First Reaction to Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas

[@DAVECHER]

KZbin channel got hacked yesterday but we back and ready for some more shoegaze Uncut reaction on patreon: www.patreon.com/DAVECHER

[@dprid]

Cocteau Twins are so much more than shoegaze - they were basically a genre of their own. Elizabeth Fraser is quite simply one of the best vocalists ever, and it's almost criminal how little she is known. Follow Cocteau Twins from their start and listen how she grew, but dont try to listen to the words - there aren't any.

[@dougross8790]

Hey David :)

[@jamesobrien1440]

Dave, you just summed it up perfectly 👍

[@southpawYT]

she sings in english, she just twists the words to make them sound alien and etheral

[@daniellebelisario-biddle3387]

@@southpawYT you’re right

[@dprid]

@@BiblicalTeachings The only person who knows the lyrics is Elizabeth Fraser - Simon and Robin have both said that even they don't know them. The only official lyrics anywhere are a few words printed in the sleeve art. Otherwise no official lyrics have ever been published. Fans got really excited when an official Japanese release included a lyric sheet, but the label had to admit that they had simply made the words up and were forced to remove the lyric sheet by the band. There have been literally hundreds of attempts by fans to decipher the lyrics over the years, but I guarantee anything you find online is totally unofficial (unless someone has managed to steal Liz's notebook).

[@snowviolet508]

Pronounced Cock- tow. They are not just ‘some shoe gaze’ band… they were *thee* band that everyone else tried to imitate. They were amazing. Literally everything they did was gorgeous.

[@isaiahromero9861]

I think he's aware how essential they are, he just said that because he wasn't that familiar with their music

[@curly_wyn]

Liz Fraser had a once in a MILLENNIUM voice!

[@doneyarts47]

Yes. They are beyond "Shoegaze." As are DCD, and the 4AD label.

[@Octavian7771]

Categorizing is always a precarious endeavor. Of course, they were so ahead of their time, and they set the precedence. Have said that, I always associated them as nascent 'Dream Pop'.

[@kylierichmond531]

I will never not be obsessed w this album

[@TenementGentleman]

Same. Such a good way to describe my thoughts on this album.

[@jamesobrien1440]

Me too Kyle

[@offbeat65]

Me either won't ever be never not obsessed with as many negations in a sentence as impossible just to sound cool.

[@davimag2071]

Liz Fraser is such a greaaaaat vocalist! She has some crazy skills since CT's gothic era. Greatest and most iconic voice in Dream pop forever.

[@mddawson1]

FYI: The music for the final track 'Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires' was written by the bands bassist, Simon Raymonde, the day after his father died. This likely accounts for some of it's darkness.

[@pauly676767]

Today is the 40th birthday of their album Treasure... You must give that a listen.......

[@Garghamellal]

I am so happy when i see a young guy discover this amazing band from the past. Welcome to the otherworld. Please do not call it shoegaze though, because this term came only later, whereas Cocteau twins were the pioneers of the so called ethereal genre, which was by some called "dream pop" later (i never liked this term as well). If you want to delve into this kind of music, you should definitely check bands such as The Moon seven times, Cranes, and stuff released in the '90s by Projekt records like Love spirals downwards, Frolic. Also The Frozen autumn (italian band), Kuroyuri shimai (from Japan), Ostia (australian band), Autumn's grey solace. Recently a great band is Terror forms. Wish you an happy exploration.

[@f1ftyfiftycl0wn]

5:56 it’s funny you say that bc the weeknd has actually sampled cherry coloured funk in one of his earlier songs

[@OMN1N]

I believe Cherry-coloured Funk was sampled in The Knowing by him

[@chislicer5167]

Welcome to a perfect record. I didn't discover this one until I was almost 40.. and like, where has it been my whole life? Liz Fraser is an absolute genius singer... so much creativity in her vocal lines, like nothing else on earth. One of those bands no one could ever successfully recreate, only draw inspiration from, they're just in their own world.

