Cocteau Twins

14,643,354 plays (401,893 listeners)

Shop now at Amazon | Send Cocteau Twins Ringtones to Cell
Buy
Add to my Library

Grangemouth, United Kingdom (1979 – 1997)

Cocteau Twins (The name taken from an obscure song by fellow Scots Simple Minds) were an innovative and influential Scottish band. They built a sound based on woozy atmospherics and singer Elizabeth Fraser’s unmatchable vocals, most of which featured lyrics of made-up words and words plucked at random from the dictionary.

Forming in 1979 in Grangemouth, Scotland, their first release was Garlands in 1982 on 4AD Records, which was received well. Founding member Will Heggie left the group in 1983 and soon joined fellow Grangemouth band Lowlife. The bands second full-length, Head Over Heels, did enjoy more commercial and critical success than their first.

In 1983, the two remaining members, Fraser and Robin Guthrie, were part of the first album recorded by This Mortal Coil, a supergroup put together by Ivo Watts-Russell, head of 4AD Records. The pair had a hit with a cover of Tim Buckley’s Song to the Siren, and met Simon Raymonde, who joined the band on bass.

In April ‘84 they released Pearly Dewdrops’ Drop, the 12-inch that included The Spangle Maker. It was their first to reach the national top 40. When it peaked at 29 they were asked to play Top Of The Pops, but turned it down.

The 1984 album Treasure followed, peaking at 29 on the UK album chart.

A musical sidestep was to follow, as the Twins recorded a collaborative effort with composer Harold Budd, The Moon And The Melodies in 1985, and then a year later their next album, Victorialand, was recorded without Raymonde (who was working on the second This Mortal Coil album) or drums.
Share this artist:

Top Albums

  • Treasure
    Cocteau Twins Play
    Buy
  • Heaven or Las Vegas
    Cocteau Twins Play
    Buy
  • Head Over Heels
    Cocteau Twins Play
    Buy
  • Blue Bell Knoll
    Cocteau Twins Play
    Buy

    New

See more

Top Tracks

1
1,345
2
1,222
3
1,075
4
987
5
Ivo
863
6
771
7
732
8
723
9
722
10
646
11
626
12
625
13
608
14
591
15
586
Buy all tracks at Amazon MP3
See more

Shoutbox

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up (it’s free).
  • LightsOfBohemia

    Neopseustidae, Incurvariidae, Oecophoridae, Stenomidae... gosh butterflies have some freaking weird names.

    yesterday afternoon
  • distortedguest

    Heaven or Las Vegas is a perfect album from start to finish.

    Wednesday evening
  • randyalbanesest

    Mental nourishment. I always return to this band. Always.

    Wednesday morning
  • Pulsars

    Garlands is so underrated.

    Tuesday afternoon
  • Jesus_Esquivel

    music of my dreams

    Tuesday morning
  • Kleber01z

    I love "Victorialand" and "Treasure" <3

    Tuesday morning
  • daulkim

    Milk & Kisses

    Monday evening
  • lorrabaquio

    Dream Pop exists because of the Cocteaus.

    Sunday afternoon
See all 2,165 shouts

Videos

See more

Listening Now

Top Listeners

See more

More Information

Links
Band Members
Labels