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!