[@bbaff8622]

Fotzepolitic just brings to a place that I want to stay. Its like freedom and light in song. One of those songs that just hits my brain perfect. Im a huge CT fan, some songs just have that thing. I think most can relate.

[@snowviolet508]

… and they weren’t really even shoe-gaze. That came after Cocteau twins. They were a 4AD band… and it was considered goth/ethereal.

[@Jontor11]

LOVE this album. After a few listenings you learn to love all the songs. I think my favourite is 'I wear your ring', but all songs are strong. Cocteau Twins were such an underrated band.

[@jonashorn8354]

It's so great to see someone newly dive into the world of Shoegaze 🙌🏻✨ I'm already so deep down the Shoegaze rabbit hole so it's just a lot of fun to see someone listen to all the classics for the first time like I did back when I first discovered the genre. I'm literally a shoegaze addict at this point 😄✌🏻

[@criss_v33]

Liz Fraser's vocals are unique, it's incomparable. You need to hear 'Teardrop', one of the collaboration songs she did with Massive Attack on the Mezzanine album... it's so deep and good it can easily make you emotional!

[@_alienblood]

Such a beautiful and magical album.

[@Biggle]

check out velocity design comfort by sweet trip, its another really great shoegaze album

[@davimag2071]

I gotta listen to this one :0

[@julianwest4030]

Did you hear about Valerie leaving? I was very sad about that

[@Biggle]

@@julianwest4030 yeah i did :( i think they made incredible albums while they were together though, they definitely could have made more but im satisfied with what we were given when they were together

[@thesound-chameleonman3580]

I have nearly all their autographs amazingly enough! I know Elizabeth Fraser's sister too! she sent me some covid masks through the post! I occasionally chat to Simon Raymonde and Will Heggie the founder too.. Amazing band. Love them.

[@andeez4663]

This was such a special time for music in the UK. The House of Love, Cocteaus, Ride, Slowdive, Chapterhouse, MBV from 88 to 93 fantastic years. Heaven or Las Vegas is defo my fave album of all time

[@kalkals1]

Always makes my heart skip a beat when I hear this album, she's genius so talented , a siren xx

[@franko6677]

Great reaction, I love to see someone taking in an entire CT album. This band is typically considered “dream pop” instead of shoegaze, though there are certainly elements of shoegaze in some of their songs. Really though, they are a genre all their own. Their earliest albums are very dark/goth, and they also did a couple ambient records. But they are best known for that dreamy, ethereal sound. There’s never been another band like them. I would love to see more CT album reactions. I’d suggest doing “Treasure” next, followed by “Blue Bell Knoll.”

[@maha77]

their songs are so deep and sophisticated, they have to grow on you, it takes multiple listens to savor the subtle flavors

[@dariiofernando]

you should start from the beginning with the first albums of the band, Cocteau Twins have a great discography even with the less successful ones in terms of production, forget about shoegaze, enjoy the gothic/ethereal experience of the 80s nice reaction!

[@xpo3oxhitherto149]

Heaven or Las Vegas and Souvlaki were my fav albums 30 years ago - love that you are revisiting these. Really enjoyed your reaction!

[@tzt1182]

The Cocteau Twins are the pioneers of many things. You can classify them either as Shoegaze, Dreampop, Ethereal or even Goth in their early days.

[@critic3001]

Yes mate - we know what we're doin' over here.

[@myownway7777]

They made dream pop what it is! Highly recommend to listen to cico buff by them! I can see you enjoy her vocals and this song shows her at her best.

[@cajflod]

Liz Fraser with Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance) were considered the most incredible singers of the '80. Both of them have an unique way to use their voices. If you like this album i suggest you to listen Treasure probably Cocteau Twins's masterpiece. They were not considered shoegaze, more a melodic side of goth music also because they started their music at the beginning of the '80 and shoegaze its a genere born at the very beginning of the '90.

[@davidgalan9921]

If you liked this you should react to their albums GARLANDS and TREASURE. They've got that earlier gritty Cocteau sound. Heaven or law Vegas is kind of a transition into a lighter sound for elizabeth. The other two albums I mentioned are much darker and more shoegaze and grit.

