Victorialand - EX

This is a wonderful little album that showcases the sound of a truly unique band indulging their weird side for all that it's worth. The soundscapes are much sparser than on previous (and later) outings with little or no percussion on most of the tracks, but that just adds to the effect. The guitars sparkle, swoon and swirl with magic and Liz Frazer's achingly lovely vocals float on top of them like rays of light from a new-born star. Galaxies glow, undulate, fade to black and explode into life again. This is trippy stuff even by the standards of this trippiest of bands, and it sounds like nothing else in the world. Describing how the Cocteaus sound is like trying to explain the taste of ice cream to someone who's never eaten it; it's nigh-on impossible, and all the usual words like 'heavenly' and 'ethereal' that get thrown around so often with reference to them just don't do the sound justice. If you've never heard the band before then this probably isn't the best place to start (try 'Four Calendar Cafe' for something slightly more 'conventional' or 'Treasure' if you want to get a feel for the early stuff) but if you've already got those albums then you really should think about buying this one as well. Blissful stuff.

The Cocteau Twins rarely let u down .. A beautiful and peaceful album .. Take me away for a while as the twins always do .. Also my bargain of 2017 so far £2.50 ish .. Thank u .. 😘

Its hard to beat the high end parmaviolet blow humes of Fraser running aboot upside doon with chronic gust, wobbling daintey. Once in you never leave.. A band for life is a magic thing.

I have to admit my embarrassment... Having just acquired this on vinyl, and not having heard it before, although being a big Cocteau fan - and owning the rest on vinyl already... I have just listened to side one thinking "my, Liz's voice is a bit deep on this track, and this, and this one too......" Stupidly I did not notice the little 45 on the label. Yes it is a 45rpm album. And I listened to the whole side on 33 rpm. What I can say is, it sounds a million times better on 45! Very good album, up there with my personal favourite of Treasure - you can't go wrong here, if you already have a soft spot for the twins output. Well recommended.... On the right speed of course.

Again, for my hubby, arrived in a package with the others ordered at the same time, within three days. Im loving the tunes too

Great item good value fast delivery

as always fantastic stuff - don't try listening on a crap stereo

A very good one

I just skimmed a number of these reviews and am only adding my own comments to bounce the number of 5’s up. Yes, The music is magical, hypnotic, transcendent, surprising, without a peer, haunting, airy, and unusual save in being uniformly great. So now, I got in my 20 words and Amazon will add my 5 to the others. Good listening from some very original performers.

Die weltfernem Briten waren mit diesem Album auf dem Zenit ihres Könnens. Ein bisschen Dark Wave ist noch dabei. Hauptsächlich aber wendet man sich atmosphärischen Klängen zu. Musik wie im nebligen Rausch

The 4AD label in the 80's and early 90's produced some of the most unique and original recordings in popular music. Dead Can Dance and The Cocteau Twins were two of the label's most loved and successful 5 star acts, and "Victorialand" was one of the finest releases ever created by the Cocteaus. This album is truly a precious gem - small, glittering, intimate, and fascinatingly beautiful. "Victorialand" is small in that it runs a mere 32 minutes but main writer Robin Guthrie knew that their signature sound and format works best in miniatures. His "canvases" the albums and the songs themselves are small and delicate objects; shining, bright things that sparkle and turn just enough to fascinate and affect, then disappear into thin air like gossamer whisps. Elizabeth Fraser's airy glossolalia entrances, acting both as a vocal focal point and an instrument playing over top of Guthrie's liquid and shimmering arpeggios. "Victorialand" was a slight veering off the regular path for the Cocteaus in that here Guthrie and Fraser made the album just by themselves, foregoing any drums or rythm tracks. It works and we have a gorgeous little classic that sounds just as fresh and entrancing as it did in 1986. And just when one might think that the aesthetic that gave birth to this wonderful music is a thing of the past, look to some of the newest sounds being created in Europe by people like Ulrich Schnauss and Mahogany. There you'll find Monsieur Guthrie producing and remixing these important new artists. It's wonderful how some artists never lose their vision and in later years lend it to newer efforts thereby revivifying themselves and enhancing those with consonant aspirations. "Victorialand" was a brilliant and well-loved album in it's day and may well be a source of inspiration for today.

nulla da dire, questo loro lavoro è tutto da riascoltare, proprio in questo triste periodo...con alcuni pezzi tra i loro più belli mai scritti. ENORME.

ヴォーカルものは歌い手の資質と直結しているから、大方１ｓｔアルバムの衝撃度が高く、２ｎｄ、３ｒｄと重ねるごとにつまらなくなるケースが多々ある。しかし、英国優良レーベルのベガーズ・バンケット傘下４ＡＤの看板は、枚数を追うごとに自らの殻を破り続けた。 神話に題材を取ったコンセプチュアルな1984年の３ｒｄ『Treasure』は、当時最も洗練された屈指の１枚。ある時は天使のように、ある時は悪魔のように歌うエリザベスの個性がほぼ最大限近くまで活かされた楽曲、演奏ではなくロビンを核にした空間創り、ターナー＆マッデンというエンジニア・コンビが素晴らしい仕事をしていた。 本作は、1986年の４枚目。 前作の延長上にあり、歌に深いエコーを効かせた執拗な多重録音、複雑なエフェクターに絡めたディストーションやフィードバック・ギターを多用した元祖シュ―ゲイザー＋アルファという、あまり前例がなかった非常に人工的な、病的な繊細さ、ある種、奇形的なくらい美しく、透明感があり、ディープなサウンド。 個人的には、『Treasure』と、本作が彼等の頂点ではないかと思う。 オリジナル・アナログの輸入盤が出てすぐ、某国立大学医学部に在籍していた高校の先輩に聴かせたら、「完璧にヤクでキメた奴が創った音楽だな」と、言っていた。当たっていたかどうかは判断しようがないけど、その後、ロビンは酒とクスリでトラブルを起こすようになってしまった。