What's all this about a Cocteau Twins box set, then?

For the first time all the non-album tracks from across the Cocteau Twins’ entire career have been compiled together and offer a unique view of their musical journey from the perspective of all their single / EP releases which incorporate most of their best known tracks.

CTBOX 2
This is an unusual de-luxe package containing all 4 CD’s that will be available November 21 (UK / Europe) and November 22 (USA) in a worldwide limited edition of 10,000. The discs are contained in a fold-out package made of a material that itself sounds like a Cocteau Twins title – Curious Soft Touch Milk. It’s all very tactile, minimal and v23.

DAD 2513CD and DAD 2514CD
These are the regular versions of the box set which will be available early 2006. Each package is a digipak with 2 CD’s. Volume One covers the 4AD era (1982 – 1990) and Volume Two the Mercury / Capitol years (1993 – 1996).

The 4AD material was previously available in a 10 x CD box set which had a CD for each single, though this set features alternative mixes of "Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops" and "Aikea-Guinea". Volume Two has never been anthologised and has tracks that were limited as singles as well as the Christmas tracks "Frosty The Snowman" and "Winter Wonderland".

CD1
LULLABIES (1982)
Feathers Oar-Blades
Alas Dies Laughing
It's All But An Ark-Lark

PEPPERMINT PIG (1983)
Peppermint Pig (7-inch version)
Laughlines
Hazel

SUNBURST AND SNOWBLIND (1983)
Sugar Hiccup (12” version)
From the Flagstones
Hitherto
Because of Whirl-Jack

THE SPANGLE MAKER (1984)
The Spangle Maker
Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops (alternate version)
Pepper-Tree

AIKEA-GUINEA (1985)
Aikea-Guinea (alternate version)
Kookaburra
Quisquose
Rococo

CD 2
TINY DYNAMINE (1985)
Pink Orange Red
Ribbed and Veined
Plain Tiger
Sultitan Itan

ECHOES IN A SHALLOW BAY (1985)
Great Spangled Fritillary
Melonella
Pale Clouded White
Eggs and Their Shells

LOVE’S EASY TEARS (1986)
Love's Easy Tears
Those Eyes, That Mouth
Sigh's Smell of Farewell
Orange Appled

ICEBLINK LUCK (1990)
Iceblink Luck
Mizake the Mizan
Watchlar

CD 3
EVANGELINE (1993)
Evangeline
Mud and Dark
Summer-blink

SNOW (1993)
Winter Wonderland
Frosty the Snowman

BLUEBEARD (1993)
Bluebeard
Three-Swept
Ice-Pulse
Bluebeard (acoustic version)

TWINLIGHTS (1994)
Rilkean Heart (acoustic version)
Golden-Vein (acoustic version)
Pink Orange Red (acoustic version)
Half-Gifts (acoustic version)

CD 4
OTHERNESS (1995) Mark Clifford remixes
Feet-Like Fins
Seekers Who Are Lovers
Violaine
Cherry-Coloured Funk

TISHBITE (1995)
Tishbite
Primitive Heart
Flock of Soul
Round
An Elan

VIOLAINE (1996)
Violaine
Smile
Tranquil Eye
Circling Girl
Alice

i'd have preferred the get-back-together tour we were promised

"The alternative takes that I've found of Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops and Aikea Guinea are choices I made from around 3 or 4 takes of, and hey, fuck it, this is the pertinent point, essentially the same mix.
When I originally mixed these tracks it was over a 2 to 3 day timescale and, with the novelty of automation, I was in the habit of putting a few different versions down before I'd felt I had it 'right'.

Of course, one has to only wait twenty odd years to realize that someone, somewhere, just due to the very existence of these artifacts, will find it fit to choose one as the definitive version over the rest, usually an obscure rejected version, done when I was high and forgot to unmute the vocals until ringo climbed down from the ceiling with the drugs and got back on to his kit..therefore denying me the pleasure, and this is a rare thing in my business, of applying a little hindsight to the issue in hand.

Thus I decided which of the mixes (I found, in some cases, five or six), were better...... and used them accordingly. There is a glorious guitar part on the version of Pearly Dew-Drops' Drops which was never apparent for some reason............I remember the reason, very arcane but solvable with todays tech. And now solved it's a job well done as far as I'm concerned."