[@andylang5836]

The best thing about this albumn is the words are all gibberish . In your face

[@ICTS22]

Their album "Treasure" is one my most favored and cherished recordings ever. I listen to it every winter. If I were to rank my most favorite albums, "Treasure" is in my top 20.

[@JCWiley2300]

I would like to say something about the term "shoegaze," and I hate sounding like a pedant, but here we go! Shoegaze as a genre label was invented by the UK press after bands like Cocteau Twins, Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, Curve, et al, gained a popular following in the UK. A lot of these bands made sort of jangly, guitar driven pop music, but the label wasn't really about the sound so much as the bands' perceived persona on stage. These bands didn't "perform" or put on a show, but typically just stood on stage and played, looking down at their effects pedals. This ran kind of parallel to the grunge movement in the US, where scruffy-looking bands just sort of ambled onstage and rocked out, without displaying the usual trapping of 80s rock performers like leather outfits, snarly attitudes, and big hair. This was seen as quietly revolutionary, much like the early punk movement, because it was people who were "un-star-y" making this huge-sounding music, and performing it onstage appearing almost reluctant to do so. So "shoegaze" really isn't about a genre of music, it's about an aesthetic that the press deemed to be on-trend for a period in the UK. The problem is that that term kind of caught on, and is now being used retroactively to describe artists like Cocteau Twins who absolutely did not make genre music. It diminishes their legacy and influence on the whole of popular music, because it reduces them to a "type" or a microgenre, like synthwave or something. Artists that draw from a period of music in the past to create something that sounds like something in the past. That's not Cocteau Twins. And you cannot swing a dead cat without encountering younger people referring to Cocteau Twins as "shoegaze" or worse, "dream pop." 🤢 So, yeah. Sermon over lol.

[@alanteniarazon77]

You'll find that there are so many great projects linked to this band... Elizabeth Fraser, the vocalist has contributed to songs by Massive Attack, This Mortal Coil, Sun's Signature, etc...

[@rainbowbucs224]

So much fun to watch your reactions to one of my favorite albums. That eighth track is so deliciously complex. Liz Fraser: "Backup vocalists? Sure, I'll be all of them." It's like she becomes so many different characters even within one song. Or else we are hearing several scenes from a movie all playing out at once, overlapping. The music is lovely but it is always dramatic too. I think the Cocteau Twins arrived here from another planet where music is capable of doing so much more than we suspected

[@oceancarouselmusic]

It wasn't just another ten-track album from another band. It was a spiritual experience. I just happened to stumble upon it years before and rediscovered it back again and I'm glad I did. It wasn't just a "phase" that will soon fade out once you experienced it, it will leave a glorious memory that will play again and again inside your silent thoughts after. It wasn't a "personality" you can "wear" anytime of the day, but it was a universe on it's own and you're just there experiencing it's own heaven. It feels like.... falling in love, getting closer to God, understanding the higher power and sitting at the highest chair seeing stars below your feet. It was astonishing. I'm forever obsessed with this album. I love it more than I love myself and experiencing those ten tracks, I love myself now. Thanks, Cocteau Twins.

[@perryb5984]

I'm constantly amazed at Liz's vocals. How she constantly goes up and down the scales and it sounds so effortlessly. Incredible vocal range. She's quite possibly the best singer ever. She was born to sing.

[@kittykatmann]

Lucky day to hear Heaven or Las Vegas for the first time. The tracks never get old. If you liked this then I'd recommend Gala by Lush. Another legendary dreampop band in the same vein as CT and MBV.

[@julianwest4030]

If you haven't checked Spooky by Lush, I'd definitely recommend it. It's also produced by Robin Guthrie, who is the guitar player from Cocteau Twins

[@chloeannepitts5101]

this album consumes my entire life. absolutely incredible.

[@endriu55]

For another shoegaze album I'd recommend Lush - Split, more on the light and poppy side of shoegaze, even more so than Souvlaki. As for something heavier and more drenched in reverb Whirr - Sway.

