Cocteau Twins - Victorialand (1986)

posted by all-musicrecords

Victorialand is the fourth studio album by Scottish alternative rock band Cocteau Twins, released by 4AD in 1986. 

The album title refers to the part of Antarctica known as Victoria Land, after Queen Victoria (and forming the British claim to the continent, currently dormant under international treaty).

Working without bassist Simon Raymonde, vocalist Elizabeth Fraser and guitarist/producer Robin Guthrie opted for a subtler sound on the album.

Victorialand was recorded without bassist Simon Raymonde, who had been enlisted to collaborate on the second This Mortal Coil album Filigree & Shadow (1986). 

The duo of Guthrie and Fraser opted for a subtler sound which dispensed with most percussion and bass, instead consisting primarily of Guthrie's "delicate guitar filigrees and lush, produced textures." 

As is often the case with Fraser's vocals, the lyrics are indecipherable. 

For example, Fraser took a passage from a non-English language book to write the lyrics for "Whales Tails", not knowing what the words meant.

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. 

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.

Tracklist

1. "Lazy Calm" – 6:36
2. "Fluffy Tufts" – 3:07
3. "Throughout the Dark Months of April and May" – 3:05
4. "Whales Tails" – 3:18
5. "Oomingmak" – 2:43
6. "Little Spacey" – 3:28
7. "Feet-Like Fins" – 3:27
8. "How to Bring a Blush to the Snow" – 3:52
9. "The Thinner the Air" – 3:16

All songs written by Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie.

Personnel

• Elizabeth Fraser – vocals
• Robin Guthrie – guitar, bass, drum machine, keyboards

Additional personnel

• Richard Thomas of Dif Juz – saxophone and tablas

Notes

Released: 14 April 1986 

Recorded: 1985 

Genre:  Ethereal wave, dream pop

Length: 32:45 

Producer:  Cocteau Twins 

Label - 4AD Records