I'm sure he likes the new "improved" versions of Star Wars IV-VI better as well...

Commence more grumbling now.

Sounds good to me.

Quickly, ducks bricks being thrown by Ned

Keep running.

The original 7" is coming out on the Singles 2CD set. The original 12" is on the Retro box.

i just wish that they had done a proper recording of the last tour with mark clifford. it would be nice to have proper version of the tracks they did live with him... especially pitch the baby (one of my faves of all times)

i agree wholeheartedly with deluxe as well...

"They should have found room for "Millimillenary", just because, and just because it's good."

Thirded.

there's probably space for the new box set *inside* the old box set (the 10 slimline cases of the uk version left plenty of leeway in there iirc).

this wouldn't be the first time i'd effectively shelled out money just for new 4ad artwork. last time was for that football single they did the cover of (southhampton? sunderland? one of those) but that was only 20p...

he isn't really saying that. it's kind of hard to figure out, but I think what he's really saying is that these are just different mixes that he made at the same time of the same tracks. maybe some of those tracks didn't make all the mixes. it's difficult to really call recording of multitrack stuff a "take" anyway. my guess is that most of these tracks are the same as the ones on the version we already know, maybe this mix has some other things that were dropped.

these are the things I worry about when I should be working.

* I think the Andrew Weatherall mix of "Soon" is absolutely brilliant. One of my favorite dance tracks of all time.

* Yes, lame not to include all the miscellaneous other rarities, but they were rather adamant on keeping this collection limited to "singles only." This enables them to release a new box set every ten years for the rest of eternity, each time strategically adding or subtracting certain items to keep the completists coming back (paging Elvis Costello....)

I found myself buying Lullabies to Violane at the weekend. I have not listened yet tho - I'm sort of saving it up for Xmas.

Yes, but I hate to say it, I think there's virtually nothing else to recommend that comp. At the risk of being flamed to a crisp.

Yes, and also on the bonus disc from the 1991 boxset, I think (Koogs?). I think "Dials", an instrumental version of "Oomingmak" from Victorialand and perhaps one other track were on that CDsgl.

I won't be buying this but I might ostentatiously fondle it for a bit in HMV, quietly chuckling to myself for long enough for the staff to understand that I've got it all on vinyl and hence think I'm cool.

extra disk in that 1991 box set was:
Dials / Crushed / High Monkey Monk / Oomingmak (instrumental)

the other box made perfect sense at the time (i had none of the singles then apart from iceblink luck) and the new one, er, doesn't. Cherry Coloured Funk is lovely though.

Actually, yes. heh.

(*Probably not, really; it'll be that 1980 demo track "Smashed on Strongbow").

The Curse of Ott...

Hello

Thank you for placing your order with with us here at CD WOW!

We are writing to inform you that we have exhausted all stock of
Lullabies to Violaine: Singles and Extended Plays (4CD Set) THE COCTEAU TWINS
and will not be receiving any further stock of this title for the
foreseeable future.

We have now cancelled your order and will instruct the payment provider
to process a full refund back to your card.

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caused. We look forward to assisting you again in the future.

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Just as well really.

I also had a quick trawl round for it last night and found out that Selectadisc is now Sister Ray. Is this a countrywide phenomenon?

http://www.4ad.com/cocteautwins/news/~cocteau-twins---/

That's where I ordered it, but they just hadn't taken it down yet (as is often the case with those Hong Kong people).

The first two CDs is better for me anyway.

Disc: 1
1. Feathers-Oar-Blades (Lullabies 1982)
2. Alas Dies Laughing (Lullabies 1982)
3. It's All But An Ark Lark (Lullabies 1982)
4. Peppermint Pig (7-Inch Version) (Peppermint Pig 1983)
5. Laughlines (Lullabies 1982)
6. Hazel (Lullabies 1982)
7. Sugar Hiccup (12-Inch Version) (Sunburst And Snowblind 1983)
8. From The Flagstones (Sunburst And Snowblind 1983)
9. Hitherto (Sunburst And Snowblind 1983)
10. Because Of Whirl-Jack (Sunburst And Snowblind 1983)
11. The Spangle Maker (The Spangle Maker 1984)
12. Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops (Alternate Version) (The Spangle Maker 1984)
13. Pepper-Tree (The Spangle Maker 1984)
14. Aikea-Guinea (Alternate Version) (Aikea-guinea 1985)
15. Kookaburra (Aikea-guinea 1985)
16. Quisquose (Aikea-guinea 1985)
17. Rococo (Aikea-guinea 1985)

