Review · 1990 · Dream Pop
Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas
The verdict
There hasn’t been a more thorough dismantling of English phonetics since Buddy Holly or Sting. But where Buddy Holly’s mangling of words feels performative and Sting’s feels like the rumblings of an oncoming mental disorder, the Cocteau Twins make their mumbling sound completely endearing. It’s got the would-be innocent energy of an anime theme song. Were they singing about sunshine and fluffy pillows or summoning a demon? I have no idea. I’m onboard either way.
Lacking discernible words, we’ll judge this one based on pure vibes. And not to worry, those are strong. The dreamscape world of this album is all cotton candy, but there’s a wistful air to many of the songs - I can almost see the lights of the Vegas strip blurring into the fluffy yellow clouds of a Charmin Ultra Soft commercial.
Jams
“Cherry Coloured Funk”
“Pitch The Baby”
“I Wear Your Ring”
From the roundup Jamwise #36 - Best Albums of 1990.