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Rating: More than four years after the undisputed success that was "Treasure" (1984), Liz Fraser, Robin Guthrie, and Simon Raymonde make a comeback, enthusiastic about their fulfilling accomplishments in recent years: after the unconvincing attempt with "The Moon And The Melodies" three years earlier, the Cocteau Twins have relaunched themselves with an album featuring intense sonorities such as "Victorialand" (1986). Since then, they've solely focused on producing an LP whose anticipation is destined neither to betray nor, at the same time, to astonish die-hard and occasional fans alike. Thus, in 1988, "Blue Bell Knoll" is born, apotheosis and decline, a work that represents the acme of the group's musical research but at the same time gives a clear indication of the beginning of the exhaustion of their creative streak.
In this LP, there is a fantastic series of unforgettable tracks, and it's curious to note how, unlike the acclaimed "Treasure", everything is now more easily digestible: the clarity of musical expression that was lost years earlier in the hidden sounds of tracks like "Ivo" or "Otterley" is now a structural foundation, a true melodic progression based on basic chords; "Cico Buff" and "For Phoebe Still A Baby" are splendidly clear, all the more so as Fraser's magnetic linguistic play, less pronounced here than in previous performances, is more easily brought under the aegis of musical harmony: "Blue Bell Knoll" is, in fact, first and foremost, an immediate product. The interest in the oriental element, together with the recovery of the group's goth-rock origins is expressed through tracks like the title track or the fascinating "The Itchy Glowbo Blow", where, needless to say, Fraser's splendid vocals always dominate, blending seriousness and playfulness. In this regard, the masterpiece is perhaps "Carolyn's Fingers", one of those tracks that almost everyone knows without knowing its source (it was the jingle for the Honda Civic commercial for years): of unusual beauty, it's a frenetic succession of Liz's vocal orgasms, a supreme example of music serving the voice; in the same vein are "Athol-Brose" and "Spooning Good Singing Gum", with their liquid sonorities.
An album of apotheosis, as mentioned, but at the same time a work of decline: it seems that the Cocteau Twins are beginning to face the problem of not having much left to say and having to rummage in the trunk of memories to produce something interesting: in "Spooning Good Singing Gum", it seems like one is listening to "Sugar Hiccup" again, an old hit from five years earlier, while in "The Itchy Glowbo Blow", the reference to their origins, as mentioned, seems more obligatory than allusive; there is undoubtedly an initial aporia of ideas, and as often happens, the crisis appears irreversible. Since then, the Cocteau Twins will reinvent themselves to the core, touching the brink of commercial pop-rock, with three more albums (arguably the best being "Heaven Or Las Vegas" two years later) that will leave a somewhat bitter taste. Fraser, Guthrie, and Raymonde, always and in any case, interpreters of sophisticated pop music.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Athol-Brose (02:59)
Try to walk slow (try to walk slow)
Let it pain (let it pain)
Jelly ball (jelly ball)
Shouldn't fade (shouldn't fade)
Let us drown (let us drown)
Long down (long down)
He bought me (he bought me)
[?]
Very very silly ball
Very very silly boy
Try to walk slow (try to walk slow)
Let it pain (let it pain)
Jelly ball (jelly ball)
Shouldn't fade (shouldn't fade)
Let us drown (let us drown)
Long down (long down)
He bought me (he bought me)
[?]
Very very silly ball
Very very silly boy
Now I see
Next day
Yeah
[?]
