless this album is one of their greatest, even if one can tell what some of the words are!

Everyone should know Cocteau Twins! So thrilled to see them on the list, however this album was a disappointment by comparison. Their 1980's releases were otherworldly, carrying us away to dreamy heights on Elizabeth Fraser's angelic voice. The needle comes down on the first track of Vegas to a "Twins lite" - still unmistakably her unique voice but tethering the sound to earth. Vocal and guitar arrangements are less complex and interesting here than on previous albums and EPs, I suppose in the interest of broadening their appeal - this received greater attention on American radio. To me, only Iceblink Luck retains lasting appeal, as it follows in the bright vein of (then) recent tracks like Caroline's Fingers or Orange Appled. Other tracks have a tendency to fade into the background, struggling to capture our imagination. 4 stars for being a decent album, but treat yourself to their earlier catalogue for a truer sense of this band's influence on dreampop.

Poppier than other Cocteau Twins I've heard, and a bit of a Kate Bush warble. I rather like it.

patiently awaiting the translation of this album into English

I remember having treasure and while it was a very good album it came across as a bit of an unorganised mess in terms of vocals but this is just really good still 4/5 though.

Could have been from 20 years after it was made. Loved the style, vibezzz, etc.

Could have sworn I'd done this before. Anyway. Always think of this as the spiritual forebear of trip-hop.

A great album that would be much better suited for when my mind was in an altered state. Very dreamy, lots of wandering sounds, really enjoyed this. The 2nd album of theirs I've listened to and probably their best, but I really enjoyed 'Treasure' as well, they're pretty close in terms of my enjoyment level

El pop eteri i melangiós dels britànics va arribar a la seva cúspide artística en el seu sisè disc. A més de perfeccionar el seu so, per fin van trobar les cançons. 'Cherry-Coloured Funk', 'Heaven or Las Vegas', tot el disc en general és una victòria de la música, amb uns arranjaments i una veu que deixaven en molt mal lloc la gran majoria dels seus contemporanis

A soundscape to get lost in, very enjoyable.

Dreamy Atmospheric Moody Nuanced

Notes - 6th album by Dream pop band Cocteau twins - Vocalist Elizabeth fraser had her first child around the time this album was being made as well as dealing with some relationship issues with guitarist robin guthrie - Shimmery reverb and chorus heavy guitars - Signature nonsense word salad lyrics that add to the mesmerizing quality Fav - Title track heaven or Las Vegas - Great combination of all the things that make this album enjoyable - The addition of piano is nice too Least fav - I wear your ring - Cool sound palette but the song doesnt wow me Nothing else really sounds like it! 4.5/5

Cute pop album, reminded me of dreamy pop

Big fan on this band and dream pop.

I really enjoyed this album. The opening song was a belter and the title track was listened to repeatedly after the first listen. I will deffo be returning to this album over and over.

Enjoyable listen.

Fucking great. Ethereal.

A dream pop classic, or so I hear. It lays on the 80s sound a little thick, with its gated drums and other sorts of production shenanigans from the earlier decade. Wish there were a few more stand-out tracks, too. To me, Cocteau Twins have always been lackluster songwriters, and I'm not talking about the so-called '"unintelligible" lyrics--I don't care about that, to be honest--I'm talking about truly memorable or *dynamic* melodies in individual songs. That being said, as dated as the sound is, and as limited as Cocteau Twins were in their songwriting, this band were ahead of their time when it comes to sonic intentions in the realm of dream pop--they used textures like others used recognizable melodies, or *suggestions* of lyrics where others would obsesss about the meaning and purpose of every word. That's what the "dream" in dream pop is all about, innit? To evoke, entice and suggest. And with Liz Fraser's incredible voice, they had such a wild card in their sleeve to accomplish all this. Besides, the opener and closer are both extremely *strong*, which adds a star to my grade. With an opener such as "Cherry-Coloured Funk", you have no choice but to pay attention to what follows. It's just *a little* disappointing that apart from "Frou-Frou In Midsummer", everything else is very nice, but never *stellar*. Number of albums left to review: 720 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 139 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 68 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 76

Great

Harmonically interesting, texturally delightful and melodically soothing - this is one to go along for the ride with

Bien mais moins bien que l'autre

I liked this, will probably keep this on my phone, it was fun

I was excited about this one because I've been meaning to listen to the Cocteau Twins for a long time. I know a lot of friends who dig their music but for some reason just never took the time. I really like this album, very shoegaze and chill. At the same time, due to the relaxed vibes of their music not a lot stood out on first listen and it served more as good background music while working. I liked it enough though to listen again and heard more the second time through. Solid album, planning to give some of their other albums a listen. Standout Tracks: Cherry-Coloured Funk, Heaven or Las Vegas, Fotzepolitic

Definitely a step up from most of the circa 1970 stuff on the list, but by no means is it Cocteau Twins’ best stuff.

