Menage a Twins.

[Wildhearts]

I used to spend days planning and compiling mix tapes once upon a long time ago.
Most of them featured a Cocteau Twins track; one in particular from 1996 had the following songs in succession, a perfect Menage a Twins in my opinion that still gives me goose bumps today:

My Bloody Valentine - We have all the time in the world (Louis Armstrong cover)
Cocteau Twins - Need Fire
Neil Young - You and me (from Harvest Moon)

Whats your perfect Menage a Twins?
Maybe we could play each others and report back?
(Open them on Youtube if you dont have a copy).

[mmmender]

Most of the mix tapes I used to make would (of course) also include at least one Cocteau Twins track. I tended to include something fairly upbeat with a bit of punch to it, like "Summerhead" for example. I would never include one of their more serene tracks (Victorialand) if I were giving the mix tape to someone who had never heard of Cocteau Twins before. I think that the best CT tracks for newbies can be found on either "Treasure" or "Heaven or Las Vegas."

I find it odd that you've selected "Need Fire" as your Cocteau track in your post above. Is that really one of your fave Cocteau songs? To be quite honest with you I've never been able to figure out exactly what the band was thinking when they created that obscure song. I've always written it off, no matter how many times I've tried to like it, I just can't get it to sit right with me.

Here's my menage........

1) San Geronimo (Red House Painters)
2) Summerhead (Cocteau Twins)
3) Black Star (Radiohead)

[Wildhearts]

Hey Leesa,
I recall reading of your dislike for Need Fire on here some years ago. Why do you dislike it so?
As for me; my heads always been filled with magic but more so when I was younger so when I first discovered the Cocteau Twins in the late 80's, their charming ambuguity resonated with me deeply.
I had an irregular upbringing, pretty much secluded from the outside world so it wasnt till Uni in '92 that I was properly aquainted with the band, able to buy their records and fully indulge the magic in my head.
Their first album to be released after my 'awakening' was FCC which wasn't so ambiguous. I adore it now but at the time was considerably disheartened.
Then in '95 came Need Fire, fantastical, mysterious and beguiling. Harkening back to the sound that seduced me, an incredible moment.
It is a favourite Cocteaus track, but no more so than an any number of others.

As for mix tapes; I used to make one for myself every six months to capture that period of my life so the songs didnt necessarily depend on favourites, how-ever as Need Fire was a 'one off' and resonant at that, it HAD to be included.
My menage is from an actual tape I made in '96 and though gentle, consider them as but a moment of tranquility in a sea of Echobelly, The Geraldine Fibbers, The Manics, Sidi Bou Said, The Longpigs, Throwing Muses, Bowie and the like.

By the way, your menage is very dear.