Garlands cover

Garlands

Released

The outright gothiest album that the Cocteau Twins would ever release, Garlands, their debut effort, was seen in some corners at the time of being a Siouxsie and the Banshees knockoff, and certainly there’s hints of it in Elizabeth Fraser’s tone and Robin Guthrie’s angry sheets of guitar. But while it’s a sometimes monochromatic listen it retains a fierce, dark power, with original bassist Will Heggie holding things down with their band’s famed electronic rhythms, and songs like the title track and the mesmerizing “Wax and Wane” remain powerful.

Ned Raggett

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