[@ddym3k241]

you should check out the album Treasure by them, it’s super cool (might even be better than HoLV)

[@indieguy81]

I agree. I'd actually put Head Over Heels and Treasure above this one. It's still a classic, but probably my third or fourth favorite of theirs.

[@Jontor11]

Yes, Treasure was the album when I discovered Cocteau Twins.

[@thesound-chameleonman3580]

Victorialand is a masterpiece. Got that signed too! 😂👍🏼

[@jdjohnson7299]

Cocteau Twins were one of the most influential and groundbreaking, basically just exploring whatever they wanted. I would explore their catalogue from the beginning because they are very unique. They are not shoe gaze. They are "the" Cocteau Twins and a genre unto themselves

[@benoitdesmarais2948]

I discovered Elisabeth Fraser on This Mortal Coil's first album, with a wonderful cover of Tim Buckley's Song To The Siren. She brought her magic to the best Massive Attack album, Mezzanine.

[@samthemac17]

My favorite band. Highly recommend going back through their discography and listen to the early EP's and compilations. Honestly, their discography is just a gold mine. I especially love their earlier darker sound.

[@agdgdgwngo]

50 50 clown is succchhh a sexy beautiful song. I love how her voice can take so many different shapes

[@jeromesanta6307]

I am from the generation ( X) this band came about and it was not labelled " shoegaze" at the time , that's a modern label, it was on the " alternative" section at the music store. I discovered them while listening like many peers of my age to FM radio station in Paris ( france) at 2 am to discover new genres. A very random activity but it was the only way to hear gems that were not played during prime time hours. Nice to see the younger generation discovering this unique band that influenced your dream pop / shoegaze modern bands.

[@passengerseed]

ouï fm, nova ? :)

[@VivaLaViolette]

I love their album Treasure. In the 80s, we listen with a group of friends to it. The firts time i heared a song of this album, my heart exploted. This was music on a other level. This music go under your skin. This you feel. I never used heroin, but i think the first rush feels this way😜 After this, year later i was intoduced to My Bloody Valentine. Hooked😁 I'm a Shoegaze girl of 53.

[@jeromesanta6307]

@@passengerseed eh ben non c'etait sur Skyrock .

[@jbEATs5]

I’m not one to dwell in the past, but over 30 years on, I’m still listening on a routine basis. Such an amazing album.

[@matiastropi3180]

React to beach house plssss🧡

[@jamesharper3933]

I was at a dance club some years back and handed this cd to the DJ and asked him to play this song and a couple others and he was floored by their music and loved it.

[@daniellebelisario-biddle3387]

The pioneers of their time, perfect and dreamy in every way! Still relevant today

[@rayname908]

BLUE BELL KNOLL is almost as perfect as this album by Cocteau Twins

[@DentyOne]

This and Blue Bell Knoll are my two favorite Cocteau Twins albums. IMO, this is when they were at their creative peak.

[@mschirmersf]

They’re one of my favorite bands. I saw this tour in 1989 or 90 and the tour after. So so good and this album in particular was their most commercial album. One of the best albums to drive to... If you want a good mix of old tracks, they have a greatest hits called “The Pink Opaque”.

[@grzymol]

It's 4AD sound - follow this rabbit 😊

[@xpo3oxhitherto149]

Love this reaction video. I kind of felt like you when I heard this album in 1990 for the first time.

[@kyotocoversjimanderson782]

Well done on doing the full album. Got yourself a new subscriber!

[@6BURG9]

The track "Heaven or Las Vegas" is probably my favourite on the record. Reminds me a lot of The Cure. I'm a sucker for a sugary pop hook lol.

[@Octavian7771]

When they toured for this LP, I saw them at the Berkeley Auditorium. It was one of the best shows that I've ever seen. Somehow, they had what appeared to be a 3D background of colors and shapes that floated behind them.

