Hotel Las Vegas - That Time We Flew Across the Country to See the Eagles

 

 

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair, warm smell of colitas rising up through the air. Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light... it was the Las Vegas strip. Except I wasn't on a highway, but on a plane, after flying in from Chicago. I was there to see one of the least likely of candidates to be a favorite band of mine- the Eagles. That was one year ago, on September 27th, 2019, when the Eagles played their classic 1976 album Hotel California front to back, live at their mini Las Vegas residency. I saw what would be the first of three shows, with my best friend Julia, and it was easily one of the best concerts of my life. Hell, this was one of the best days of my life. 

Since it's been a year, and I now have this blog, I want to take the time to talk about that Vegas trip, particularly the Eagles show, of course, and what this band means to me. You may not understand right away, and that's okay. I get that it seems weird for someone as "alternative" or "new wave" or "goth" as me to be so obsessed with one of the biggest, most famous, or "mainstream" of classic rock bands as the Eagles. So, you may be asking yourself- "Alex, why the hell did you fly all the way across the country to see the freaking Eagles? Why do you love them so much?" Well, I'll tell ya'! 

As much as I am a weird, left-of-center, obscure-music-loving-oddball... there will always be a part of me that loves "classic" rock. You may remember the Eagles for their MANY, many hits of the 1970's, including: "Take It Easy", "One of These Nights", "Take it to the Limit", "Hotel California"... et cetera. But have you really taken the time to dive deeper, into some of their lesser known gems? For example, the song that got me into the Eagles was "Those Shoes", off of their last album before the break-up and reunion, The Long Run, in 1979. It is a double talk box infused, dangerous yet sexy track, that stands out from most all of their other material. Listen to that one before you try and pigeonhole the Eagles as just some country rock / mainstream rock band. But beyond the stranger tracks, even the more popular, standard Eagles songs mean a lot to me.

I have been fascinated with the desert and with California for as long as I can remember. No matter what phase I was in musically, the West Coast has always called to me. And if anyone is the soundtrack to desert / Southwest living- it's the Eagles. "Peaceful Easy Feeling" was probably the second song that got me hooked on the Eagles. "I wanna' sleep with you in the desert tonight, with a billion stars all around", spoke to my wanderlust soul like nothing else could. It was actually (sadly) the same year that Glenn Frey passed away that I became a real Eagles fan. And it was a little over a year ago when I was at the height of my obsession with them... hence why I decided to drop a pretty hefty amount of money to fly across the country, get a hotel, and buy tickets to see them live. And it was worth every penny. 

The day of our departure for the trip, we had to get up at 5 AM, Chicago time, for our flight...the same day as the show. After I barely slept from the anticipation, I didn't sleep until after the show that night. Haggard as I was, you better believe I still had more than enough energy to sing every word to every song, and to cheer 'till my lungs gave out. As Julia and I walked through the MGM Grand Garden Arena, all decked out in 70's, desert-themed outfits (see pictures below), it became clear we were by far the youngest people there. And it became clear to the older fans too, as many of them began telling us so. But not in a bad or condescending way- they thought it was so cool that people our age were this into the Eagles (especially when I told them how far we'd traveled to see them too). 

 

 

Before we took our seats (in the "cheapest" nosebleed section, to the far upper-right of the stage), I bought myself an overpriced Budweiser, in honor of Glenn Frey (cue "fill the bathtubs up with Budweiser" line from the Eagles documentary), and because it was the cheapest thing on the menu, at $10 a cup. We were sat at the end of a row with an older couple from the Vegas area on my left. I fangirled with that woman for most of the show, which was a nice surprise. 

As the first notes of "Hotel California" began to play over the speakers, everyone went quiet. Then, as soon as Don Henley started singing, the crowd erupted in some of the loudest applause I've ever heard. I was immediately in awe- his voice sounded just as youthful, clear, and beautiful as it did 40+ years ago. Listen for yourself, via an unfortunately poor quality cellphone video I shot of it, below. Hopefully it can still do Don some justice!

I shot video of almost every song they played, but I won't share all of them because that would just be too much. I'll try and narrow down the "highlights" though. For "New Kid in Town", I was honestly pretty disappointed that it was Vince Gill on lead vocals, and not Glenn Frey's son, Deacon, who took his father's place on other tracks he originally sung. It was still a good performance though, and I got to hear my fill of Deacon later on. With "Life in the Fast Lane", I was blown away by how hard these old men could still rock. Joe Walsh's guitar solo was intense and electrifying. It had every person there out of their seat. I managed to capture it on video, and even if the picture quality isn't great, I think you'll still feel what I mean. 

