Cocteau Twins – “Head Over Heels”

Shimmering, majestically beautiful, Dream-like, and sponge-worthy; these are all terms I would use to describe the beauty and truth that were the Cocteau Twins. A band of this variety truly makes me enjoy drum machines, I’ve rarely heard better use of drum machine outside of the Hip-Hop genre, unless you count early Ween (which you are freely permitted to do so). So, “Head Over Heels” is a special record. It is the first Cocteau Twins album to actually sound like well, the Cocteau Twins. I have not heard their first record, but rumor has it that “Garlands” was sort of a simplistic Post-Punk and Goth extravaganza, and those in the know please do clarify things for me if I am possibly incorrect in my assessment.

While I prefer my Twins purely beautiful and tasty, this record has a nice edge to it for sure, and it is undeniably fucking radical from start to motherfucking finish. Favorite cuts include “Five Ten Fiftyfold” and the delicious and sweet vocal romp of “Sugar Hiccup”. Nothing but Liz Fraser and former butt-buddy Robin Guthrie on this record, at least on the whole, and they are better off for it…although their eventual replacement bassist was a nice grab, no? Oh, I must also mention the up tempo Jazz styling of “Multi-foiled”, which is another standout cut much like the album closer “Musette & Drums” with some spooky screaming lead guitar bits courtesy of Good Sir Robin.

Funny thing about this band, at least on this specific record, is that everything is a perfectly worked musical landscape full of sonic invention and a variety of moods, the songs are the length of Pop structure and beautifully produced, but this was clearly a new genre all the way back in 1983…and the Cocteau Twins discovered and defined it, later expanded it but never bland it, dare I call it Dream-Pop, because I am at a loss here…

Scotland rules! What a great little discovery, and more to come in the future…

“Five Ten Fiftyfold”

Cocteau Twins, Scotland, Robin Guthrie, Dream Pop, Liz Fraser

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