[@heconelove5854]

They get credited for inventing shoegaze although that term wasn't really used back then. Welcome to the gift of cocteau twins now do yourself a favor and go listen to blue bell knoll.

[@nickchambers11]

Classy reaction, hope you listen to their other albums, which are equally great, too

[@ianbruce892]

The Cocteaus are beyond good!!! They are out of this World, 🎤🎹🎵🎶🥁

[@salesasa3560]

Liz Fraser❤️❤️❤️

[@rihcho2511]

Pitch the baby is my second favorite in the album 😭

[@VivaLaViolette]

The first time i hear Cocteau Twins, i must be 14 or 15. I felt it in my body. This, i never listen before. The album was Treasure🤩 Years later i had the same feeling with My Bloody Valentine. Thank you for your video. Give me good memories🤗

[@destroytheangels]

Didn’t even watch the video before I liked it. Anyone that listens to these guys is my friend

[@darkforest33]

these kids are hilarious…. my shoegaze band is in baton rouge. if you’re in the area jan 13 we’ll be at phil brady’s -Pink See Through Fantasia--

[@NatanCaetano]

I'm jealous of each and every one who'll have the chance to listen to this album for the first time...

[@Mackerdaymia]

Have to be honest, I watched this hoping you'd love Fotzepolitic and I wasn't disappointed. An absolute gem of a track.

[@soterioncoil2163]

My opinion is unpopular but my favorite Cocteau Twins album is Head Over Heels. I love all of them a ton.

[@timdraper4559]

This is pre shoegaze. I have all this on vinyl, and the EP's. I will never not tire of the Twins. Last album song is usually well worth waiting for. My favourite album though is the one before this, Blue Bell Knoll - I think you may like it.

[@garyrobinson8665]

Geest reaction. This album is definitely a grower. There's so much going on. I wouldn't say it was shoegaze. It sounds like nothing else I've heard. My favourite track is frou frou foxes. I recommend you check out four calendar cafe. It's another great record by them.

[@finlybenyunes8385]

Try Victorialand, Head over Heels and Treasure by the Cocteau Twins: all three will take you to different worlds!

[@marianneforeman1394]

Liz's vocals are just simply amazing!

[@ninacortina]

Haha I adore Pitch the Baby, it's my favourite track! It swings and sways, a bit reggae, a bit trancey. I bought HOLV when it came out. Saw Iceblink on tv and rushed out to buy it...on CD.

[@ninacortina]

Still have that cd

[@msmsmsmsms557]

please react to björk albums

[@diggerthegroundhog8799]

If you are a shoe gaze fan check out Lonely London Lad. A regular guy from WVA who released 2 amazing albums in 2009 and 2010. He had some very qualified musicians with him. The music is more diverse than just shoegaze..Much was similar to Bowies late 70s work. I became friends with him and begged him to put out kore music. He probably has another 50 unreleased tracks that are amazing.

[@j.dmartinez1517]

I find this song for accident, but it's one favorite song for me now.

[@gumishq]

I'm not sure you realise that the drums on most Cocteaus albums were programmed (i.e. were machine drums) - Robin Guthrie programmed them afaik and actually he used to start composing new songs by writing drum sections

[@muserulesxd]

heck ya

[@Alix777.]

You should do the first album or some early EP's, they are great...more post-punk

[@alexmw14]

I think you will really like Beach House - Bloom

[@f1ftyfiftycl0wn]

favorite album ever

[@Onche518]

it's dream pop not shoegaze shoegaze has those loud fuzzy guitars that are missing on this album

[@DAVECHER]

Yeah but the album is also classified as shoegaze

[@isaiahromero9861]

@@DAVECHER it's more classified as dream pop but it has shoegaze elements. This album is basically the Loveless of dream pop

[@jeromesanta6307]

I would like to add The first album of Goldfrapp " felt mountain" is the logical follow up if you like the ethereal sound.