 For "Wasted Time", the entire orchestra behind Don Henley's drum kit (oh yeah, did I mention they had a friggen' ORCHESTRA?) joined in, keeping the track completely true to the album original, as were the rest of the songs played. It was beyond impressive, and like nothing else I'd ever seen at any "rock" concert before. I can't say much else besides you should see a bit of it for yourself, by checking out my recording below (try and ignore the ignorant, rich dude behind us talking through half of it).

Moving a bit ahead to my favorite song off of the Hotel California record, "Try And Love Again" was as tear-jerking as it always is for me. At this point in my life, it is probably also my favorite Eagles song overall, and I connect with Randy Meisner more than any other Eagle, past or present (we are both Pisces, after all). In fact, I'm still sad that he's no longer in the band...and it's been like 40 years! And sadder still was that it wasn't even his successor in the Eagles, Timothy B. Schmit, who replaced him on vocals for this performance. Again, it was Vince Gill, who I'm sure by now you can sense my slight distain for. It's nothing personal against him- I just wanted more Eagles, less him at the show. Nonetheless, he still did a good job on conveying the beauty and vulnerability of this song, almost as well as Randy. 

As side two of Hotel California drew to a close, the band called for a short intermission before they'd come back and perform a second set of songs, from the rest of their discography (as well as some Don Henley and Joe Walsh solo material). So I grabbed myself another Budweiser (or two) and got back to my seat with plenty of time before they came back with their most mind-blowingly beautiful harmony song, "Seven Bridges Road". God their voices sound beautiful together, and this time was just the same (with a few different voices added, of course). I'm not exaggerating when I say I got chills. If you can picture yourself there, I think you'll get them too, when you listen to my clip below.

They played extensively, for another hour or more, with fan-favorites like "In The City", "One of these Nights", "Life's Been Good", and "The Boys of Summer", to name a few. But I'm only going to share about one more, because as much as I'd like you to, it's impossible to fully relive this experience through text and cellphone footage. But I haven't given Deacon Frey his time yet, and to forget about him would be a grave mistake. Before his debut of the night with "Take it Easy", he took a moment to remember his dad, and talk about what it meant to take his place in the Eagles. I was definitely tearing up by the time he was done, but I was brought back to a happier place as he started to sing. With a noticeably deeper vocal range than his dad, Deacon brought his own, unique feeling to the song, while still doing absolute justice by his dad's famed, original version. 

After some of those other Eagles favorites, he came back with my longtime favorite Glenn track, "Peaceful Easy Feeling". Not only did I find him just as cute and charming as his dad, but now after hearing him sing, I was smitten. And if any of the older folks there had any doubt about his place in the Eagles- he certainly changed all of their minds. It was like I was transported back to the early seventies, to that peaceful desert place I'd always dreamed about... it was that powerful. To close out this brief summary of the show, I'd like to leave you with a clip of it. Hopefully it will affect you in a similarly positive way that it did me. 

Even after a year, it's hard to fully put into words how special this show and trip were for me. Despite what my more "alternative" readers might think, the Eagles are a really special band. Their lyrics are poetic and deeper than you probably give them credit for. And their musicianship and vocal abilities speak for themselves. If you're still having a hard time believing me, I invite you to check out their 2013 documentary film, The History of the Eagles, to see an in-depth, raw view of the band at their highest and lowest points. Regardless, they mean a lot to me, and if anything solidified that, it was this show. I got to see a band I love, in a climate I love, in a wild and sleepless city like Vegas. 

And you know what, the Eagles were right- it really does feel like there are billions of stars in those clear, desert skies. And when you see them, it will change your entire perspective on life. 

Thanks as always for reading, and I hope you appreciated this very personal tale of seeing the Eagles (and all of my own original photography and videography this time! Yay!). Have a peaceful, easy rest of your weekend, and take it easy! 

Me, inside the MGM Grand, the day after seeing the Eagles, September 28th, 2019.

*All images and videos used belong to me, Alex Byrne, and were taken by myself or by friends. Please ask for permission before using for any reason.