Beautiful, ethereal and filled to the brim with some of the bands finest pieces of dream pop goodness. A worthy piece that’s easy to get through from start to finish.

Not as precious as Treasure but still a beautiful jewel. Fraser's voice is something amazing and the music is soft and powerful at the same time. Quite brilliant project in the end.

Was this a K-hole?

I just discovered this group earlier this year and I don't understand how they weren't bigger. Love this dream pop meets shoegaze sound. Strong 4/5.

UN CLASICO D VDD

It’s a beautiful album. The vocals and chiming guitars are a great pair.

Cool and interesting sound, but I will probably need listen to it a few more times to really get to like it.

4/5 I'm not really sure why I liked it, but I did. It was all pretty catchy.

A lovely, dreamy and beautiful album, but I really can't recall any songs and they feel a bit samey, even after listening to it several times.

Cocteau Twins- Heaven or Las Vegas Genre: Dream Pop Score: Strong 8 Favorite Songs: Cherry-coloured Funk, Pitch the Baby, Iceblink Luck, Fifty-fifty Clown, Heaven or Las Vegas, I Wear Your Ring, Fotzepolitic, Wolf in the Breast, Road, River and Rail, Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires

Really nice, calming listen for me.

Great album- definitely one to listen to again! Best thing to come out of Grangemouth!

Absolutely love that this band said fuck it to intelligible lyrics and let them instead flow with the rhythmical and melodic needs of the song. As someone who pays mainly to melodies, I strongly believe that vocals tend to bring down a song rather than elevate them. It's when the voice is used as a complementary instrument (rather than a central feature) that songs reach their true potential. Coupled with the lush, encompassing synths and production on this LP, the end result is an immersive listening experience unlike anything else out there.

Very relaxed and dreamy with some nice hooks. Reminds me of beach house

First listen, first learn, first impression. The opening track "Cherry-coloured Funk" is strangely hypnotic, with a tinge of haunting. That the album is from 1990 was a bit of a surprise in that the sound was quite removed from the 80s, something that didn't seem to become too obvious till the mid-90s. Real instruments, real-sounding drums, with keyboard/synth as accompanying elements, the album sounds great. Granted, this is a streaming quality recording as opposed to lossless, but hearing the layers as they are, if so good here one can imagine that an actual uncompressed recording might sound pretty incredible. The entirety of the album seems to follow this pace, the energy is not high, but it does not fall into boredom either. Each track seems to carry an emotional weight, and that is actually okay here. The vocals do bring to mind that of ABBA, but somehow this lacks ABBA's annoyingly bright disposition, which is also okay. Perhaps if the first track was not so good, the tone of the album could change but this album had a strong opener and the album as a complete experience is much more positive than usual with how it played well and managed to remain connected to itself, and the listener. A hidden gem, not quite a diamond, but one worth keeping around nonetheless.

Really solid, great intro to shoegaze.

Perfect for a walk around a sunny Seattle day.

It’s good to be reminded now and again that shimmering beautiful things are good for your mental health - case in point.

I can’t say that any song is remarkable in terms of songwriting, like melodies, lyrics, or composition, but they have an incredible and hypnotic sound that is so engaging from beginning to end. The vocals are mystic and the synth and guitar effects make you feel like you’re drifting in space. Beautiful.

Actually really liked this combination, dreamy, somewhat futuristic sounds paired with the perfect voice for it. Perfect for a summer day

Really good album. Great flow. Vocals and instrumentals well balanced. Added to my favorites

Better than I expected. Very much enjoyed

07/07/2022 - 18/10/2022

Very interesting! 4 stars.

Ne znam jel to zato što me fifa u mozak izjebala tokom slušanja ovog albuma il šta, al dobar, not a 5 tho, not even close.

Dope

Nice album, easy to listen. I can't hear the vocals though. It's vaguely pop-y, but in a nice way.

I really enjoyed this record. Has some really great feel to some of it's tracks.

The dreamiest of the dream pop albums. The washy guitars hovers over the dreamlike production while Elizabeth Fraser's voice carries the whole thing. I suspect that some compositions would reveal to be weaker than it seems if they weren't drenched in such a soothing atmosphere. But for each song that may be a little less memorable, there is one absolute classic like Cherry-Coloured Funk, Frou-Frou or the title track.

A strong 4 for Heaven Or Las Vegas. I loved the very coherent atmosphere that reigns all along the album, there are lots of little gems throughout. It would only lack a little more catchy side overall for it to be perfect. I really need to discover more from Cocteau Twins. Glad it was on this list.

