Cocteau Twins ~ 3

由 Robin Guthrie ( guitar ) 和 Will Heggie ( bass ) 與主唱 Elizabeth Frazer 三人組成的獨立樂團 Cocteau Twins 其團名據說是來自法國超現實派導演 Jean Cocteau 的姓氏，由於導演 Jean Cocteau 的同志身份，加上他當時有一位關係親密如同雙胞胎的同居愛人，這讓 Robin Guthrie 聯想到 Cocteau Twins 這個名稱，於是他便將自己的樂團命名為 Cocteau Twins 。(註: Will Heggie 於1983年離開樂團,後來 Simon Raymonde 的加入,代替了原本 Will Heggie 的位置)。


Cocteau Twins 崛起的時間正值後龐克(Post Punk)與歌德搖滾(Gothic rock)興起之時，因此 Cocteau Twins 早期的樂風也傾向 Post Punk 的低調與內斂，在創作上呈現一種蘊含哲學氛圍的唯美氣味；加上他們懂得運用環境音樂概念，巧妙的在 Ambient 和 Punk 之間交互做了完美結合，因而發展出一種十分具有個人色彩的音樂類型，他們不但保有龐克精神的自主性卻又十分講求優美的音效氛圍，而這樣令人炫目的美學概念，也因此讓4AD在獨立音樂圈獨樹一格因而闖出名號。

Cocteau Twins 的音樂類型隨著年代的不同或可簡單區分為三個階段，從早期受到 Post-Punk 影響的後龐克歌德樂風 ( Gothic rock/Post-punk 1979-1983 )，一直到中期頗引人注目的飄渺迷幻仙樂風格( Ethereal Wave/Psychedelic 1983-1986 )，到後期逐漸轉向夢幻樂派和環境音樂 ( Dream pop/Ambient 1986-1997 )，這三個階段的CT在音樂上都有著迥然不同的表現。
尤其後期的 Cocteau Twins 逐漸將音樂成功轉換成如夢似幻的唯美風格，因而創立一種嶄新的Dream Pop 潮流，並在90年初帶起一股炫風。

當然，Cocteau Twins 之所以成功征服樂壇的原因，除了他們擁有一個嗓音極為出色的女主唱而備受音樂圈的關注之外，他們在音樂方面更是十足發揮了極佳的創作力，他們十分擅長利用各式音樂器材來實驗各種電子音效，不但在電吉他的迴音效果或是電子合成器的運用都顯得相當突出。另一方面，他們在音樂上的求新求變，即使隨著年代變遷也能發展出不同階段的音樂類型與其時代感，這些都是讓他們的聲勢維持不墬並贏得讚譽的主要因素。

然而 Cocteau Twins 卻在1997年，當他們的新專輯已經製作了四分之三的狀況下毫無預警的宣布解散，這讓所有的CT迷們感到十分錯愕與遺憾。所幸,擁有絕佳音色的 Elizabeth Frazer 並沒有就此消失，事實上離開 Cocteau Twins 之後的她依然十分活躍，除了參與許多製作方面的工作之外，她還接下多部電影方面的配樂與製作。當然人們不可能忘記她那副飄邈美絕的天籟嗓音，離團後的EF也是許多知名樂團極欲爭取合作的對象，像是　Craig Armstrong, Massive Attack, Peter Gabriel 以及 The Future Sound of London 等都曾與他合作過。其中大家最耳熟能詳的要算是她幫 Massive Attack 主唱的 Teardrop 。( Elizabeth Frazer 也參與 Massive Attack 2006 Live Tour )


2005年，他與 Yann Tiersen (專輯 Les Retrouvailles) 所合作的兩首曲子 "Kala" 和 "Mary" 堪稱經典，其聲音表情之細膩讓人久久難以忘懷。



Cocteau Twins 獨創的音樂風格不僅開創了4AD 最鮮明的品牌形象，而且更進一步影響啟發了無數後進。即便 Cocteau Twins 離開樂壇已有十二個年頭，然而 CT 在音樂上曾經綻放的光芒卻不會因為他們的離開而有所停歇。這個曾經陪伴我成長的樂團，也將繼續永遠的駐紮在我的內心中。


p.s.
Lullabies to Violaine is a Cocteau Twins boxset released by 4AD Records in October 2005. Comprising four CDs, the boxset collects the tracks from every Cocteau Twin EP from "Lullabies" to "Violaine".




