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

Recommended by

Suggestions
Bird Wood Cage cover

Bird Wood Cage

The Wolfgang Press
Pop cover

Pop

Tones On Tail
Friend or Foe cover

Friend or Foe

Adam and the Ants
Fourth Drawer Down cover

Fourth Drawer Down

The Associates
Colossal Youth cover

Colossal Youth

Young Marble Giants
Strip cover

Strip

The Chameleons
Replicas cover

Replicas

Gary Numan, Tubeway Army
Signos cover

Signos

Soda Stereo