Cocteau Adjectives

[BBKnoller]

some of the most common ones used to describe the band and it's music:
ethereal
shimmering
heavenly
swirling
original / unique
influential
ground-breaking
Lazy
Atmospheric
Detached
Autumnal
Hypnotic
Cathartic
Soothing
Calm/Peaceful
Dreamy
Eerie
Gentle
Laid-Back/ Mellow
Wintry
Elegant
Sophisticated
Stylish
Precious
Restrained
Intimate
Springlike

[mmmender]

please, anything but the word 'ethereal' i can't stand it when that word is used to describe their music! (believe it or not I have used the term myself though, but try to avoid it!)

and the term 'precious' seems a bit negative to me....has a sort of pretentious connotation to it, don't you think?

[ossian]

You forgot ecstatic!

[ossian]

please, anything but the word 'ethereal' i can't stand it when that word is used to describe their music!


I agree with that. Ethereal brings to mind the stupid gothic visions of little girls dancing in misty evenings wearing white lacy dresses. Some people actually describe CT music in this way. It's really embarassing.

[ArnoldZiffel]

I like "good".

[fornasetti]

I like "ethereal".

[ethereal]

I like "ethereal".

i am rather fond of the sound of the name. i thought of naming my daughter that (if I ever had one) but I don't think I would now. Some words just look nice on paper. I think ethereal is one of them!

[moeism]

i think ethereal unfortunately might be inevitable when one wants to describe cocteau twins to a beginner. whether you like it or not, it does kind of fit.

[elisa]

"Voice of god."

[dan699]

How about "Floaty". I onced played some CT fow a work colleague who said it was like floating in air.

[djproject]

i've always defaulted to using "ethereal" and it's all because of the layering of sounds (not just guitars). it is one of my favourite adjectives in general.

i would add "frolic" because it does sounds like frolicking and most often makes you actually do some frolicking. it's also an archaic synonym of "merry."

[thatmouth]

I'll go with "like nothing on Earth."

[xixax777]

I've never had a problem with "ethereal"... I think it's a beautiful word, and fits to a T. "Floaty" sounds go to me, as well. Some of their songs seem "hazy" to me, and a few of my favorite CT tunes are in my ears very "Merry-Go-Round-like" (or perhaps "carousellish")...

[ossian]

ok. Ethereal.

[BBKnoller]

I forgot this one: wistful.
I've also seen "druggy" used at some point...

[mike_mhg]

gossamer, gauzy,

[moeism]

4AD (let's face it, guys...)

[mmmender]

4AD (let's face it, guys...)
Believe it or not I used to associate them to the label but no longer do. I think all of the politics and negative comments by the band over the years managed to influence my dissociation.

I just saw an ebay listing which used the terms: dreampop, ethereal and goth - yet again!

[Plain Tiger]

I'll go with idyllic and serene.

[moeism]

Believe it or not I used to associate them to the label but no longer do. I think all of the politics and negative comments by the band over the years managed to influence my dissociation.

I just saw an ebay listing which used the terms: dreampop, ethereal and goth - yet again!

and once again I must defend that description because CT do in fact appeal to the fans of the aforementioned genres.

[lucynow]

Wanky is a word I've often heard used to describe them. Not by me though, not for a while.

[Plain Tiger]

That's funny. Years ago, my friends and I were discussing CT and were coming up with descriptive words for them, and they were all laughing at me because I said I could listen to CT ANYTIME!

[angelhood]

A fair proportion of people I 've tried to introduce to CT over the years have called them "complete shite".These would be the people I judged would be open to the swirly music and voice. Don't do that anymore.

[georgetown]

Poignant (am trying to use this word as often as I can right now)

[Plain Tiger]

Poignant - yes. I was thinking nostalgic with a touch of idyllic & poignant certainly covers that.

A countryside with an unusual sky....

[E-Lo]

Audiosurrealism

[sglavas]

Soft

[lucynow]

Twangy. Not really appropriate, I just wanted to use the word.

[Diane65]

"Words are beside the point; the emotional meaning is eloquently clear."

[lucynow]

"Words are beside the point; the emotional meaning is eloquently clear."

Yes, in a twangy sort of way. Another good word is hyperthyroidism but I've never been able to use it before now.

[sglavas]

Multifoiled.

[Diane65]

Yes! Lucy, "emotional twang" is what I was thinking......

[Wans]

I think that "ethereal" can describe some of their output, but often their music is...strident, joyous, a clarion-call, mesmeric...nothing ethereal about Musette & Drums, Carolyn's Fingers, or Spangle Maker, after all!

Hats off to Elisa for Voice of God though - I believe that was from NME's review of Treasure (yes I'm showing my age).

[angelhood]

How to desribe CT? The question has been there since day 1 as far as I can remember. By chance today I found a Melody Maker Christmas edition from 1986. They were having difficulty themselves in finding a musical niche for the band. It's Swirly Temple for me. Victorialand was at number 15 in their end of year chart-whatever that meant back then.

[Diane65]

Relentlessly captivating.

[lucynow]

Cocteauy

[etc etc]

ORGASMALICIOUS

[angelhood]

A malicious orgasm- its no way to get back at someone. Thats not gonna teach them a lesson.