Victorialand
Fraser and Guthrie as a duo again, with little bass or percussion, and a title taken from Antarctica.
Cocteau Twins, 1986
- Released
- 14 April 1986
- Label
- 4AD
- Producer
- Cocteau Twins
Simon Raymonde was working on the This Mortal Coil album Filigree and Shadow, so Fraser and Guthrie made Victorialand without him. Released on 14 April 1986, it has little percussion or bass. Guthrie played guitar, bass, drum machine and keyboards, and Richard Thomas of Dif Juz added saxophone and tablas. All the songs were credited to Fraser and Guthrie.
The title refers to Victoria Land in Antarctica, and several track titles were taken from passages about the polar regions in David Attenborough's book The Living Planet. Fraser took the words of Whales Tails from a passage in a non-English book, without knowing what they meant. Because of mastering difficulties with the quiet soundscapes, the original UK vinyl played at 45 rpm. The Spin Alternative Record Guide called it the band's simplest and most beautiful record.
Track listing
- Lazy Calm6:36
- Fluffy Tufts3:07
- Throughout the Dark Months of April and May3:05
- Whales Tails3:18
- Oomingmak2:43
- Little Spacey3:28
- Feet-Like Fins3:27
- How to Bring a Blush to the Snow3:52
- The Thinner the Air3:16
Personnel
- Elizabeth Fraser vocals
- Robin Guthrie guitar, bass, drum machine, keyboards
- Richard Thomas saxophone, tablas
More from Cocteau Twins
Garlands (1982), Head over Heels (1983), The Spangle Maker (1984), Treasure (1984), Blue Bell Knoll (1988), Heaven or Las Vegas (1990), Four-Calendar Café (1993), Milk & Kisses (1996)
Sources
- Victorialand, Wikipedia
- Victorialand, 4AD CAD 602, Discogs