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Cocteau Twins — Victorialand (April, 1986, Reissue 2020)UK FLAG    Cocteau Twins — Victorialand (April, 1986, Reissue 2020)
♦ℜ♥    Jedna z nejvýraznějších kapel 80. let s velmi charakteristickým soundem blažených vokálů Elizabeth Fraser a omdlévající éterické atmosféry.
Album release: April, 1986, Reissue 2020
Record Label: 4AD
Duration:     32:45
Tracks:
1. Lazy Calm   6:34 
2. Fluffy Tufts   3:05  
3. Throughout the Dark Months of April and May   3:05 
4. Whales Tails   3:19  
5. Oomingmak   2:42  
6. Little Spacey   3:26  
7. Feet~Like Fins   3:26 
8. How to Bring a Blush to the Snow   3:50  
9. The Thinner the Air   3:15
Credits:
♦  Cocteau Twins   Producer
♦  Elizabeth Fraser  Composer, Performer, Vocals
♦  Robin Guthrie   Composer, Guitar, Performer
♦  Richard Thomas   Saxophone, Tabla
   AllMusic Review by Ned Raggett ⌊ 30 April 2020 ⌋ Score: ★★★★  
♦ℜ♥    Victorialand, Cocteau Twins’ fourth album, was released in spring 1986. The largely acoustic, non~percussive album was made with Elizabeth and Robin, while Simon was working on This Mortal Coil’s second album, Filigree & Shadow. Dif Juz label mate Richard Thomas guested on tabla and saxophone.
♦ℜ♥    The Guardian said “It’s not quite ambient, but it’s definitely not rock’n’roll even by the Cocteaus’ standards, building on the moments of guitar shimmer from the previous years’ EPs, while also stripping back at points to where it’s nothing but a Guthrie guitar line and Fraser’s voice.”
♦ℜ♥    With Raymonde taking a break to work on the second This Mortal Coil album, Fraser and Guthrie made up the Cocteaus for the first full~length follow~up to Treasure. Rather than trying for a full~band approach, Fraser and Guthrie instead created a much more simply beautiful effort, with a relaxed air to it.
♦ℜ♥    Rhythms are subtler, with bass and drum machine often totally eschewed in favor of Guthrie’s delicate guitar filigrees and lush, produced textures. Fraser is, as always, in wonderfully fine voice; her words are quite indecipherable, but the feelings are no less strong for it. “Lazy Calm” starts things perfectly, as deep, heavily~treated guitar strums combine with a heavy flange and guest saxophone from Dif Juz member Richard Thomas. Other songs sparkle with a lovely vivaciousness. Far from being stereotypical arty music to sit around and be gloomy to, two pieces especially shine with a gentle energy: “Fluffy Tufts,” with its many~layered ringing strings and Fraser’s overdubbed vocals; and the joyful “Little Spacey,” with a soft rhythm underlying more sheer electric loveliness. Guthrie adds heavy reverb and overdubbed lines to create the Cocteaus’ wash on such songs as “Throughout the Dark Months of April and May” and “Feet Like Fins,” the latter again featuring Thomas, this time on tablas. For all the sweet beauty of Victorialand, things end on a quietly dramatic note, but a dramatic one nonetheless. “The Thinner the Air” starts with treated piano and rather spooky guitar leads — the mysterious soloing is especially wonderful — while Fraser then sings with a slightly haunted feeling, concluding with slightly nervous wails. It’s an unexpected but effective touch for this fine record.
♦ℜ♥    https://www.allmusic.com/
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ALBUM COVERS XI.