Customer Reviews

Four-Calendar Cafe

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am surprised at the negative press this album has received. Of course, I can imagine that those whose fondness lies more with their earlier, so-called "darker" sound would be disappointed in the comparatively weightless feel of this album. However, I feel that their stylistic shifts are all within the same world, and equally spectral in their capacity to ordain.

Four-Calendar Café is a very special album for me, for it expresses love so purely. When I say "love", I mean not only romance and youthful distractions, but friendship, connection, and love of the self. This is partly due to the vocal content which is uncharacteristically clear (although I think this was not for our benefit as listeners, but merely as an act of desired appropriation on Elizabeth Fraser's part), and to the lavish cradle of melodic weaving provided by her instrumental counterparts.

The album begins with "Know who you are at every age," the most exquisite and contextually unhidden description of grief I have ever heard. A gentle blossom of drums emerges from the digital silence and breaks into a steady lilt of guitars and bass, reminding me of a boat's motions upon water. Simon Raymonde's mournful bass line and Robin Guthrie's flanged guitars provide sympathetic waves over which the breeze of Fraser's voice blows. She sings of her own reluctance to accept the grief which threatens its cascade within her. She is also very much aware of her need to fall into acceptance in order to develop as a human being. The central motif is alive with multi-layered beauty. Her intonations ("I won't heal unless I cry...", "I can't grieve, so I won't grow...", etc) are lifted by the low drone of her voice underneath. This lower voice (best heard with headphones), which sings the same words in a subdued harmony, are, to me, the core of the song...as if they are an inner consciousness, telling her more gravely that she must let the process of another's death (or the death of a connection) cast its shadows upon her.

Next, "Evangeline" expounds upon the changes that emotions bring as one matures, and the desires which surface at the loss of that which is sacrificed to bring about a new self ("There is no going back...I can't stop feeling now..."). The way I feel this song is as a postlude to track 1, as if to show how she has moved on after accepting the grief she so naturally turned away from in the beginning, but which is now incorporated into her being ("I am not the same...I'm growing up again...").

"Bluebeard" develops this theme further. Now that she has come into acceptance of herself, she is ready to turn her attentions to a possible relationship with another, and addresses the possibility that trust may be an issue between them ("Are you the right man for me...Are you safe for me, my friend?...Or are you toxic for me...?"). The song flows delicately with the CT signature flair...building, subsiding, then overflowing in a beautiful climaxical movement. Fraser's soulful background vocals in the song's closing section are wonderfully honest (seeming almost to sing another song behind the main melodic line, a style of vocalization she explored quite beautifully in their later works).

In the next three songs, she has given herself completely to this man, and is contemplating her bodily power and possession in the wake of their consummation. And eventually, the balance of control in the relationship has become comfortable between them (possibly too comfortable), but sacred nonetheless, finding herself lost in the attractive side paths of consciousness. (The title of track 4, "Theft, and wandering around lost" seems to imply that through love-making, something was somehow taken from her, and she is wondering if the sacrifice was worth it.) These songs capture so beautifully the spirit of sharing one's soul and body with a lover, and the scattered thoughts one can experience in such attachments.

In "My Truth" she has let this person into her heart with trust and compassion. This song flowers with vulnerable strength and a certain truth of experience.

"Essence" somehow reminds me of "Lazy Calm" (from their stunning album Victorialand). It has a very subtle pulse to it, accentutated more by guitars than by drums, and feels like a crossing over into, or deepening of, a mature love that as risen beyond physicality.

"Summerhead" is alive with rejuvination and joyfulness. It glitters with the recognition of disagreements, but rejoices also in the perseverence of the love she has discovered. One of the Cocteau Twins' best, in my opinion.

There is a shift with "Pur" to an even greater understanding of character. She illuminates the gentle soul of her lover in an objective light, and recognizes the gifts she has imparted unto their child-creation as she goes forward into her own death. "Pur" pulls at my heart with its lamenting tone and sense of finality, and it often pains me when it ends (though in no unnatural manner).

This is an album for those who love, or those who yearn to know what it feels like.

I do not claim that my interpretations of this or any other music are definitive. I just wish to express how I have related to it. And as I often say in reference to CT, these interpretations are rather irrelevant, for the music is its own commentary. I just hope that maybe this expression of my passion can influence others to buy this who may have been uncertain before, and that they can find their own connections to its vast world of possibilities...

My first otherworldly experience with CT was my first (I'm on my third!) CD copy of PINK OPAQUE, which is still my absolute favorite CT work after enjoying and obsessing over their music since 1985.

