Garlands   by Cocteau Twins

Scottish band Cocteau Twins presented their debut album, titled Garlands, in 1982, which stands as one of the most unique and "dark" moments in their discography. For those who know the band from their later, ethereal dream pop works (such as Heaven or Las Vegas), Garlands will sound completely different. It is a typical post-punk record of that era.

The sound of Garlands is abrasive, cold, and primitive. It is dominated by sharp basslines, distorted guitars full of effects, and a persistent, robotic drum machine (the legendary Roland TR-808). It is the only album they recorded with their original bassist. His bass is actually the "protagonist" and the driving force behind all the tracks.

When it was released, the British press accused them of simply copying the Banshees. Fraser herself was a huge fan of Siouxsie Sioux, something clearly visible in her aggressive and theatrical performances on this record. Another thing that connects them to the Banshees is the cover art (!) The eerie cover photograph (designed by the historic creative studio 23 Envelope) was originally intended by photographer Nigel Grierson as an alternative proposal for the debut album of... Siouxsie and the Banshees (The Scream) (!) In the end, it went to the Cocteau Twins.