 Cocteau Twins
 Four-Calendar Café
 Review by Bruce Stringer

The Cocteau Twins were the accessible bridge between the Goth / Art sound of (early) Cure, Dead Can Dance, et al and the world of 80’s pop, spawning numerous clones and would-be sound-a-likes the world over. For those who have never heard of this cult act or 4AD (the label they helped establish at the forefront of the new music revolution of that time) then they may know of Liz Fraser’s incredible vocal performance on Massive Attack’s hit single “Teardrop” from the TV series “House”. Fraser, Scotland’s answer to a thinking person’s version of (and precursor to) Sinead O’Connor and the lyrical equivalent to Mensa in coded Gaelic, Olde English, French, etc, was one third of the Cocteau Twins as was guitarist-composer-producer, Robin Guthrie, also her long term partner.
Four-Calendar Café was the first release after the band’s split with 4AD and has a poppier influence than previous works, but is a next logical step from the exceptional Heaven Or Las Vegas album. Recorded before signing their major label deal with Fontana at the band’s studio, September Sound – the Cocteau Twins’ fan’s equivalent to Graceland – the album was also one step closer to the band’s demise.
Guthrie’s re-mastering of this classic Goth-Pop CD has brought new life to the music, which was more commercial than Goth-inspired. Although the original tapes were obviously not recorded with intention for digital mastering, it seems that Guthrie has opted for a balanced mid-frequency clean up than the usual high-end push of the notches into the headache spectrum.
Robin Guthrie has brought many of the nuances that may have been missing in the vinyl masters to the fore. His ear has deliberate tendencies so you don’t end up with a guitarist’s mix or a drummer’s mix. Balance is the key and he has achieved so much on a sonic level that there seem to be new things to find upon each listen. The album was recorded at September Sound, which has its own unique presence and, although it may not be a massive Abbey Road Studios work over re-master job, it is a gem unto itself.
Sadly, this album would be the last but one. Drug use had created a divide and the Cocteau Twins functioned on unsteady footing. During the tour for this album, Fraser was romantically linked to Jeff Buckley, which apparently had an effect on her with regards experimenting live with her vocal lines. Some fans became confused at her use of other song lyrics and improvisation but, with the inevitable downfall of the group, this seems to be just one sign that things were not at all okay within the band’s camp.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2008 Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.
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