A Year Without Ric Ocasek - Heartbeat City Still Weeps

On September 15th last year, I, along with other fans around the world, heard the heartbreaking news of Ric Ocasek's passing. I was at one of the heights of my Cars obsession, and simultaneously at a pretty dark place in my life, so to hear one of my favorite musicians was gone absolutely crushed me. 

I have to say "one of" the heights of my obsession with his and the Cars' music, because it started years ago, when I first began my "new wave" phase in high school, and my love for them has only grown with time. I grew up hearing much of their music on the radio (namely 93.1 XRT, as you might expect), and as a kid "You're All I've Got Tonight" was a favorite (of course I didn't understand the meaning at the time... just loved the way it sounded). My parents, surprisingly, didn't play them much, saying that they'd heard too much of them back in the late 70's and 80's, and that they'd sort of burned out on them. Kind of like classic rock, in that you heard it too much back then, and it's still popular on those radio stations now, so you never go out of your way to listen to it. I understand where they're coming from, but I think they missed out on a lot of the deeper tracks that made the Cars truly special. 

Going back to my innocent love for "You're All I've Got Tonight" as a kid- That is precisely what made Ric Ocasek's songwriting and musicianship so genius. He had such an ability to create top-10 pop-rock hits, but with a darker underbelly to them, that only a deeper appreciation for the music would unlock. He curated a sound and image for himself and the Cars that was the perfect marriage of popular, mainstream rock music, and artistic, innovative new wave.

With his 6'4" stature, skeletal-thin build, and hollow face- he was hardly the average person's vision of "dreamy rock 'n' roller". Draping himself in long, dark hair and sunglasses, along with oversized suit jackets, he transformed himself into an intimidating presence. But that didn't stop him and his band from climbing the charts and becoming one of the most successful bands of the era. And hey, I see it- I think there's something quite charming about his lanky, goblin-like appearance (I say this affectionately), although you already know Benjamin Orr is my dreamboat of the band. 

And apparently I wasn't the only one. Ocasek's wife of 30 years, model Paulina Porizkova, fell for his strangely beautiful looks when they met during the filming of the music video for the Cars' hit "Drive", in 1984. She was just 18 then, and he 40, but it was clearly meant to be. I don't judge them, and I think it's sweet that their marriage lasted so long. And even though they had technically separated before his passing, she was there to take care of him in his final days. 

Ric Ocasek and Paulina Porizkova, photographed in New York in 1990, by Catherine McGann.

For me, my fascination with Ric Ocasek and the Cars really began with their debut, self-titled album. Jokingly referred to by the band and fans as "the Cars greatest hits", the album doesn't have a bad song on it. It propelled them to fairly instant stardom, and kick-started their career. As popular as it was though, there are still some fine examples of stranger, "ahead of their time" tracks, that helped give them their edge. One of these tracks for me is "Moving in Stereo". The synthesizer is incredibly prominent, and gives the song a sexy, slick sound, while still being quite experimental. This is what makes the Cars so amazing to me; Ocasek's innate ability to create pop hits that make me want to dance, but also question why I'm dancing. It's dark, it's weird, it makes me think. But it also gets me singing, knowing every word, and moving to the beat. Though it's Benjamin Orr on lead vocals and not Ocasek, his creativity and musicianship shine through on both the studio version, as well as this live version from 1984. I invite you to check it out below.

Ric Ocasek and his music were a gift to this world. From his generation to my own, and beyond- There are so many fans who appreciate his art. Whether you're a casual listener, or a die-hard fan, you know and love the Cars. He was strange, enigmatic, and misunderstood. But at the same time he was one of the main figures of popular rock and new wave music for well over a decade. To me, he is one of my heroes, and someone who inspires me to be my weirdest, most stylish self, every day. I treasure his music, and am grateful for it. My only wish is that I could have seen him perform live with the Cars (I was born about a decade late for that one). If you were one of the lucky ones who got to see them, let me know in the comments what an experience it was, so I can be jealous of you. 

Thank you as always for reading, and maybe put on one of your favorite Cars LPs today, in remembrance of Ric Ocasek. Hope you're resting in peace, Ric. The world is a lot less magical without you in it. 

(The Cars' music video for "Magic")

Peter Gabriel Self-Titled Album 3 - The Soundtrack to Your Mental Breakdown

Few artists have been as enigmatic in their musical style and songwriting as Peter Gabriel. From his beginnings as the frontman for progressive rock band, Genesis, to a continuing, successful solo career, his genre and the meaning behind what he does have both been hard to pin down. The best way listeners have been able to describe it is usually as "art rock", which is a fine title- but there's so much more to it than that. 