Disc: 2
1. Pink Orange Red (Tiny Dynamine 1985)
2. Ribbed And Veined (Tiny Dynamine 1985)
3. Plain Tiger(Tiny Dynamine 1985)
4. Sultitan Itan (Tiny Dynamine 1985)
5. Great Spangled Fritillary (Echoes In A Shallow Bay 1985)
6. Melonella (Echoes In A Shallow Bay 1985)
7. Pale Clouded White (Echoes In A Shallow Bay 1985)
8. Eggs And Their Shells (Echoes In A Shallow Bay 1985)
9. Love’s Easy Tears (Love’s Easy Tears 1986)
10. Those Eyes, That Mouth (Love’s Easy Tears 1986)
11. Sigh’s Smell Of Farewell (Love’s Easy Tears 1986)
12. Orange Appled (Love’s Easy Tears 1986)
13. Iceblink Luck (Iceblink Luck 1990)
14. Mizake The Mizan (Iceblink Luck 1990)
15. Watchlar (Iceblink Luck 1990)

Disc: 3
1. Evangeline (Evangeline 1993)
2. Mud And Dark (Evangeline 1993)
3. Summer-Blink (Evangeline 1993)
4. Winter Wonderland (Snow 1993)
5. Frosty The Snowman (Snow 1993)
6. Bluebeard (Bluebeard 1993)
7. Three-Swept (Bluebeard 1993)
8. Ice-Pulse (Bluebeard 1993)
9. Bluebeard (Acoustic Version) (Bluebeard 1993)
10. (Twinlights 1994)
11. Rilkean Heart (Acoustic Version) (Twinlights 1994)
12. Golden-Vein (Acoustic Version) (Twinlights 1994)
13. Pink Orange Red (Acoustic Version) (Twinlights 1994)
14. Half-Gifts (Acoustic Version) (Twinlights 1994)

Disc: 4
1. Feet-Like Fins (Otherness - Mark Clifford Remixes 1995)
2. Seekers Who Are Lovers (Otherness - Mark Clifford Remixes 1995)
3. Violaine (Otherness - Mark Clifford Remixes 1995)
4. Cherry-Coloured Funk (Otherness - Mark Clifford Remixes 1995)
5. (Tishbite 1995)
6. Tishbite (Tishbite 1995)
7. Primitive Heart (Tishbite 1995)
8. Flock Of Soul (Tishbite 1995)
9. Round (Tishbite 1995)
10. An Elan (Tishbite 1995)
11. Violaine (Violaine 1996)
12. Smile (Violaine 1996)
13. Tranquil Eye (Violaine 1996)
14. Circling Girl (Violaine 1996)
15. Alice (Violaine 1996)

It really comes down to your fetishistic need to own the Fontana-era B-sides, then. But I've had this whole Milk and Kisses argument 1,000 times on here... :-)

Unless I happen across it for $30 or $40 in JB Hifi, then maybe I will get it, but really whats the point?

OMG. I'm not a Cocs completist anymore. I'm... getting OLD. *wibbles lower lip*.

I was perfectly able to fit it onto two, actually!

Mundane and Siouxsie-ish? These words do not go together.

I suppose listening to stuff you used to like is a bit like "never meet your heroes". Well, for me at least.

musette and drums, last track disc 1 is good (from whistle test or same?), check that one out. but yeah yr right; dead disappointing the beeb sessions album.

Astonishingly OTM.

I am enjoying listening to it.

I was perhaps a little hasty about the BBC thing, but still.

I hadn't heard these records for a long time, but I could spot the differences in the alternate versions. I would have preferred the originals. I miss the fade-in, but still.

The packaging is made of what I can only describe as slightly clammy cardboard. I thought it would be some kind of cloth. It is very toucahble, but I am not touching it in case it gets grubby.

Amazon, meanwhile, have told me they need a further 4 - 6 weeks to get it. I am leaving the order open, just to see what happens - nothing, I suspect.

We apologise for the length of time it has taken us to reach this
conclusion. Until recently, we had still hoped to obtain this item for
you.

This item has now been cancelled from your order and we can confirm
that
you have not been charged for it.

