BBC Sessions

The Cocteau Twins' BBC SESSIONS, taken predominantly from the early '80s period of the band's first three albums and EPs, boasts a number of previously unreleased tracks. One such cut, a rare cover, is a suitably anguished arrangement of the Billie Holiday classic "Strange Fruit". A number of songs from the 1996 album MILK & KISSES complete the set. The collection illustrates the early and late periods of the Twins' career, from their somewhat dark, mystical, and percussive beginnings to the celebratory guitar paeans of later work. One might say it is an incomplete meal, and idealists will doubtless crave a main course from the intervening decade. But there is still plenty here for current fans and newcomers alike to relish.
This collection presents the Twins in a 'live' environment for the first time on record-the acoustic rearrangements of the TWINLIGHTS EP notwithstanding. Fraser's stunning operatic vocals, far from being trite, are sublime and unique. She sings here with a refreshing spontaneity and passion that has not always been fully captured in the lush production of the later studio albums. This clarity and freshness set BBC SESSIONS apart sufficiently from the albums proper for this collection to warrant a place in the devotee's library.|