Customer Reviews

Stars And Topsoil - A Collection 1982-1990

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I've been a rabid Cocteau Twins fan for many years and have all of their albums and EPs. When I heard about STARS AND TOPSOIL, this compilation put together by 4AD to summarize their superb eight years on that label, I immediately added it to my collection. Thinking about the release, though, I think that getting STARS AND TOPSOIL would probably not be the best introduction to this wonderful band for someone who had never heard them before. There are simply too many styles put together on this album and, although it does show the progression in the band's sound during the 4AD years, it is confusingly uneven for the newbie. I would simply recommend picking up HEAVEN OR LAS VEGAS or TREASURE to learn about the band. Leave STARS AND TOPSOIL alone until you've become familiar with the band and already have most of their albums.

But this caveat is only for people unfamiliar with the Twins. If you enjoy the gorgeous music of the Cocteau Twins, STARS AND TOPSOIL features 8 years of some of their best songs on a single disc. It's worth picking up.

I'll be brief - The Cocteau Twins have made some of the most heavenly, lush, etheral, otherworldly music I've ever heard. The atmospheres they create are so palpable you can almost step into them. For years, my personal favorite CT song was "Pink Orange Red," originally on the TINY DYNAMINE ep. Alas, I became permanently seperated from my old vinyl collection from the 80s (long story) and couldn't get this song for ages. So when STARS AND TOPSOIL came out and I saw "Pink Orange Red" on it, I snatched it up in a heartbeat.

I would agree that this is not a "best-of" collection, but nearly every song here is fantastic. Actually, it does include my least favorite CT song "Sugar Hiccup," but I'm the only one that seems to be mildly annoyed with this track so no matter. Undenyably, STARS does include some of CT's best music, like "Aikea-Guinea."

This is a fine place to start for newbes although just about anywhere will work since most of their music is wonderful. My first CT was THE PINK OPAQUE which actually is somewhat of a "best of" collection. Maybe the best album to pick up first would be TREASURE or their debut GARLANDS which is a bit heavier, darker and gothic compared to some of their later works which focus more on beauty. Some of the last few albums they released like HEAVEN OR LAS VEGAS are a bit more slick and digestable, but still great.

I am not really familiar with The Cocteau Twins music except for their enchanting album "Treasure" and now "Stars and Topsoil: a Collection (1982-1990)". I bought "Treasure" last year on a whim. I had always wanted to check out their music. I had heard a song or two by the Scottish trio over the years but I couldn't remember them. I liked what I heard and thought they were worth looking into. I immediately fell under Elizabeth Frasier's haunting vocals. She has one of the most incredible voices in pop music. No one really sings like her. Her voice can be fragile yet powerful at the same time. Robin Guthrie's shimmering guitar riffs complements Elizabeth's delicate vocals. Listening to The Cocteau Twins' music is such a joy to listen to. I especially love the addictive "Sugar Hiccup" which is simply irresistably infectious and the swirling sounds of "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops". I am also a big fan of "Lorelei" and "Pandora" too. I thought "Stars and Topsoil" is a great introduction to newer listeners like myself and gives me a broad idea of the band's music. I loved all the songs. As I listened to the cd, I could hear their influence on bands like Black Tape For a Blue Girl and Lycia iwth their haunting, ethereal pop melodies. I defintely plan on picking up the band's other remastered albums in the near future

The album title aside, this is a must-have for any Cocteau fan, and a primer on one of the '80s most original and influential "gloom and doom" bands for those who are not yet fans. A comprehensive collection spanning the height of the Cocteaus career, Stars and Topsoil gathers 18 slices of beauty and serves them up fresh (and chronologically to boot) for your listening pleasure. Hearing the songs chronologically helps the listener to evolve with the Cocteaus, from the bass-heavy goth tune Blind Dumb Deaf (1982's Garlands), through the height of their "swirly-girl" beauty (Lorelei and Pandora from 1984's penultimate Treasure), to the last masterpiece from this one-of-a-kind band (1990's Iceblink Luck and Heaven or Las Vegas). Although this cd doesn't contain any unreleased tracks or alternate versions (like last year's BBC Sessions), it still succeeds in celebrating the Cocteaus, and spares the listener any of the less-than-beautiful new age pap that scarred their final two studio albums Four Calendar Cafe and Milk and Kisses. The Cocteau Twins and 4AD helped to build each other, and this collection represents both at their very finest. The omission of Ivo or From The Flagstones aside, this is perfect listening for those cold stormy nights ahead in the upcoming months....

This collection is 18 of their most representative songs, all newly remastered, and they all sound great! Liz's often obscured voice is brought a little closer to the foreground, and Robin and Simon's playing and song-writing work are shown more clearely than I've ever heard them. Proof again that we children of the 80's found a good thing, now made better! If you are curious about the Twins' work, this is definitely a wonderful introduction into the mystery and haunting affection known to their fans as....the Cocteau Twins.