His solo career began with a series of self-titled albums... yes, that's right- he named FOUR albums in a row as just his name. So there have been fan-made titles that have come up to help differentiate, usually based on the album cover art. His third self-titled album is usually referred to as Peter Gabriel III, or Melt. It is Peter Gabriel at his most experimental, and, in my opinion, his most twisted. It contains elements of many different genres, including art rock, post-punk, new wave, and post-progressive, to name a few. The music and lyrical themes of Peter Gabriel III range from direct political commentary, to anxiety-inducing nightmare fuel. It is praised for being such a perfect melding of experimental and abstract, while also being able to be played on commercial rock radio stations. It is a fascinating record, which to me has always felt like a mental breakdown set to music. Let's take a closer look at why that is. 

To start off on a completely unnerving note, let's begin with the first track- "Intruder". Utilizing the newly founded "gated drum" (or isolated drum) technique, Gabriel's former Genesis band-mate, Phil Collins, pounds away with a steady, cymbal-less pace. This sets the background for Gabriel to tell us the story of a break-in, or "intrusion", from the point of view of the intruder. Now, this isn't some simple burglary just to make some money and get out unseen- this intruder does it entirely for the thrill. It is not directly stated why he's broken in...but by the end of the song, it is hinted at...and it is far more disturbing than simple theft. "I like the touch and the smell, of all the pretty dresses you wear", being the line that lets you know where this is going... yikes. It is actually, probably the most terrifying song I have ever heard (right up there with Suicide's "Frankie Teardrop"), which is why it always finds itself on my yearly Halloween Playlist (I should probably give this playlist its own post at some point soon). It is the start to an album of pure twisted insanity, that only continues to get more messed up. Listen to "Intruder" for yourself below, if you dare.

Next we have the compulsive, "No Self Control". Here Gabriel describes what it feels like to have a complete loss of ability to control oneself. Eating too much, or sleeping too much being some of the simpler compulsive examples. There is also the concept of isolation potentially being introduced, with picking up the phone, and calling anyone, just to hear a voice besides the ones in your own head. It seems pretty relevant, with our own quarantines and self-isolations currently reaching over six months... hearing it now might hit a little too close to home for some. "You know I hate to hurt you, I hate to see your pain, but I don't know how to stop, no I don't know how to stop", shows when our own compulsions go from hurting ourselves, to hurting other people in our lives as well. Whether it be self-harming, an eating disorder, substance abuse, etc.- "no self control" is a shared human experience. It is a dark one, that many don't want to talk (or sing) about. Clearly, there is not much Peter Gabriel will shy away from. You can watch a purposefully scary, lip-synced Top of the Pops performance of him and his band from 1980, performing the song below. With Gabriel staring down the camera with a menacing look, and his erratic movements, he was definitely channeling his old Genesis "performing artist", or theatrical roots. 

Track three is a less than a minute and a half long saxophone solo titled "Start". It serves as the perfect, yet strange, interlude between "No Self Control", and its follow-up, "I Don't Remember". Now in this one, I'm not sure exactly what type of mental deterioration Gabriel was trying to convey. But it just seems like a non-specific loss of memory, of self, and of meaning. It has a fairly simple, repetitive chorus, which made it slightly more popular than the previous tracks on the album. It is not any less disturbing, however, and musically it has quite a creepy, unnerving sound to it (while also being a jam). The music video is even more horrifying still, with weird human-like creatures painted fully white torturing and tormenting Gabriel throughout. It could be considered a 5 minute long horror movie in itself. The version of the song used for the music video is actually the one off of Gabriel's live album, Plays Live, but with audience noise cut out. It still fits the visuals perfectly, and somehow makes the whole thing feel even more eerie. The only video I can find of it on YouTube is of an 80's Japanese TV broadcast, which has an announcer at the beginning and end, but direct your attention to the video itself, in between the talking. Brace yourself though, it's a wild ride.