Genre: Dream Pop 4/5 Another unexpected surprise, Heaven or Las Vegas is one of my favorite new albums I've listened to so far in this exercise. Listening with totally fresh ears, I instantly could hear what makes this album as revered as it is. A total Dream Pop classic, and a genuinely interesting and enjoyable pop music experience, Heaven or Las Vegas is a project gleaming with filtered guitars and layered vocals. Its wall-of-sound style production is almost overwhelming at times, providing some of the most captivating listens for me up to this point. Starting with the ethereal intro, Cherry-Coloured Funk, a song that perfectly outlines their sound and energy, and is easily one of the best songs on the album, the album continues nicely along (Pitch the Baby is another pop gem), when we're finally met with the title track, my personal favorite from the album, featuring a big beautiful chorus from Elizabeth Fraser and some really tremendous, lush, in-your-face production. I Wear Your Ring is one of my favorite vocal experiments on the album, and is another example of a song on here where the group really sounds like they're having a fucking blast, casually writing some of the decade's most influential music. A beautiful album from top to bottom, and a real joy to listen to.

Good vibes, tho a few songs did give me cheesy xmas song kinda vibes. Cherry-coloured Funk is amazing

Vibes

This was great, better than I imagined

Cherry Coloured Funk es una de mis canciones de isla desierta y sólo vine a descubrirla el año pasado gracias al algoritmo. Qué gran pedazo de melodía.

Swirly spacey goodness

Unmistakable, multilayered, vocals

Enjoyed every song.

Highly atmospheric. Reminds me of a combination of MBV and The Cranberries, in a very good way.

Just sublime. Such a great album. Music excellent and Liz Fraser's voice and part-nonsense lyrics just so evocative of the best of the 80s.

i found this album in 2018 and battered it. sounds ridiculously fresh for how old it is.

Everybody Loves Raymond would have been a much better television programme had this been the soundtrack for it. I feel like Robert would have become an ever-growing presence in the series and eventually take over the reigns. Everybody fuckin' loves Robert. Raymond would have felt like a complete, useless cunt and blown his brains out. Robert wouldn't care.

Lovely. Lots of cooing and squawking like a mother bird trying to tell its baby that now isn't the right time to be flying a kite, because it's not windy enough, but the baby bird doesn't believe its mother, then gets frustrated when she's right.

Good album

Ethereal beauty for the ears.

flames flames flames

another album i didnt listen to fully because i didn't like the most popular songs out of it and it turns out those songs were the worst songs on the whole album and the album is fucking incredible. pitch baby, fifty fifty clown, i wear your ring, fotzepolitic soty

Less abstract than earlier work but the strong cohesion between voice and drums is still there.

Dreamy pop good

Very good

Again... back to Jeremy Klein's Raver's part (or maybe that was Feasters...?) The song Iceblink Luck is impeccable and I'm shocked to report the balance is equally as good. The two duds came at the end Road River and Frou Frou both sucked. Regardless, this is a HUGE step up from the original record we listened to (Treasure) which came in at an abysmal one star. https://youtu.be/AsamVuzsN0A?si=qsTP2i_tLRbbC5Kh

relaxed and chilled out whilst also not being boring, which i really like. i think that’s one of the most redeeming qualities about this album

I can't understand the lyrics and I don't care

Love it

Kena pops

It's a good album, but more mood music than a series of terrific songs. Will need to listen again but I found it fading into the background for me. Great mood piece.

I enjoyed this vibe

Groovy

dreampop vaporware. hopeful wistful coming of age aesthetics

Proto-Beach House, so I should love it, but the vocals are very hard to discern most of the time.

Dreamy shoegaze accompanied with a beautiful voice.

High 3 from me. Very interesting album that I liked quite a bit. Very reminiscent of Joy Division and chill wave which I like quite a bit. F it- gonna give it a 4

8/10. i liked this a lot, it was similar to Treasure but felt a lot lighter/more positive, just pleasant to listen to but deep and emotional as well.

So pretty! Got a little samey but I didn't mind that much. High 8

8/10. Really chill and ethereal.

Ok, sounded a bit like other music I've listened to from the 90's but can't place exactly who.

dreamy and oddly unique

really nice. wish it was longer 4.5

very 90s.solid listen

Pop envolvente com o vocal feminino

Nice

Never heard anything from the band before this album. Really liked the songs!

Quatro. O que não massa engorda. Celebro a derrota na Liga Capitalista como se o tarolo fosse tareia. Está tudo bem. Nem se pensa outra coisa.

Scottish 90s dream pop? I had a headache today and this music healed it.

Ga ik meer beluisteren

I really like "I wear your ring" isn´t my type of music but I really enjoy listening to it

Not bad. Don't love, but was able to listen thru.

More textured bright hooks

Great album. Love the guitar lines and vocals here. Listening to this makes me think that Giants In The Trees are influenced by them.

Weird. It makes me nostalgic of a time I was not even alive yet. Thought it was cringe at first, but came to like it

unexpected bangers

Yes! really enjoyed listening to this, so nice I played it twice. Really an interesting discovery.

Deze groep was mij onbekend. Positief verrast. Moest je mij zeggen dat dit een of andere gloednieuwe band was, ik zou het ook geloven.

This was a nice discovery, really liked it

Mellow