BBC Sessions | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | 12 October 1999 | |||
Recorded | 15 July 1982 – 10 April 1996 | |||
Genre | Gothic rock, ethereal wave, dream pop | |||
Length | 103:01 | |||
Label | ||||
Cocteau Twins chronology | ||||
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BBC Sessions is an album of BBC studio recordings by the band Cocteau Twins released in 1999 by Bella Union in the UK and Rykodisc in the USA. The album spanned the band's career from the early 1980s through the 1990s. Much of the first disk was taken from a series of early 1980s Peel sessions. The second disk contained several tracks recorded during the group's performance on the 1980s Radio 1 series Saturday Live. The compilation peaked at No. 87 [1] on the UK Albums Chart.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [2] |
The Austin Chronicle | [3] |
The A.V. Club | (mixed) [4] |
Pitchfork | (5.3/10) [5] |
PopMatters | (8/10) [6] |
Cocteau Twins were a Scottish band active from 1979 to 1997. They were formed in Grangemouth by Robin Guthrie and Will Heggie (bass), adding Elizabeth Fraser (vocals) in 1981 and replacing Heggie with multi-instrumentalist Simon Raymonde in 1983. The group earned critical praise for their ethereal, effects-laden sound and the soprano vocals of Fraser, whose lyrics often abandon recognisable language. They pioneered the 1980s alternative rock subgenre of dream pop.
Head over Heels is the second studio album by Scottish alternative rock band Cocteau Twins. The album was released in October 1983 by 4AD, and was their first album as a duo of Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie. It featured the band's signature sound of "Guthrie’s lush guitars under Fraser’s mostly wordless vocals" and is considered an archetype of early ethereal wave music.
Elizabeth Davidson Fraser, also known as Liz Fraser, is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician. Hailing from Grangemouth, Scotland, she is best known as the vocalist for the pioneering dream pop band Cocteau Twins. She also performed as part of the 4AD group This Mortal Coil, including the successful 1983 single "Song to the Siren," and as a guest with artists including Massive Attack.
Hatful of Hollow is a compilation album by English rock band the Smiths, released on 12 November 1984 by Rough Trade Records. The album features BBC Radio 1 studio recordings and two contemporary singles with their B-sides. It was released in the United States on 9 November 1993 by Sire Records, who had initially declined to release the album in the US. Sire instead released Louder Than Bombs in the US in 1987—which contains several of the same tracks as Hatful of Hollow—as well as the UK compilation The World Won't Listen.
Garlands is the debut album by Scottish alternative rock band Cocteau Twins, released on 10 July 1982 by 4AD. It peaked in the top 5 of the UK Independent Albums Chart, and received support from BBC Radio 1 radio host John Peel.
Treasure is the third studio album by Scottish alternative rock band Cocteau Twins, released on 1 November 1984 by 4AD. With this album, the band settled on what would, from then on, be their primary lineup: vocalist Elizabeth Fraser, guitarist Robin Guthrie and bass guitarist Simon Raymonde. The album also reflected the group's embrace of the distinctive ethereal sound they became associated with.
Heart and Soul is a box set by English rock band Joy Division containing nearly every track the band recorded between 1977 and 1980. The first two discs contain almost their entire studio output, including the albums Unknown Pleasures and Closer, along with singles and compilation appearances. Discs three and four collect rare demos and live recordings, many of which were previously unreleased. All tracks are digitally remastered. It reached #70 in the UK.
Sunburst and Snowblind is the third EP by Scottish alternative rock band Cocteau Twins. It was released on 7 November 1983 by 4AD. The EP features "Sugar Hiccup" from the album Head over Heels, as well as three other tracks.
"Peppermint Pig" is a song by Scottish alternative rock band Cocteau Twins. It was released as both a single and 12" EP on 4 April 1983 by record label 4AD. Musically, the material was similar to their previous release, the 1982 EP Lullabies. It was the last release to feature original bassist Will Heggie.
ABC Music: The Radio 1 Sessions, released in October 2002, is a compilation by post-rock band Stereolab of BBC Radio 1 sessions recorded from July 1991 to August 2001. It includes appearances in John Peel and Mark Radcliffe's shows and it is a CD-only release.
The Complete John Peel Sessions is an album released by Scottish alternative band The Jesus and Mary Chain.
The Pink Opaque is a 1986 compilation album by Scottish alternative rock band Cocteau Twins, composed of tracks recorded between 1982 and 1985. A joint release by the UK-based 4AD and the American Relativity Records, it was their first official U.S. release.
The Radio One Sessions is a compilation of BBC Radio One sessions recorded by Britpop group Elastica. The album is notable for the appearance of several songs not included on any other Elastica release.
Lullabies to Violaine is a Cocteau Twins box set released by 4AD Records in October 2005. Comprising four CDs, the boxset collects the tracks from every Cocteau Twins EP from Lullabies to Violaine. It was also released as two separate double CD packs.
Peel Sessions 1979–1983 is a compilation album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in 2000. The songs were recorded between 1979 and 1983 for the BBC Radio 1 show presented by John Peel. "Electricity" is added as a bonus track and is the original version that was featured on their debut single on Factory Records (FAC6). "Bunker Soldiers" was recorded for the first and fourth sessions; the version from the fourth session was not released on this album.
BOB were an indie pop band from North London, England, formed in 1985.
The Best of Joy Division is a compilation album of material from Joy Division. It was released March 24, 2008 and the UK version includes The Complete BBC Recordings as a bonus disc. The US release is a single disc. The Best of Joy Division reached #97 in April 2008 in Australia, which marks only their second appearance on the ARIA Charts after Substance reached #53 in 1988.
The Box Set is a 1991 collection of EPs by the Scottish band Cocteau Twins. It collects their non-album releases up until that time. It also contains a bonus disc including songs from throughout their history which have not been otherwise released on Cocteau Twins releases.
The BBC Sessions is an album by Belle and Sebastian. It is a double album. The first disc is a compilation of unreleased recordings recorded between 1996 and 2001, while the second is a live recording from a concert in Belfast on 21 December 2001. The live album contains covers of "Here Comes the Sun", "I'm Waiting for the Man" and "The Boys are Back in Town".
The Peel Sessions 1979–1981 is a compilation album collecting the first four sessions recorded by the English post-punk band Killing Joke for the legendary BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, plus a session recorded for his colleague Richard Skinner's program. The sessions had been previously available as bootlegs, but are presented here in pristine sound quality.