With "Family Snapshot", Gabriel once again lets us see through the eyes / narrative of "the bad guy", who in this case is modeled after Arthur Bremer, and his attempted assassination of racist politician, George Wallace. By the way Gabriel has this would-be assassin describe himself, you can tell what he wants most out of this act is fame. The first half of the song is self-aggrandizing, acting as though he thinks he is the star of some action movie. But by the second half, after he takes his shot, he has a flashback to his childhood. He sees his parents ignoring him and fighting with each other, and then he and the listener realize that he was nothing more than a little boy looking for attention his whole life, taking it to the extremes to get someone to notice him. It is quite saddening, when you think about it (and Gabriel definitely wants us to think about it). Maybe not that we should entirely excuse attempted murder because of this, but just to take that into account when considering what makes a human decide to take a life.

Skipping ahead a bit to what is probably the most well-known track off the album- "Games Without Frontiers" is a catchy, yet strange, art rock / new wave jam that compares world leaders waging wars, with children playing games. It is a brilliant concept, and I honestly think it should be played in all world history classes. You have a cameo from equally talented art rock artist, Kate Bush, singing "Jeux sans frontieres" (the French TV game show the title is taken from) in the background, throughout, which just adds another layer of intrigue to the song, for those who don't know what it means. And while the upbeat whistling sounds make the whole thing sound charming and fun, it is actually still a pretty dark song. It makes us question who we have in positions of power (which we always should), and has us asking what their intentions truly are for waging wars that end in the loss of countless lives...with little to no good ever coming from it. Maybe they're all just a bunch of children bickering, but with the power to wipe out nations backing them. Gabriel got a lot of flack for the music video, for some reason, so there were two versions created. The original ("uncensored") one has scenes of children seated around a fancy dinner table talking and laughing, while black-and-white footage of the Olympics plays in the center... Not really sure what the BBC had a problem with, but I guess anything with children in it has the potential to concern people. Either way, check out the song and original music video below.

Rounding out the end of this unhinged mental trip of a record, is "Lead A Normal Life". This song to me is like the coming down from the mania, and once calm, realizing you've been committed to a mental institution. This time, the point of view seems not to be of the unstable person, but of someone visiting them at their institution. There aren't many words to the song, it is mostly instrumental, but with what few words there are, the person is acting caring, yet not quite understanding. "We want to see you lead a normal life" they say at the end, which sounds like a concerned parent, who wants to see their child "get better", mentally, but has absolutely no idea how to help. So they sent them here... which will probably make things worse. 

The last song on the album doesn't entirely fit the "mental breakdown" narrative, but it is important, and relevant, to mention still. "Biko" is a nearly eight-minute-long eulogy and protest song, about the murder of South African anti-apartheid activist, Steve Biko, in police custody in 1977. While being interrogated, Biko was beaten to death by police, which caused international outrage and protest. Gabriel himself was angry and saddened by Biko's murder, and wrote this song in tribute. It incorporates lyrics written in the Xhosa language (one of the official languages of South Africa and Zimbabwe), as well as in English. Gabriel denounces apartheid governments, racism, and the violence perpetuated against people of color by white police officers, in the song. He also commemorates Biko's life, in a way that feels uplifting, and befitting of a funeral. It sparked Gabriel's involvement in human rights activism, which he still takes part in today. 

Whew... well, I don't know about you, but that was a doozy. I will admit, writing extensively about songs that describe mental decline in various fashions is a strain on the brain (and sometimes hit a little too close to home). But, of course, it is totally worth it, to try and help convey the absolute genius that is Peter Gabriel's music. And these dark, twisted lyrics are paired with amazing, innovative instrumentation, which turns them into jammin' rock songs, and makes them much easier to stomach. Overall, Peter Gabriel III is a scary trip of an album, but while also conveniently being a post-punk / art rock / new wave JAM. If you enjoy a little critical thinking, and overall "intelligent" music, but also something that rocks- I highly reccomend Peter Gabriel's third self-titled album to you. 

Thank you as always for reading, and for hanging in there with me, through this tumultuous record! I hope it didn't drive any of you "crazy" yourselves. Have an insightful, but rockin' week! 

Peter Gabriel, photographed during the "Games Without Frontiers" music video, in 1980.

Looking Back at Cocteau Twins Haunting Debut - Garlands

September is such a strange time of year. It is a midway point between the end of Summer, and the start of Fall. The sun may still be shining strong, but you can feel that ominous presence of All Hallow's Eve looming in the distance. It should be no wonder then, that Cocteau Twins decided to release their haunting, yet beautiful debut, Garlands, on the first of this month, 38 years ago. 

