Blue Bell Knoll
| Blue Bell Knoll | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||
| Studio album by Cocteau Twins | |||||||
| Released | 19 September 1988 | ||||||
| Recorded | September Sound, Twickenham, England | ||||||
| Genre | Dream pop | ||||||
| Length | 35:17 | ||||||
| Label | 4AD | ||||||
| Producer | Cocteau Twins | ||||||
| Cocteau Twins chronology | |||||||
| |||||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Drowned in Sound | 10/10[2] |
| The Great Rock Discography | 7/10[3] |
| Pitchfork Media | 8.3/10[4] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [5] |
| The Village Voice | C+[6] |
Blue Bell Knoll (1988) is the fifth album by Scottish band Cocteau Twins.
This was the first LP by the Twins to receive major-label distribution in the USA, as it was originally licensed by Capitol Records from 4AD for North American release. After a period of being out of print while 4AD reclaimed the American distribution rights for their back catalog, the album (along with much of the band's 4AD material) was remastered by Robin Guthrie and reissued in 2003. The album shares its name with a peak in southern Utah called Bluebell Knoll.
Critical reception
Blue Bell Knoll was listed by Pitchfork Media as the 81st best album of the 1980s, describing it as a return to the band's ethereal style explored on Treasure.[7] It was also appraised as "everything that atmospheric music should be and usually isn't."[8] NME also viewed Blue Bell Knoll positively, placing it at No. 33 for Albums of the Year 1988.[9]
A less favourable response came from Robert Christgau, who criticized the "momentary momentum" of the record's guitar playing, and highlighted its supposedly boring nature: "Ever hear the one about being so open-minded that when you lay down to sleep your brains fall out?"[6] Allmusic reviewer Ned Raggett awarded the album 3 out of 5 stars, saying that "Blue Bell Knoll has some striking moments that are pure Cocteaus at their best" and citing the opening track "Blue Bell Knoll", "For Phoebe Still a Baby", and the U.S. single "Carolyn's Fingers" as highlights,[1] before suggesting that "things slowly but surely slide back a bit" afterwards. Drowned in Sound reviewer Gen Williams disagreed, saying in her 2002 review that "from start to finish, it's a record that gleams with grace and emotion; chiming, mournful guitars and layered tapestry of sounds evoke a vast array of imagery".[2]
Consequence of Sound later described the album as dream pop.[10]
Track listing
All tracks written by Elizabeth Fraser, Robin Guthrie, and Simon Raymonde.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Blue Bell Knoll" | 3:24 |
| 2. | "Athol-Brose" | 2:59 |
| 3. | "Carolyn's Fingers" | 3:08 |
| 4. | "For Phoebe Still a Baby" | 3:16 |
| 5. | "The Itchy Glowbo Blow" | 3:21 |
| 6. | "Cico Buff" | 3:49 |
| 7. | "Suckling the Mender" | 3:35 |
| 8. | "Spooning Good Singing Gum" | 3:52 |
| 9. | "A Kissed Out Red Floatboat" | 4:10 |
| 10. | "Ella Megalast Burls Forever" | 3:39 |
Total length: |
35:17 | |
Personnel
References
- 1 2 Raggett, Ned. "Blue Bell Knoll – Cocteau Twins". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
- 1 2 Williams, Gen (5 December 2002). "Album Review: Cocteau Twins – Blue Bell Knoll". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
- ↑ Strong, Martin C. (2006). The Essential Rock Discography – Volume 1. p. 222. ISBN 1-84195-827-1. OCLC 70402621.
- ↑ Deusner, Stephen (16 July 2014). "Cocteau Twins: Blue Bell Knoll/Heaven or Las Vegas". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
- ↑ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8.
- 1 2 Christgau, Robert (24 January 1989). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- ↑ "Top 100 Albums of the 1980s". pitchforkmedia.com.
- ↑ Thieberger, Victoria (28 October 1988). "Best New Albums – Blue Bell Knoll". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ↑ "Albums and Tracks of the Year: 1988". NME. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
- ↑ Comaratta, Leni (27 April 2013). "Dusting 'Em Off: Cocteau Twins – Blue Bell Knoll". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 6 February 2015.