“Top 100 Albums of the 1990s”

• By Pitchfork Staff
• Pitchfork
• 17-Nov 2003

090: Cocteau Twins

Heaven or Las Vegas

[4AD; 1990]

Initially, the glacial textures conjured by guitarist Robin Guthrie on Heaven or Las Vegas may seem like frozen artifacts from a forgotten shoegazer past. But behind its icy exterior lies the album’s beating heart—a core of ungodly gorgeous songs that is every bit as moving and relevant today as it ever was. Elizabeth Fraser’s vocal performance, more straightforward here than on any of the Cocteaus’ 80s output, is strikingly nuanced, imbuing the record’s haunting melodies with an entirely unique and entrancing character. The songs themselves are remarkably complex, weaving crisp electronic beats, monolithic synthesizers, effects-laden guitar, and Fraser’s stately and angelic voice into a seamless sonic velour. — Matt LeMay

Read the full article online from its source.