The Challenge Thread

[eumaas]

Tension is probably my favourite KJ song.

Same.

So perhaps I need to listen again. Is it the lyrics or music that appeal?

I mean, there's not much to the lyrics, so it's the overall song.

[Dr. Medulla]

Tension is probably my favourite KJ song.

Same.

So perhaps I need to listen again. Is it the lyrics or music that appeal?

I mean, there's not much to the lyrics, so it's the overall song.

There's a certain claustrophobic feel to the song, to me anyway. It just kind of circles around and around.

[Silent Majority]

Just as a reminder, I've got a Cocteau Twins list that's mostly off the beaten track—I think just three songs off the Stars and Topsoil compilation—ready for the posting should anyone be tempted.

Yeah, man. Hit me.

[Dr. Medulla]

Just as a reminder, I've got a Cocteau Twins list that's mostly off the beaten track—I think just three songs off the Stars and Topsoil compilation—ready for the posting should anyone be tempted.

Yeah, man. Hit me.

Okay, here ya go, chum. I think it's important to listen in this order, as well as not to substitute BBC recordings or remixes. The first five songs reflect their more gothic/post-punk beginnings, while the second batch show a band that is more varied, more dream pop. Plenty of alternative picks that would demonstrate the band's sound, but I think this captures their evolution pretty well (tho I'd be happy to hear critiques from Kory, eumaas, or other Cocteaus fans). Finally, "Orange Appled" and "Carolyn's Fingers" are both in my top ten or twelve favourite songs of all time (CF is just behind "Ceremony").

Musette and Drums
The Spangle-Maker
Aikea-Guinea
Sigh's Smell of Farewell
Orange Appled
Carolyn’s Fingers
Cherry-Coloured Funk
Tishbite
Alice
Smile

(If you have trouble locating any of these, lemme know and I'll hook you up.)

[Inder]

Spangle-Maker is my favourite Cocteaus song.

Tension is probably my favourite KJ song.

Same.

So perhaps I need to listen again. Is it the lyrics or music that appeal?

I mean, there's not much to the lyrics, so it's the overall song.

There's a certain claustrophobic feel to the song, to me anyway. It just kind of circles around and around.

It's also one of the all-time great songs to be pissed off to.

[Kory]

Just as a reminder, I've got a Cocteau Twins list that's mostly off the beaten track—I think just three songs off the Stars and Topsoil compilation—ready for the posting should anyone be tempted.

Yeah, man. Hit me.

Okay, here ya go, chum. I think it's important to listen in this order, as well as not to substitute BBC recordings or remixes. The first five songs reflect their more gothic/post-punk beginnings, while the second batch show a band that is more varied, more dream pop. Plenty of alternative picks that would demonstrate the band's sound, but I think this captures their evolution pretty well (tho I'd be happy to hear critiques from Kory, eumaas, or other Cocteaus fans). Finally, "Orange Appled" and "Carolyn's Fingers" are both in my top ten or twelve favourite songs of all time (CF is just behind "Ceremony").

Musette and Drums
The Spangle-Maker
Aikea-Guinea
Sigh's Smell of Farewell
Orange Appled
Carolyn’s Fingers
Cherry-Coloured Funk
Tishbite
Alice
Smile

(If you have trouble locating any of these, lemme know and I'll hook you up.)

Thank you for including Cherry-Coloured Funk, that song gets me goin'. I'm going to listen to this list just for fun.

[Dr. Medulla]

Thank you for including Cherry-Coloured Funk, that song gets me goin'.

Figuring out what to pick from HoLV was tough. I flip-flopped between "C-CF" and "Fifty-Fifty Clown." Not a bum song on the entire record.

[Kory]

Thank you for including Cherry-Coloured Funk, that song gets me goin'.

Figuring out what to pick from HoLV was tough. I flip-flopped between "C-CF" and "Fifty-Fifty Clown." Not a bum song on the entire record.

I think it gets dumped on sometimes for being more accessible but I don't know why that's bad. Especially for this band, where "accessible" doesn't mean "radio-friendly."

[Dr. Medulla]

Thank you for including Cherry-Coloured Funk, that song gets me goin'.

Figuring out what to pick from HoLV was tough. I flip-flopped between "C-CF" and "Fifty-Fifty Clown." Not a bum song on the entire record.

I think it gets dumped on sometimes for being more accessible but I don't know why that's bad. Especially for this band, where "accessible" doesn't mean "radio-friendly."

