Cocteau Twins
Lullabies To Violaine

THE REVIEW

There are bands that excel in LP format (think of Pink Floyd with "Wish You Were Here" or "Hounds Of Love" and "Aerial" by Kate Bush) and others, however, that express the height of their artistic creativity on, so to speak, less “demanding” formats. This is the case with the Cocteau Twins, a band whose history is more or less known to all, and especially their various stylistic transitions.

"Lullabies To Violaine" is a quadruple album that allows us to enjoy their history in Extended format from 1982 to 1996: from the claustrophobic lullabies extracted from "Lullabies" and "Peppermint Pig" to the calm pop/rock of the b-sides from the singles "Tishbite" and "Violaine", passing, of course, through those dark masterpieces that made the history of the Cocteau sound (the unforgettable "Aikea-Guinea" and "Echoes In A Shallow Bay"). The sound is almost entirely remastered by Robin Guthrie, who, despite the dedication and effort we owe him for bringing exceptional songs back to life that would otherwise have been forgotten, sometimes exaggerates a bit with his “correction methods”, giving certain pieces too much air (the 12” version of "Sugar Hiccup", for example, and especially "Hazel" which with that strange surround drum effect loses much of its original claustrophobic character), sometimes adding a bit too much echo effect ("Pink Orange Red", "Quisquose"), or bringing his guitar a bit too “forward” (making the bass almost imperceptible) and the voice of Elizabeth Fraser a bit too “behind” in other pieces: small things that are noticed if one also possesses the original EPs…

"Lullabies To Violaine" is not just a collector's item: it allows anyone and, especially those who have recently discovered the music of the Cocteau Twins, to approach their world on 7”. The collection has also been released separately in two double volumes, but unfortunately for vinyl lovers, only on CD. Personally, I recommend the original box set, although the price is not exactly cheap. But it is worth it, especially for the long acoustic section present on the third disc and for the alternate version of "Aikea-Guinea", even sweeter and more airy than the original.