Please accept our apologies for any disappointment or inconvenience
caused.

Ner ner, got one anyway.

Does anyone know how "limited" the boxsets are?

Still one of the best repackagings out there.

"Sugar hiccuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup!"

I <3 my singles box

yeah having *everything* by them that's not on the albums in 1 place was a genius move. it pretty much IS everything isn't it? i mean every offcut, compilation track, instrumental etc?

Actually not -- "Millimillenary" and the various cuts on the bonus EP with the original box set are missing.

oh? wow i could have sworn 'crushed' 'dials' and the 'oomingmak instrumental' were on it. i wonder why they aren't.

i wonder also what happened to the reunion in the end. i'd rather see them reform than just about anyone else.

There's a story behind that...

This is simply an EPs boxset, covering all the individual releases from '82 to '96 (with a bit of cheaty revisionism in including "Orange Appled", which never came out in the UK, I don't think - Love's Easy Tears was a three-tracker over here). It would've been nice to tie up all the loose ends and gather the tracks from NME/MM comps, the 1991 boxset bonus disc, etc, but I s'pose it just didn't fit the brief.

ah yeah that explains my confsuion i knew one of the odds n extras was on there somehwere.

jeez... i feel sorry for the Coachella guy who was promoting the reunion to that stage.

So... what exactly would be the tracklisting for the bonus 5th disc of non-lp stuff not collected therein?

Dials] (CT 1 CD)
10-1 Dials 2:39
10-2 Crushed 3:17
10-3 The High Monkey-Monk 3:07
10-4 Oomingmak (Instrumental) 2:43

http://www.discogs.com/Cocteau-Twins-Singles-Collection/release/330647

and that is the tenth disc

Off the top of my head...

Millimilenary (NME single, collected on The Pink Opaque in '85)
Dials (1987-ish track? Only in 1991 boxset)
The High Monkey-Monk (1987-ish, on 1990 Melody Maker comp)
Oomingmak instrumental (though, y'know, it's only an instrumental; features as the closing credits music on Lonely As An Eyesore video comp)
Crushed (on Lonely As An Eyesore)

Anything else?

(xp think GMcB-B was asking what would go on a 5th disc if Lullabies To Violaine was expanded to include all non-album stuff)

oh ok

Lonely IS An Eyesore. Jeez. Sorry, Kristin.

i wonder what else was on those Gigantic tapes that the melody maker did? i'm sure a blog or torrent has them all up somewhere. they seemed to be the very badge of indie cred when ever i saw them at some older friend's house or whatever. man that was a long time ago.

aha
Gigantic http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=578274
Gigantic 2 http://www.discogs.com/Various-Gigantic-2/release/1748233

man just looking at the font of the first one makes me mental nostalgic.

i have a cd version of gigantic 2 floating about somewhere..

Two more:

"Need-Fire" from the Judge Dredd soundtrack album
"Touch Upon Touch" from the Volume 17 compilation

"Orange Appled" did come out over here, it was on a Melody Maker giveaway single.

True, but it wasn't on the original 4AD single Love's Easy Tears, which is how it's presented in both the 1991 boxset and 2005's EP comp. I think it was tacked on there for US CD-single release some time later. I dunno, I should probably Google this, shouldn't I?

I think it was tacked on there for US CD-single release some time later.

Yup, that's how I originally heard it via the brief time Relativity distributed some Cocteaus releases pre-Capitol.

Ned it's such a tough call, is "Orange Appled" their signature track? Just because it's so obviously one of those creative explosions captured to tape quickly, it's so honestly *them* and pre-songcraft...YOU TELL ME.

Uh...it's all right?

And he gives me the high-hat...

> i have a cd version of gigantic 2 floating about somewhere..

hope it plays better than mine 8) (is probably the worst case of coppering i've seen)

my tape of the first one got chewed in the player as well. jinxed.

boxset bonus disk now a common-as-muck amazon download btw

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cocteau-Twins-Singles-Collection/dp/B001MXEERY/ref=sr_shvl_album_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1257274426&sr=301-4

but no lullabies to violaine volume 2 available digitally which means i'm still missing those last few tracks (but not much)

hope it plays better than mine 8) (is probably the worst case of coppering i've seen)

most of it does, i think when i last played it the end of the birdland track was fucked up. no great loss tbh