Yeah, it's far from a sell-out. They just went in a direction that wasn't quite so outré. It's an ideal introduction to the band.

[Kory]

Thank you for including Cherry-Coloured Funk, that song gets me goin'.

Figuring out what to pick from HoLV was tough. I flip-flopped between "C-CF" and "Fifty-Fifty Clown." Not a bum song on the entire record.

I think it gets dumped on sometimes for being more accessible but I don't know why that's bad. Especially for this band, where "accessible" doesn't mean "radio-friendly."

Yeah, it's far from a sell-out. They just went in a direction that wasn't quite so outré. It's an ideal introduction to the band.

I actually played Cherry to a friend last weekend and he was blown away, having never heard them before.

[revbob]

Spangle-Maker is my favourite Cocteaus song.

Same.

So perhaps I need to listen again. Is it the lyrics or music that appeal?

I mean, there's not much to the lyrics, so it's the overall song.

There's a certain claustrophobic feel to the song, to me anyway. It just kind of circles around and around.

It's also one of the all-time great songs to be pissed off to.

I thought that was "Wonderful Christmas Time". Minus the great.

[Dr. Medulla]

Thank you for including Cherry-Coloured Funk, that song gets me goin'.

Figuring out what to pick from HoLV was tough. I flip-flopped between "C-CF" and "Fifty-Fifty Clown." Not a bum song on the entire record.

I think it gets dumped on sometimes for being more accessible but I don't know why that's bad. Especially for this band, where "accessible" doesn't mean "radio-friendly."

Yeah, it's far from a sell-out. They just went in a direction that wasn't quite so outré. It's an ideal introduction to the band.

I actually played Cherry to a friend last weekend and he was blown away, having never heard them before.

Whenever I go on Cocteaus binges, there's a certain sadness to realize Liz Fraser's battles with mental illness and for someone who is blessed with that voice to not get such joy from it. How perversely cruel that is.

[Kory]

Figuring out what to pick from HoLV was tough. I flip-flopped between "C-CF" and "Fifty-Fifty Clown." Not a bum song on the entire record.

I think it gets dumped on sometimes for being more accessible but I don't know why that's bad. Especially for this band, where "accessible" doesn't mean "radio-friendly."

Yeah, it's far from a sell-out. They just went in a direction that wasn't quite so outré. It's an ideal introduction to the band.

I actually played Cherry to a friend last weekend and he was blown away, having never heard them before.

Whenever I go on Cocteaus binges, there's a certain sadness to realize Liz Fraser's battles with mental illness and for someone who is blessed with that voice to not get such joy from it. How perversely cruel that is.

Definitely one of those things that can prove the nonexistence of god, at least any kind of benevolent and omnipotent one. Fuck mysterious ways.

[Kory]

Figuring out what to pick from HoLV was tough. I flip-flopped between "C-CF" and "Fifty-Fifty Clown." Not a bum song on the entire record.

I think it gets dumped on sometimes for being more accessible but I don't know why that's bad. Especially for this band, where "accessible" doesn't mean "radio-friendly."

Yeah, it's far from a sell-out. They just went in a direction that wasn't quite so outré. It's an ideal introduction to the band.

I actually played Cherry to a friend last weekend and he was blown away, having never heard them before.

Whenever I go on Cocteaus binges, there's a certain sadness to realize Liz Fraser's battles with mental illness and for someone who is blessed with that voice to not get such joy from it. How perversely cruel that is.

On a related note, should I assume you're already familiar with the three songs she did with Massive Attack?

[Dr. Medulla]

I think it gets dumped on sometimes for being more accessible but I don't know why that's bad. Especially for this band, where "accessible" doesn't mean "radio-friendly."

Yeah, it's far from a sell-out. They just went in a direction that wasn't quite so outré. It's an ideal introduction to the band.

I actually played Cherry to a friend last weekend and he was blown away, having never heard them before.

Whenever I go on Cocteaus binges, there's a certain sadness to realize Liz Fraser's battles with mental illness and for someone who is blessed with that voice to not get such joy from it. How perversely cruel that is.

On a related note, should I assume you're already familiar with the three songs she did with Massive Attack?

Yes and no. I know she did a few, but "Teardrop" is the only one I can think of. Two songs she put out under her own name, "Moses" and "Underwater," are pretty good.