Originally overlooked by many music critics of the time, as another "Siouxsie and the Banshees copycat", Garlands did not garner the praise it deserved back in 1982. Today, it is revered as a post-punk classic, and a pioneering effort of the goth rock genre- as it should be. Sure, the Siouxsie influence was there, and vocalist Liz Fraser was apparently a fan at the time, but Cocteau Twins established a sound so much their own, that they would influence their own slew of artists, for years to come. 

It is my favorite Cocteau Twins album, personally, (though Heaven Or Las Vegas is a close second), because I find it to be the most chilling and powerful of their work. Although nearly all of what they do is atmospheric beyond belief, Garlands creates a feeling and atmosphere that is the most compelling to me. If I put this record on while driving alone down a dark, foggy road at night (which I have), I'm bound to hallucinate something terrifying jumping out at me. But at the same time, there is an oddly peaceful feeling to it, especially on certain tracks, that makes me want to lay down in a grassy field at night and watch the stars (see "Shallow Then Halo"). Musically, it consists of bare-bones drum machine ticks, pulsing bass, and plenty of echoing and feedback. That paired with Liz Fraser's unintelligible vocals, and beyond obscure lyrics, makes for one mesmerizing album. So let's take a closer look at the pure poetry that is Garlands.

*Before I get into it, I will say right off the bat that I don't think there is any "properly" interpreting Cocteau Twins lyrics- I don't even think they knew what they were talking about most of the time. So these are just personally what the songs evoke for me, but I believe they can, and should, differ from person to person. Feel free to let me know your own interpretations in the comments!*

Starting the record off with the stark, cryptic (as usual), "Blood Bitch", lets listeners know what Cocteau Twins are all about, and scares off anyone who needs simple lyrics and a pop format in their music. This song has some of the most terrifying imagery on the whole album for me. It evokes a sort of ritualistic scene, with the "blood bitch" seeming like a cult member, taking part in a sacrifice. There is an "altar", there is a cold corpse, and there seems to be the message of revenge towards the end, with "I'll paint the blood bitch, the blood bitch black". Its meaning, if it has one, is certainly dark and spooky, and for that reason, it has found itself a permanent spot on my yearly Halloween playlist. I'd embed the video link below, but for some reason Blogger's YouTube app doesn't seem to have it... so I'll just link it here for your listening pleasure. 

Moving towards side two, with my absolute favorite song on the album (and probably favorite Cocteau Twins song, period), "Shallow Then Halo" is absolutely entrancing. I genuinely feel like I enter a trance-like state when this song comes on. The music makes it feel like it is slowly marching forward through the darkness, with stars clouding my vision, but yet being my only light. It scares but fascinates me, like casting a spell or a summoning, of which you have no idea the outcome. It feels like a power I cannot control. Maybe that sounds really obscure... but that is what this song does to me. It is probably Liz Fraser's chanting of her poetic words that make it sound like a spell to me. Always in a fragment of a sentence, it is up to the listener to put all the pieces together, and for me, it is a spellbinding one. Please listen for "Shallow Then Halo" for yourself below, and I'm sure you'll get what I mean.

Then there is the religion-imbued title track, "Garlands". "Chaplets see me drugged, I could die in a rosary", she chants repeatedly in the chorus, which seems almost like an involuntary rejection of faith, to me. Like, as if she were praying the rosary, and her hands burned on the beads, feeling her sin or faithlessness. It seems like she, or whomever is the subject, is internally consumed by sin, and constantly wanting to give into it, eventually doing so by the end of the song. It is obscure, of course, and maybe Liz Fraser had an entirely different concept in mind (or none at all), but for me as a former Catholic, the religious imagery is palpable, and compelling. Check out the mysterious title track for yourself, below~

These are just a small selection of the tracks from Garlands, but I strongly reccomend listening to the entire album, start to finish, in order to get the "full experience", if you will. It is truly a trip, in many different senses. It is dizzying, and mesmerizing, but still has plenty of poetic lyrics to keep you thinking and wondering the entire time. It feels spiritual, yet blasphemous at the same time. It is truly an enigma, and that is what I think makes Cocteau Twins so damn great. They are haunting, but philosophical and beautiful, making the listener dance while questioning their own meaning for existence. If you're into that sort of thing, please check out all of Garlands, available on Spotify, or other streaming services (or dust off your own copy, if you already own it!). Thank you as always for reading, and have a mystical rest of your weekend!