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COCTEAU TWINS’ THE PINK OPAQUE

Cocteau Twins’ first compilation album - The Pink Opaque - is important because it was released right at a pivotal point in their chronology.

the Pink Opaque was released in early 1986 (or late 1985 - it was jointly released by two labels in the US & the UK), a year & a half after Treasure (1984) (their third studio album) & a few months before Victorialand (1986) (their fourth).

after Treasure, Cocteau Twins turn towards the softer, ‘safer’ style we see in Victorialand, & leave their earliest, more goth / rock sound firmly behind. but even though their first couple albums were a little rough, I liked their ‘rawer’ style better.

personally, I think the period between 1984-1986 was the high point of the band’s music. Before 1984, it didn’t feel like the band was sure what kind of music they wanted to make, or how to work towards that. & after 1986, their sound becomes a little boring… but in Treasure (& in The Pink Opaque) it’s skillful, exciting, & fresh.

around 1984 is where I think Elizabeth Fraser comes into her own vocally… or rather, the guitarist & bassist realize they need to be supporting her more, & elevate her.

in their first album, Garlands, Elizabeth Fraser’s voice sounds tense throughout. during the slow middle of the album, I even feel like she’s fighting against the beat at times… Garlands can be a slog in places & she’s fighting to lift the album up.

in Head Over Heels (honestly a forgettable album) she has more free rein. their first bassist left the band & they have their final roster of members now. they start to sound more like Cocteau Twins. still, though- Head Over Heels is a heavy album, & in places it just lacks direction.

now, in Treasure, her voice is properly centered as the lynchpin of the band’s sound. rather than playing rock music that she sings over, Simon & Robin match her emotions in each track….

(even amongst their whole discography, I think Treasure has the strongest identity… the whole album has this eerieness they could never recreate… but it’s my favorite so whatever….)

in 1985, between Treasure (1984) & Victorialand (1986), Cocteau Twins released three EPs (Aikea-Guinea, Tiny Dynamite, & Echoes In A Shallow Bay - the last two releasing within two weeks of each other & being alternatively issued as a double EP / compilation EP.) & they released the compilation album The Pink Opaque.

I haven’t listened to the EPs enough to devote a Serious Paragraph to them. but I will say all the songs from this era have a really careful tense minimalism to them… I remember listening to Tiny Dynamite & thinking there was a focus on the drum kit, all the instruments are quieter & lighter, & the songs were deliberate.

I feel like the 3 EPs in 1985 are all kinda a preview for Victorialand, which is unusually quiet, sparse, & dreamy. I also think Love’s Easy Tears (EP released 1986 after Victorialand) follows in this vein. very tight & careful… very soft… very meaningful… (contrast with Head Over Heels, two years prior!)

The Pink Opaque is their first compilation album so far, & coming at such a high point in their discography i think it might even be The Introductory Album to Cocteau Twins. its incredibly strong, front to back, & the songs even flow in a logical emotional order (unusual for a compilation album).

The Pink Opaque takes a track from Aikea-Guinea, two tracks from Sunburst & Snowblind (EP, 1983), & all three tracks from The Spangle Maker (EP, 1984). There is one track from every album so far (Garlands, Head Over Heels, Treasure). Finally, The Pink Opaque also features “Millimillenary”, which was previously only available through some music magazines’ compilation cassette.

in order:

1. The Spangle Maker - taken from The Spangle Maker. a bit of a weird track, but it’s grown on me. I like Elizabeth Fraser’s vocals on this one, I think she sounds very impassioned. its kind of tragic?

2. Millimillenary - the first track written once Simon Raymonde joined the band, replacing Will Heggie in 1983. & it feels like something that should be on Head Over Heels instead… an amazing song that deserved to be the lead single of a major album. very gothic. i wish they sounded like this forever.

3. Wax and Wane - taken from Garlands, & remixed (thankfully!). Wax & Wane is arguably the best track off Garlands (i also like Blood Bitch), & is a great example of when they used to make goth rock. the beat is pretty standard. as usual, Elizabeth Fraser carries the song with her plantive lyrics. also note the feeling of underlying unease throughout the whole song (characteristic of Garlands). after 1986 this current disappears entirely.

4. Hitherto - taken from Sunburst & Snowblind. more of an instrumental focus?

5. Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops - released as a single on The Spangle Maker in 1984. The Spangle Maker was released as a 7” or 12”, & the 12” has a version of Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops that’s a minute longer. The Pink Opaque uses the shorter version though. An incredible track, very dreamy. Apparently got a decent amount of radio play when The Spangle Maker dropped.

6. From the Flagstones - taken from Sunburst & Snowblind. although not as attention-getting as Millimillenary or Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops, I quite like it. it has this kind of finality to me … i think it should have been the album closer.

7. Aikea-Guinea - taken from Aikea-Guinea. the only track on this album written in 1985 - the rest are 1984 or before. accordingly, it feels more polished & gentle. it feels like a transition song to me, though. it’s good, but idk if it could stand on its own… its a bit boring…

8. Lorelei - the best song on Treasure. one of their best songs ever. absolutely beautiful. like nothing else they ever made.

9. Pepper-Tree - taken from The Spangle Maker. slow & with weird pacing. another track I don’t quite care for….

10. Musette and Drums - taken from Head Over Heels. im a little sad they chose Musette & Drums - which i honestly think is a little heavy & repetitive - over In Our Angelhood which is the only Good Song on Head Over Heels. go listen to In Our Angelhood instead.

in summary:
I feel like Cocteau Twins’ EPs & compilation albums often get ignored or passed over in discussions of their discography. The Pink Opaque is a fantastic compilation, even a great stand-alone album, & I wanted to talk about it. it’s a fantastic summary of the band’s music, & i think everyone should give it a listen, even to just see what Cocteau Twins is like! #CocteauTwins #Autism