| The bulk of these enthusiastic and enigmatic recordings originate from John Peel BBC radio sessions between 1982 and 1984. From their debut in 1982 with Garlands, wax and wane and garlands lay claim to the Twins aclaimedly ethereal pop sounds. Then-bassist Will Heggie provides support for guitarist Robin Guthrie and lead vocalist/lyricist Elizabeth Fraser; churning bass propels blind dumb deaf and hazel through a streaming haze of guitar effects, topped with Fraser's generally-indecipherable-but-all-the-more-intriguing-because-of-it lyrics.
Eerily lovely whispers and intonations waft throughout the tinderbox (of a heart) (4:48), backed by almost-militaristic drumming. A barely-recognizable version of Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit (1:52) positively bursts with energy, as does hitherto. Counterbalancing those doses of power,
from the flagstones and sugar hiccup offer smoother, though still peppy, listens. Following instrumental my hue and cry, Disc One closes with the stirring emotional force of musette and drums; Liz's earnest wails are emphasized by pounding drumbeats within a cyclone of guitar and bass.
Different versions of three tracks open Disc Two, presenting alternate takes of the powerful hitherto, the sweeter dreampop of from the flagstones and pointed musette and drums. From the third album (1984's Treasures, the first to feature bassist Simon Raymonde), exotic beatrix and light-hearted ivo ring with bells, Guthrie's jangling guitar strums and of course, Liz's radiant, acrobatic voice. From that same release, a dreamy instrumental version of otterly proves that Robin and Simon can manage quite well on their own.
The remaining pieces time-travel a dozen years to 1996; the more-mature, less-edgy sounds obviously display a higher degree of polish. Liz's ever-supple vocal chords are still subjected to strenuous workouts, though in a more croony/breathy style (golden-vein, from Twinlights, features a nearly-operatic performance). Of the several tracks from the Twins' final release (Milk and Kisses), silky serpentskirt occasionally floats on a drifting string section, seekers who are lovers is pleasantly awash in rippling guitar waves, and calfskin smack is buoyed on Simon Raymonde's elastic bass strings.
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