A Sense of Doubt blog post #1446 - Ella Megalast Burls Forever - a Musical Monday Cocteau Twins Mix for 1902.05

A Sense of Doubt blog post #1446 - Ella Megalast Burls Forever - a Musical Monday on Tuesday Mix of Cocteau Twins  for 1902.05

I created this mix of some of my favourite Cocteau Twins music maybe twenty years ago.

This ethereal and heavenly music is some of my favourite music of all time.

EVERY semester, I share the wonder and joy, the beauty and elegance, the delicacy and harmony of Cocteau Twins music with my students.

I wrote about the Cocteau Twins during my year of the T-shirts blog:

T-shirt #300 Cocteau Twins


But nothing spurs me to action more than knowing I have other shirts (or at least one other) to be able to write extended and loving content to a band that I adore. So, seeing that one of my longer essays or special features would not be completed in time (or at least not completed to my standards) for T-shirt #300, I decided to share this shirt and some thoughts on a band that would win, hands down, the award for the band I have most listened to over the years.

In fact, looking back on my post for T-shirt #97 - Kraftwerk, in which I listed the albums I have listened to most, the largest number of times, in my life, you will not see the Cocteau Twins in the top ten. I am starting to think this is an oversight. I may have over estimated the number of times I have listened to some of those albums in my top ten. Though there were times in my life when I listened to some of those albums daily or nearly daily, some are newer, and I have listened to various Cocteau Twins albums over and over since my discovery of them in the mid-1980s. I am not inclined to go back and change those lists too much because I would have to place ALL the Cocteau Twins albums somewhere in the lists. When I made that list, I was trying for some variety rather than listing five of the Cocteau Twins albums in the top ten most listened to albums as they probably deserve. I do think that list needs some adjustment as a Cocteau Twins album belongs in the top ten. So if you want to check out my list again on T-shirt #97 - Kraftwerk, go ahead. I will probably also post my revision to Facebook if you catch me there.

Okay, list updated.

Hey... it's always fun to find things on Amazon with a simple search like "Cocteau Twins Book."

FIRST TIME I HEARD COCTEAU TWINS BOOK

Today's shirt comes from my one and only time to see the Cocteau Twins in concert as in the ticket stub to the right. Once again memory fails. I was between relationships in March of 1991. It's times like this that I would like a time machine as I have no idea with whom I went to that concert, but it was surely NOT my recent ex-girlfriend. I don't remember much about the concert other than I loved it as I love the Cocteau Twins.

One of my most often played mixes is a Cocteau Twins mix which I named after one of their songs: "Ella Megalast Burls Forever."

If you have never heard the Cocteau Twins start with the next video.
There is no further proof needed of why Cocteau Twins have made some of the most beautiful music in the modern era.

COCTEAU TWINS - MUSIC

The music of Cocteau Twins is difficult to describe. Live stuff is different than studio. The studio stuff features multiple layered sonic landscapes achieved with a variety of technological devices.

In many ways, Cocteau Twins defined the British 4AD label: COCTEAU TWINS AT 4AD. Their work evolved from an earlier, raw, bass heavy sounds on Garlands, their first LP, to the eventual more "pop" sound of Heaven or Las Vegas.

Here's the WIKIPEDIA description, which is not bad, though it hardly defines the band that I love so much.

Cocteau Twins were a Scottish rock band active from 1979 to 1997, known for innovative instrumentation and atmospheric, non-lyrical vocals. The original members were Elizabeth Fraser (vocals), Robin Guthrie (guitar, drum machine) and Will Heggie (bass guitar), who was replaced by multi-instrumentalist Simon Raymonde early in the band's career.

While the entire band earned much critical praise, Elizabeth Fraser's distinctive soprano vocals received the most attention. At times barely decipherable, Fraser seemed to veer into glossolalia and mouth music. Allmusic reviewer Ned Raggett writes that "part of her appeal is how she can make hard-to-interpret lyrics so emotionally gripping."

Much has been written about Liz's lyrics and her "vocalizations." Ultimately, I don't care what she's singing. Part of loving the Cocteau Twins has to do with giving up knowing the lyrics. It's music. You dig into the music and experience the sounds, the sonic journey through the tunnel of palpable sound.

Really the best introduction to Cocteau Twins is to listen to their music. I may "wax and wane" more about their music in a future post as I am getting a Cocteau Twins shirt for my birthday. But here's some tracks via video to whet your appetite if you take the time to listen or listen again if you are already acquainted.

I find it almost impossible to describe the beauty of that song. "Carolyn's Fingers" from the 1988 album Blue Bell Knoll  is definitely my favorite Cocteau Twins song, and I think it's a good place to start if you have never heard of or heard the band.

Stay tuned for more Cocteau Twins in a future blog post. If you are newly introduced to the band because of my blog, let me know what you think. If you know the band and found something of interest, please let me know, too.

I do have a new t-shirt for Blue Bell Knoll that I could write about...

Here's the music. The aforementioned "Carolyn's Fingers" is the first song.

I have two more Cocteau mixes in the works. One is done and focuses on a lot of re-mixes and rare B-sides, that I called "Oil of Angels" after one of the songs.

I am also making a mix (not finished yet) that centers on the first track of Victorialand: "Lazy Calm."

ENJOY!

YOUR TUBE URL LINK:

ELLA MEGALAST BURLS FOREVER - A COCTEAU TWINS MIX


YOUR TUBE VIDEO POD PLAYER:




ONE AT A TIME










































ELIZABETH FRASER HAUNTS ME... 

She also elates and inspires me; there's no one I would rather hear providing instrumental backing to her vocals than Robin Guthrie and Will Heggie (bass guitar), who was replaced by multi-instrumentalist Simon Raymonde (later).

The album art was part of the genius of the band and of all 4AD products.

I was at this show...

Cocteau Twins - Live @ Royal Oak Theatre, Detroit, USA, 24-11-1990

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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1902.05 - 10:10

- Days ago = 1312 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.