Cocteau Twins - Primitive Heart


Closer
Must connect
Some waters to dilute
This little death
Burning as alcohol
My solar flare of love
Soul psyche instinct
Dialecticts

Sneek and cop
Seek and show
Lover must have a man
To please or make you mad
Missed your clean lonely heart
Spill things fresh as sugar
Midnight he sing blue
Come see me

Oh, what woman can sing without loving the primitive heart?

Heart, heart, loving the primitive heart
Stay, stay, caught in a surfacing state Though the soul must convey
Some more tears to delete
He is there to your death
Burning as alcohol

Must so live, flower of love
So's the key in staged
Dialectics

Sneaking out, suitcase shown
Lover must have a man
To quiz of making man
This joy, pain on her heart

Smooth things frame till sugared
Midnight he'll sing blue
Cuz he's silly

What woman can sing
Without loving the primitive heart

Heart, heart
Loving the primitive heart
Strain, strain
Clouding yourself by seeing strain



Cocteau Twins - Iceblink Luck(From "Heaven Or Las Vegas" )



I'm seemin' to be glad a lot
I'm happy again, come, come in time
This mustn't hurt or harm yourself
Well, me, I give in to your arms

You're the match of Jerico
That will burn this old madhouse down
And I'll throw open like a walnut (blown up?) safe
More like a love that's a bottle of exquisite stuff, yes

You, yourself, and your father
Don't know him, so part in your own ways
You've really both bone setters
Thank you for mending me babies

You're the match of Jerico
That will burn this old madhouse down
And I'll throw open like a walnut safe
You will seem that being throughout
That same bottle of exquisite stuff
Yes, you are that match of Jerico
That will burn this old madhouse down
And I'll throw open like the walnut safe

You, yourself, and your father
Don't know him, so part in your own ways
You're really both bone setters
Thank you for mending me babies



Cocteau Twins - Cherry-Coloured Funk ( From "Heaven Or Las Vegas" )



Beetles and eggs and blues and pour a little everything else
You steam a lens stable eyes and glass
Not get pissed off through my bird lips as good news

Still we can find our love down from behind
Down far behind this fabulous, my turn rules

Beetles and eggs and blues and bells and eggs and then blued
Beetles and eggs and blues and pour a little everything else
You steam a lens stable eyes and glass
Not get pissed off through my bird lips as good news

You'll hang the hearts black and dull as the night
We hanged your pass and start being as you in ecstasty
Still being cried and laughed at before
Should I be sewn in hugged I can by not saying
Still being cried and laughed at from light to blue

And should I be hugged and tugged down through this tiger's masque
And should I be sung and unbroken by not saying
You mind not saying

He'll hang that heart's black and dull as the night
Still being cried and laughed at from behind me, from gains
We hanged your pass and star being as you in ecstasy
Still being cried and laughed at from behind me, from gains
Should I be sung and unbroken by not saying
Still being cried and laughed at from behind me, from gains
Hugged and tugged down through this tiger's masque for key



Cocteau Twins - Fotzepolitic
( From "Heaven Or Las Vegas" )



My dreams are all more basic and must be addressed
They're young girl's dreams
True some tote a gun and shoot a lot, help them elect stars
But i was just rude
Like the scary hairs are normal
Sing me the proofs
Delay proof
A family fool, but it's you to lie constant and inside me
But when i'm set in my things
A calling stone
Oh i feel strong luck when bound young meets the ground
When them and i'm empty headed
See and saw bounce me back to you
Will you



Cocteau Twins - Donimo
(from "Treasure" album)

(我很喜歡CT早期這種層層迷霧的迷幻之作)