Four-Calendar Cafe is probably my next favorite album, and it's hard to choose! There are moments in FCC that remind me of TREASURE and even more that remind me of BLUE BELL KNOLL. This is the album I give to friends and family as an introduction to CT's unique sound. I don't know of one person I've given it to who didn't rave about it.

There are five songs that I play endlessly when I'm not playing the entire album at a listening: first and foremost is Summerhead. Something about the intro and the melody just puts me in a great frame of mind, no matter how many times I've heard it. Then, Pur would be a close second, though the mood is the total opposite. Pur is one of the loveliest songs CT have ever produced. Lastly, in no particular order, because I enjoy all of them: Know Who You Are At Every Age, Theft & Wandering Around Lost, and Squeeze-Wax.

Though it's possible to UNDERSTAND Elizabeth Fraser's lyrics through many of the songs, it doesn't make this album less Cocteau-Twins worthy, as some reviewers have intimated. Nothing wrong with writing some intelligible lyrics, just as long as your entire album isn't that way, I'm OK with it!

A fab introduction if you don't know them. If you do go dig up a copy of PINK OPAQUE and keep it nearby. I play it weekly....especially Pepper Tree and Wax & Wane!!

I do not have the distinction of being a Cocteau Twins fan from way back. In fact, I became a fan of their music in 1998 when I first bought Heaven or Las Vegas. Since then, I have acquired 12 albums and EP's by the band. I actually may have more CT albums than any other single band in my collection.
What's my point? I think Four Calendar Cafe is hugely underrated by supposed "true" fans. In my opinion, FCC is perhaps the most lush, spacious sound they ever achieved besides Victorialand. It's not quite brilliant like Heaven or Las Vegas, nor is it the stunningly quirky musical triumph that Treasure is, but it is the most deep sounding album that the CT ever did.
There is just so much going on in the mix, so many subtle manipulations of echo and tape reverb, so much just plain weird stuff that somehow sounds just right since it is weilded with such precision by Robin Guthrie. FCC is probably the most confident and mature record or their catalog, and also the most inviting. Where some of their earlier stuff is great, weird and nervy, FCC is moody. It's got so much dimension to it, and the songs are just excellent.

It's weird. I'm a fan of both "new" and "old" Cocteau Twins. Although I would opt for their newer material over the older "Treasure" dayz. What I like about the newer Cocteau Twins (a la Heaven or Las Vegas, Four Calender Cafe, Milk or Kisses) is the more upbeat, almost bordeline hip hop beats they use on some of the trax. I think this sound was the beginning of the trip hop movement, naming Cocteau Twins as the "fore-fathers" who pioneered this style of music. The older Cocteau is more twangy and lazy, much more dark. Four Calender Cafe is a landmark of a refined, more fresh sound Cocteau Twins incorporated into their music. I believe "Four Calender" is like a "Heaven or Las Vegas Part 2".

4 Calender has some of the same feel of passion and mystery that Heaven has, making it a truely enjoyable journey. My favourite trax have to be "Know Who U Are At Every Age" and "Summerhead", again trax reminiscent of the Heaven experience.

To sum up, Cocteau Twins are a surreal band. The Salvador Dali's of the music world. Four Calender Cafe IS indeed great background music (as one reviewer stated). But it is also great falling asleep music, painting a portrait (abstract!) music, playing on a rainiy day music. This album is versatle and accessible to Cocteau listeners. It takes u on a ride, a beautiful ride into the majestry of the star filled landscapes of our minds. There's nothing wrong with tuning out and listening to this album. I find it fascinating to disect the lyrics and hum along to lines that u have adopted as your own, even though that may not be what Elizabeth is singing! As one song on this album goes on to say "Is this what my body says"? It will remain a mystery.