[@thebeardedseeker5633]

Lead singer Elizabeth Fraser was once called The Voice of God. A moniker she detested, but well deserved. ♥

[@isaiahromero9861]

"this is a lot happier than slowdive or mbv" you should check out Treasure then haha, they used to make a lot more goth and dark music but still just as beautiful, I honestly prefer it to this album

[@mattlm64]

The final track is amazing.

[@danaferrara4173]

You have musical sophistication beyond your young years. Elizabeth Fraser has a canon of stellar releases under the Cocteau Twins as well as seminal guest vocals with Massive Attack, Peter Gabriel, This Mortal Coil, as well as soundtrack contributions and solo projects. Please check her new EP under the name "Sun's Signature". It is magestic!

[@abbycap302]

The vocalists name is Liz Fraser! She's also sang for massive attack and this mortal coil, shes pretty cool.. She was also in a romantic relationship with Jeff Buckley (P.S WILL PAY 1O DOLLARS TO LISETEN TO GRACE BY JEFF)

[@DAVECHER]

k ur gonna owe me 10 bucks then

[@abbycap302]

@@DAVECHER k deal.. you’ll make so many people happy I promise, and you’ll probably have an existential crisis

[@abbycap302]

@@DAVECHER Thom yorke went to see buckley in concert and was so inspired that he went back to the studio and recorded fake plastic trees!

[@DAVECHER]

@@abbycap302 dang that's sick. I definitely gotta check out that album then

[@abbycap302]

@@DAVECHER Sweet :) looking forward to it! Its my all time favorite album

[@Vdrum1010]

Hey man, lovin' your channel! Heaven or Las Vegas y really something else. Have you thought of checking newer shoegaze at some point? If not, you should def check out Slow Crush's "Hush" released last year - pure fucking bliss

[@John-h9m]

If you want to hear the vocalist almost isolated, listen to " Song to the Siren", by This Mortal Coil. Same singer, Elizabeth Fraser.

[@princessnoodley]

Ah yes, the cocteau twins! One of my all time favorites! Their earlier albums were definitely more post punk/goth/ethereal wave. Over the years, they dabbled into various genres such as what we know as "shoe gaze" and "dream pop." But to me, they will always be one of the best ethereal wave goth bands to ever exist. I definitely reccomend you listen to the BBC recordings of their music. The magic of Elizabeth Fraser, and this band in general, is that they sound just as amazing live! Here's a link to my favorite album by them (BBC sessions) I think you'll especially love songs 24 to 30 (Serpenskirt to Violane) but I also highly recommend you give the other tracks a listen because their post punky stuff was also amazing!: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2fPaZx4hbNgf5Y

[@adriansullivan7629]

So good.

[@deathkampdrone]

u gotta admit its a pretty sweet album :)

[@Boombat818]

you gotta do “Siamese Dream” by the Smashing Pumpkins. it’s one of the most incredible shoegaze adjacent albums ever made.

[@Goonerette75]

This group (which split in 1997) are underrated. This album is underrated. Elizabeth Fraser is underrated. She was a guest vocalist on 3 Massive Attack songs on their 1998 album Mezzanine (Teardrop, Black Milk and Group Four). Her voice transcends everything she sings. My favourite on HOLV is I Wear Your Ring. But I think you need to listen to that track again, as the key changes are apparent. BTW, I'm addicted to this album. The instrumentation in every song is well put together.

[@ninacortina]

Just remembered, Pitch the Baby was on a summer compilation 2cd, and it made me hear it in a different context, which gave me a new appreciation for it. It's untypical, so it leaves them open to scrutiny. It's a bit softer and feminine, if that's possible. As a vehicle for Liz' voice, the band elevate her into the clouds but in this track she's just floating there. This track gives a glimpse of what the band might have been, if not at 4AD....which leads to the next album being on Fontana label.

[@raconteurful]

I call her a 'soul gaze' singer.(It's a genre all of her own) Beautifully produced record that one. This (Ride - Vapour Trail) is shoe gaze at it's finest... enjoy. Great to see young folk enjoying the music I loved when I was your age. Peace R

[@catlvr-kg9ol]

Good reaction/commentary :))❤