Heaven or Las Vegas

Scottish Wilson Phillips singing in Simlish.

I’ve heard of this band for a long time but never listened to them. I liked this album even though the 80s dream-pop vibe is not really my jam. The production is great, the instrumentation is great, the vocals are kind of hit or miss for me, but they do bring a unique feel.

I appreciate this album from a historical perspective even if you won’t find me blasting these songs in my car with the windows down on a nice summer day.

oo I got this one on vinyl
Despite that, I've only heard Side A; luckily, what's good in the first half continues in the second.
The feeling I get from seeing the album cover is very similar to what I get listening to the songs: like an aurora in that it's transient, & leaves me wanting more.
Generator has been on fire this month, more Scottish nonsense pls

HL: "Cherry-Coloured Funk", "Iceblink Luck", title track, "I Wear Your Ring", "Fotzepolitic", "Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires"

January 22, 2024

It feels like listening to nothing. The album changed over to their next album and I didn't notice for 20 minutes. That being said, it's not bad listening to it, I just forgot I was listening to music. If that makes any sense...

Awesome vocals, dull repetitive music. But they're Scottish, and Liz Fraser is a genius.

Heaven Or Las Vegas is fine. The main thing I like about this album is Elizabeth Fraser voice because man it is quite good and pretty unique too. The songs were all okay albeit a bit forgettable. The sound choices weren't annoying though so this album didn't make me want it to end really fast.
Best Song: Iceblink Luck
Worst Song: I Wear Your Ring

This is another shockingly good album. I kind of missed the 80s, so there is a lot that I missed, especially the more under the radar stuff. I don't have any affinity for the typical 80s sound, but this album isn't that. It's a very dreamy, gauzy dream-pop precursor, and I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that Chino Moreno from Deftones absolutely loved this band. Again, I'd love the ability to do half stars, as this is a solid 3.5. I wouldn't say it's as good as Superunknown, but it's definitely better than Teenage Head, which I gave 3 stars.

I liked some of this. But I really didn't like some of it, too. Some of the insturmentation is really good and interesting. Some of the vocals are fine, but some are utterly uncomprehensible. I don't think I'll be putting this on again anytime soon.

I'd totally missed Cocteau Twins growing up, I was introduced to them a couple of years ago, and enjoyed this album very much.

Ah yes, the Cocteau Twins. Makes you want to lie in a field with a pretty girl on a warm sunny day and watch clouds go by.

Enjoyable and atmospheric, but annoying that the lyrics are unintelligible

It's a quite nice floaty-sounding album. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. I think I had these guys confused with another band who were a bit more hard-hitting. I can't say this is particularly exciting. They kind of sound like a softer, less-interesting Roxette or something.

2.5 rounded up.

Cool. Maybe too cool for me.

I've always wanted to listen to this album but never got around to actually doing it. I can hear so many influences on this one. This basically paved the way for many of my favourite artists playing today. A very enjoyable listen and the first song is the best on it.

I have been really hoping this would come up on the list. Over the past few years, it has become one of my favourite albums, and over the Covid lockdowns became important to me in a way I find hard to put into words.

The production is fantastic, both warm and icy in equal measures (if that even makes sense). The songwriting is amazing; even though the lyrics are mostly unintelligible, the melodies speak for themselves. Overall I wouldn't change a thing about this album. 6/5.

Love the Cocteau Twins. The Dreamcore/Shoegaze sound is one that always seems to resonate with me. This album is pretty solid throughout, and has one of my alltime favs (title track). 4.5/5

I am really digging Cherry-coloured Funk. I am really digging this entire album! It was a great time!

Another unknown Scottish alt rock band. This generator has a slight obsession with them lately apparently.

Never heard of Cocteau Twins before. After researching them a bit this morning I learned they are another fucking shoegaze/dream pop band, and are accredited with helping start the dream pop sound.

Now, I've been known to hate shoegaze, so I went into this with low expectations. This "dream pop" is different though. It is like that mopey goth rock /shoegaze garbage in song structure, but with a warmer, more upbeat vocal delivery and more jangly guitars.

One weird thing about this band is that the vocals are layered so much that you can't understand what she is saying. It sounds like she is singing in a foreign language. As odd as that sounds, the vocal layering adds a etherial aspect to the music. The singer has a beautiful voice, kind of like Enya in some respects. That added beauty is welcome over the backing shoegaze shuffling garbage. It is like goth but with "hope".

Overall, a weird listen today. Not terrible, but not really in my wheelhouse. I understand it's place in the grand scheme of music, but I probably won't revisit it again.

Favourite songs: Heaven or Las Vegas, Wolf in the Breast, Iceblink Luck, Fotzepolitic

Least favourite songs: "Road, River and Rail", Cherry-coloured Funk, Fifty-fifty Clown

2/5

Love this album, a beautiful atmospheric masterpiece

Dreamy
Atmospheric
Moody
Nuanced