This music is far from conventional. It is ambiguous; yes, it is. In all its equivocalness, it is cold, distant... frigid. From "KNOW WHO YOU ARE AT EVERY AGE" to "PUR", the songs deliver the feeling of something like being cozy in one's house, near the fireplace, on a nicely curved couch, drinking an energizing cupful of steaming, frothing hot coffee whilst reading one's favorite P.G.WODEHOUSE masterpiece and enjoying the beauty of the sight of the raging blizzard of snow through one's beautifully crafted "French Windows", and being only too glad to fit snugly in the place, one is occupying.
ELIZABETH FRASER's vocals charms one, with its softness and beckons one into its realm of tenderness, insecurity and warm heartedness. The muffled vocals should not be taken with slipshod attention. The vocals have been sung and blended with the music, carefully attending to the minutest detail in the variation of the pitch and tone.
COCTEAU TWINS had always been an elusive and mysterious band. The artwork on this self - produced title is beautiful and minimal. There are no band photographs and the credits amount to just a few lines, in some desolate corner of the booklet, as is the case with every album of theirs. How is this fact, relevant to the music, one would ask; but it very much is. The singing of FRASER has never been less than ambiguous than it has always been. The words are almost impossible to follow. When one seeks the booklet provided to help one in understanding the lyrics, one is only confronted with a feeling of dismay. There are absolutely no lyrics provided!! The booklet consists of only a couple of flaps, of no written matter, whatsoever, except for just a few lines of forcefully written credits; and this is the case with every TWINS' album, as stated above. With ELIZABETH's beautifully, soothingly weird vocals, how can one not feel compelled to refer the booklet provided to try to figure out what the mesmerizing words sung by her are?
Right from the hauntingly muffled vocals of LIZ, to the absence of any printed lyrics, all these add to the mystery of this underrated band and the misery of the listener in making a futile attempt to understand the TWINS' words, better; and the beauty of this trio lies in this mysterious character of their work and attitude.
There are no `favorite' songs, nor are there any songs which spoil the beauty of this L.P. It works as an album, as a whole, with every song, adding its own charm, in creating this unique celestial atmosphere, which makes this album so lovable and something, which holds a very special place in my C.D. collection.

I've been searching for perfection all my life. This CD comes as close to perfection as any music that I've EVER heard in my ENTIRE life! The music gets right to your soul and you just want to lose yourself in it. Hats off to Cocteau twins for never compromising the truth of their music for commercial purposes. This CD is anything but commercial garbage. This is pure and true music! It sucks that they broke up.

This is probably the best CT album. It's complete. Liz never sang like this before, she sounds like a woman for the very first time (she always sounded neuter to me). The production is very sophisticated, everything is extremely beautiful in musical terms. I never got the feeling that this is less dark than previous releases, or more commercial, etc... Those are just arguments of those who got tired of the CT, that they did not pay much attention, their previous records are much simpler in my opinion (Elisabeth's voice, string ostproduction, lyrics...), and I've always liked the CT. In fact I think this is a very mature masterpiece, this album was a huge influence for their next one "Milk and kisses". I can't remember a better album than this one for the time it was released. Although it was understimated by the critics (see above) while they were very fond of PJ Harvey harsh and raw rock sound or the dance commercial Debut by Björk, and it was also understimated by half of their hyper-dark fans (I've always thought the average dark waver is the slowest to evolve), this is for sure a GEM for POP CONEISSEURS.

I must say first that I am biased because this album holds a bigger meaning for me. I found love in Key West one summer, and this album was definitely etched in my memory forever.

All emotions aside, I must say that musically this album is a rare gem. Very etheral, chill, and romantic, the Cocteau Twins sweep you away with Four Calendar Cafe.

Listen with the lights low, candles lit, and be prepared to clear your mind. This album is amazing... I am so glad I discovered it in one of the best places on earth.

I was scared to buy this record at first- because I had fallen in love with all of the 4AD records- But after repeat listens this has swiftly taken my favourite spot- The songwriting is really crisp and tight- It is deffinately their "poppiest" record- but underneath that sound are some of their darkest songs- The most startling effect is being able to completely discern liz's lyrics- which seem to border between confessional to the abstract "know yrself at every age" blew my mind- and has the effect of dragging yourself thru a muddy bog "theft and wandering around lost" sent a shiver up my spine "summerhead" has some of the best shimmering guitarwork from them yet- "squueze-wax" tugs at yr nerves and "blubeard" will make you remember every crap lover you've ever had- "Pur" joins all of the other great album closers from this incredible band- easily the most intoxicating/addicting band Ive ever had the pleasure of hearing- this is probably not the best place to start- but a great record to land on....

Some songs on this album reminded me of songs from "Treasure" (Pandora, Lorelei). This Album is better than I expected it to be, based on reading reviews. The songs are mellow and happy and relaxing. Very easy to listen to. It's not like anything else that they had released at the time, and some have considered it to be a transition album. The sound is different than from earlier releases, and it's definately happier sounding than albums like "Treasure" or "Head over Heels". This album is great to listen to on those really nice spring days, spending it outside. I could probably recommend this album for new fans because it's so easy to listen to, and it's a good place to start. Other fans might recommend "Blue Bell Knoll" or "Heaven or Las Vegas",for first timers, but to appreciate those albums, I think that it's a good idea to have some background and some personal history with the band before getting into those albums. Overall, Cocteau Twins fans might not rank this one as their favorite, but this album is in no way sub par to their other releases, definately worth a look. I liked it very much, even if it's different from my personal favorites by them.