Your heart shall not be safe from me
God's light, shine on me
Your heart shall not be safe from me
Flow down light, shine on me
Very very silly ball
Very very silly boy
03 Carolyn's Fingers (03:08)
When he said, 'You are full of love'
She fell down into this dirty mess
Some people see me laugh and tell us,
'It's wrong to make fun of me'
(Even they don't give any more)
(Try, try to fall)
She fell down into this mess
(Even then they don't give)
(Try, try to fall)
She fell down and he's so sick of it all
And of me
This part not out of her saw fit to drop
Whispers might prove it all
(You're just closer to me when you fall, but you broke)
This would prove it all
(You just closer to me, but you broke)
This would prove it all
Sleep now
You susur, try to talk
Reach out for that hand
Reach out for that hand
(And even they don't give any more)
(Try, try to fall)
Even then they don't give
(Try, try to fall)
You just closer to me at the fall
But you don't want, want me hand
You're just closer to me
But you don't want, want my hand
04 For Phoebe Still a Baby (03:16)
Little Phoebe
Who I've never seen
Had you asked, I'd be right out
And maybe
In a good time
Phoebe, then I'll tuck you in
How is it
(Listen angel)
You do
(Listen angel)
Run along and shine the world
(This night, angel)
Don't tell
(Please smile on, angel)
Run along and shine the whole night away
And, say
And maybe
In a good time
Phoebe then I'll tuck you in
Little Phoebe
Who I've never seen
Had you asked, I'd be right out
For love feels
(Listen angel)
Feels
(Listen angel)
Run along and shine the world
(This night, now, angel)
It's all the same
(Listen, now, angel)
Run along and shine the whole world, angel
How is it
(Listen angel)
You do
(Listen angel)
Run along and shine the world
(This night, angel)
Don't tell
(Please smile on, angel)
Run and shine the whole world now, my angel
05 The Itchy Glowbo Blow (03:20)
Still stepping over me
Little, he needs
(Didn't he? How hadn't he?)
Little, you may need
And you know how sometimes
When your face gives right in to him
You've chosen your life for your man, yea
And look at your goals
Standing at his feet
(Didn't he? How hadn't he?)
Sometimes he flailed
But you're glad he cares
But you're glad he
And you died sometimes
When your face gives right in to him
You've chosen your life for your man, yea
For him? For yourself?
Futile, in love
(Didn't he? How hadn't he?)
Futile is this fever
And you died
Did I see dark lines?
So, what have you got now?
Futile, in love
(Didn't he? How hadn't he?)
Futile is this fever
The spirit of life fires me now [x3]
The spirit of life fires me
06 Cico Buff (03:49)
Today love finds off little
You see your singing is so vague
His joined her love so little
Don't care if you're fickle, oh that I find
So many stars take care of me
Take care of those they love
My love has done right
Love me so, love little
So you see now the sun is out
Love will accieve no ends
I can't be fickle, oh that I find
So many stars take care of me
Take care of those they love
Our love has done right
They know where they like it
All of love flow 'round of me
Strain and love me
Don't care if you're fickle, oh that I find (x4)
They know whether I come
(We flow and we fall)
I love for mine
(We fall down)
Strain and love me
(These stars that love)
So many stars take care of me
(We flow and we flow)
All of love flow 'round me
(Our love comes down)
Our love comes down
(These stars I love)
They know whether I come
(We flow and we fall)
Full of love fall down
(Our love comes down)
Strain and love me
07 Suckling the Mender (03:36)
I feel
Glad, oh
I love
(oh, i love)
Prose says
Yes, he may
(oh, yes, he may)
Fiddle
Future
(her future)
It dies
Union of love
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here for him
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here
I feel
Glad, oh
I love
(oh, i love)
Prose says
Union of love
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here for him
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here full of love
Full of love
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here full of love
Full of love
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here
Union of love
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here for him
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent her full of love
Full of love
Union of perfect love
She aint sent here
10 Ella Megalast Burls Forever (03:38)
Men don't tell much
Through the heart and breast
Men don't have that much
Through the heart and breast
None of it, seems to me, with what... a tear
None of it, seems to me, with what... a tear
Men don't have much
Felt it from the heart again
(For those who achieve this grace)
Don't hold that against me
Felt it from the heart again
(For those who achieve this grace)
Mistakes
Whisked away
Away and
Be joyful and joyful
Mistakes
Whisked away
Away and
Be joyful and joyful
With all the feelings on the ground
Men don't have much
Through the heart
Through the heart and breast
The only way in (x4)
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