Forget the strange looks your peers and family give you when you pop in a Cocteau Twins disc. This is the kind of music that is for your gratification only. There's no point of reference for their music. Thats why its impossible to date their music to a time period or associate them to a musical movement. Although they've influenced artists like Sarah McLachlan, the Cranberries, Sixpence None the Richer, Mazzy Star, Lush,The Sundays, et al. Angelic and acrobatic vocalizing by Liz and spacey and original guitar work by Robin Guthrie. For me only Johnny Marr of the Smiths and John Squier of the Stone Roses approaches their guitars in such a melodic and original way. Their music may be electronic but there is no trace of harshness. Instead their music feels organic as if sprouting from the murk of primeval soup. Not even acoustic music feels so connected to earth, space, and beyond like the Cocteau Twins. Why is their sound so unique? Its because they've managed to break free from the bonds of the musical continuum of their predecessors and peers. In the same way punk and reggae did back in the 70's.

Although the band has released a few more albums and EPs ("Four-calendar cafe", "Milk & kisses", "Otherness", "Twinlights") in the '90s, this new compilation is the definitive Cocteau Twins anthology and represents the trio's most successful and enjoyable work. "S&T" offers a perfect introduction for the newly interested and for casual fans (if there's any casual Cocteau Twins fan, I've never met one..), as well as it does a very good job with handling the song selections - it leaves the band's earliest material for "BBC Sessions" and the b-sides from their numerous EP releases for the bootleg compilation "The forgotten 4AD tracks". Spanning their 8-year relationship with the famous 4AD label, "S&T" illustrates the band's rapid evolution from post-punk survivors to a groundbreaking "ambient-wave-rock" outfit and finally to sophisticated pop musicians. It also showcases their songwriting prowess - "Pearly-drewdrops..", "Carolyn's fingers", or "Pink orange red" are some of the finest independent pop songs of the '80s. You can also find some less well-known but equally interesting tracks on this disc; "My love paramour" (from 1983's "Head over heels") or "Pandora" (from 1984's "Treasure"), for instance. In general, the second half of the album has a more accessible, pop-oriented sound with melodramatic songwriting and incredible melodies, but the first half is a little more innovative. The only misstep is "Watchlar" (originally appearing on the CD-single "Iceblink luck"), a misguided dance tune which concludes this near-perfect album on a somewhat shoddy note. Otherwise, "S&T" is a concise explanation of why the Cocteau Twins were one of the most important independent bands of the '80s. Absolutely brilliant.

...according to List Magazine, that is. This collection proves that the Cocteau Twins should rank somewhat higher, say, 26th, right behind Nazareth. Seriously, though, no matter how often I listen to it, I can't figure out how the band came up with their song structures, their arrangements, their sound. Multilayered, ethereal, dreamy--their music is unlike anything that came before it to my knowledge. I really have no idea who their influences might have been. Perhaps this quality is why their work has aged so well. Or maybe because Elizabeth Fraser is a brilliant vocal artist, unlike any other in pop. For those who already love the Cocteau Twins, this CD may be interesting for the remastered versions. The liner notes are weak, though. For those unfamiliar with the band, this is a fine place to start.

As far as I know, this title is only available as an import, going for around 25 bucks. It is worth every cent of your money. Greatest hit collections appeal to me because I don't have the budget to get every release by my favorite bands and in this particular case, I couldn't be happier having shelled out more than average money for this insanely great collection. The track listing is chronological but the Cocteau Twins retain their unique wall of sound throughout, it sounds like all of the songs were created within the same space of time. The liner notes are almost as warm and majestic as the music itself as well. There isn't one bum song on the whole thing, it's just a constant flow of beautiful and alien soundscapes with the most heavenly voice ever recorded floating in and out. I'm so in awe to actually own this, to actually have all of these wonderful songs on one CD, that I'm out of words to explain anything. It is spectacular.

I've recently developed a taste for what I can only describe as "moody" music. While I normally avoid the so-called gloom-and-doom band genre, I've still fallen in love with female singers with angelic voices such as Mazzy Starr and Dead Can Dance (or anything Lisa Gerrard for that matter.) I stumbled upon this group and found this CD to be the best of the bunch for new listeners such as myself.

Since the songs other reviewers listed helped me out so much in my search for which CD's to buy, I figure I'd also add my list of favorite songs in no particular order: Rilkean Heart, Oils of Angels, Alice (I get a chill in my spine every time I hear that one!), Frou Frou Foxes..., Blue Bell Knoll, Eggs and Their Shells, Ivo, Blind Dumb Deaf, Sugar Hiccup, My Love Paramour, Pandora, Pink Orange Red, Pale Clouded White, Lazy Calm, The Thinner the Air, Cico Buff, Fifty Fifty Clown, Heaven or Las Vegas.

While I join many other reviewers in saying my favorite songs are ones not on this CD, you can plainly see the majority of the songs I like are included on this CD. If you're a new listener like myself, I'd recommend starting with this one.