Re: Cocteau Twins "Garlands"

[J. Peter Alfke <alfke@csvax.caltech.edu>]

"ROSSI J.A." <rossi@nusc.ARPA> writes:
>I purchased Black Celebration by Depeche Mode and Garlands
>by the Cocteaus.
>
>I like both albums.  From what I have reas in LHD, I was kinda surprised
>by the power in the Garland's album.  This is hardly the type of music I
>would play while I was attempting sleep.  It does drone a bit and lacks
>a lot of dynamics, but it reminds me of some of my more liked pieces by the
>French band Pulsar.  

Well, the Cocteaus' sound has changed a bit since Garlands (their first
release), while still remaining consistent.  Garlands is fantastic ... I
love the way the bass (what a sound!) carries most of the melody while the
guitar (what another sound!) applies a wall of screech and enough melody to
counterpoint the bass ... somewhat the same idea as the Jesus and Mary Chain
are using now.

The "Lullabies" 12-inch has somewhat the same sound, although less creepy
(I find Garlands some of the scariest music I've ever heard).  They also had
a better drum-machine by that point.

"Head Over Heels" is the best so far, pick that up if you find it.  It's
more melodic, uses keyboards a lot more, just generally entrancing.

And there's also the new album if you want to see how the same group, without
selling out or suddenly changing their sound, can make soothing "pretty"
music.

By the way, let's suppose my favorite Depeche Mode songs are "Everything
Counts", "Shake the Disease", "Blasphemous Rumors" and "Fly on the Windscreen".
What then would I think of the new album?

						--Peter Alfke
						  alfke@csvax.caltech.edu
"Let the speakers crackle and burn"