Heaven or Las Vegas

I'm not going to speak of the brilliance that is "Heaven or Las Vegas". It's the Cocteau's best and one of the greatest and most influential albums ever, 'nuff said. I've read at a number of places, including here, that the pressing of this album was pretty bad. "Horrible" is a word seen often. So I've waited for quite awhile before finally giving in and purchasing. This is a great pressing, flat out. The vinyl is nice and quiet, the bass is punchy and more prominent, the soundstage reaches right out and engulfs you at times. It flat out sounds great. Did some research and found that there was a pressing in 2013 and again in 2020. I have to guess that the 2013 was the bad one and they corrected the issues with the 2020 press. If, like me, you've been holding out because you'd heard it sucked, I can assure you it does NOT. This beautiful album has never sounded better, ever.

If you want a plastic case, this one is cardboard. Great album!

The wax is flat, almost completely noise free (not having the IGD some have had), and the sound isn't bad (on my system), it does sound a lot louder than my other CT albums. Don't know if anyone else has had this issue, when I received the LP had these gummy balls, not sure if it was some type of protective coating. First, I played it just brushing the wax and it didn't sound good (Highs forward and brittle). Then, I wet cleaned and seems to have cleared the sound issue, not sure if the coating was obstructing the needle from getting deep into the groove.

I would like everyone to know you need to hear this album in its entirety at least once, it's a chef kiss album! The only complaint is it's a digipak style case it comes in, so essentially a cardboard sleeve. I'm just not a huge fan of those but what really matters is the pressing is phenomenal. The sound comparison to anything else you'll listen to it off will never come close to how good the cd sounds!!!

The "Heaven or Las Vegas" vinyl by Cocteau Twins is a true masterpiece. The ethereal sounds of Elizabeth Fraser's vocals, paired with the dreamy instrumentals, are perfectly captured in this vinyl edition. The pressing quality is exceptional, allowing the listener to immerse themselves in the atmospheric beauty of each track. The album's iconic cover art is beautifully presented, adding to the overall aesthetic appeal. Whether you're a longtime fan or discovering Cocteau Twins, the "Heaven or Las Vegas" vinyl is a must-have for any vinyl collection. It's a timeless piece of musical art that continues to captivate and enchant with each play.

The record arrived with a large scratch, so I requested a replacement. Unfortunately, the second copy had multiple creases on the sleeve. While this vinyl plays fine and I love the album, the overall manufacturing and shipping quality were disappointing.

Cocteau Twins had already peaked before this, but Heaven or Las Vegas proved that they weren't over the hill and on the decline. With this album they cranked out a monumental success of which nearly every track is unforgettable, and some still wander through my head without even being asked for, twenty years later. Some fans felt that this was their "too accessible album", which was predictable for its place and time in their discography. But you know, you've seen that with a zillion other bands, and you know the result is also "so what, it's still so damned good". This isn't sell-out material, though I do agree it's their most "accessible", whatever we all agree (or don't) that could mean. Anyway, none of the above paragraph matters; I apologize. What matters is these tracks are majestic, euphoric, sometimes dreamlike and mystical; sometimes anthemic. The rhythms are entrancing. The brain entrains upon receipt of phenomena such as rhyming and alliteration in lyrics sung in a non-language. The music is heavily multi-layered, with all sorts of currents and countercurrents and spaces you can duck into and surf a standing wave for a while then duck into somewhere else. The sound quality of all the copies I've listened to has been fantastic too, ahead of its time. If they ever fully remastered this I would buy my fifth or sixth copy.

No need to review the record (it's a masterpiece), but at this price ($12!!??) I was skeptical about this vinyl reissue. I lurk on some audiophile sites (I'm a casual vinyl enthusiast) and there's a lot of talk about some horrible pressings of this record. They talk about certain defects making it unlistenable, distortion in-between songs, all manner of horror stories. But with a gift card and this low price I couldn't pass it up, so I pushed the button and two days later it arrived. I have a decent vintage analog setup, with a nice cartridge/stylus and some nice speakers. I can not discern anything bad about this pressing. It sounds glorious, as one would expect, and is definitely one of those records that works very well on vinyl. Maybe I'm an unsophisticated listener, but then I'm happy in my ignorance here. 5 Stars at a great price.

Ouvir este disco em vinil é a experiência definitiva para qualquer fã de texturas sonoras. A produção cintilante do Cocteau Twins ganha uma vida nova no formato analógico, destacando as camadas de guitarras e a voz angelical de Elizabeth Fraser de um jeito que o digital não consegue replicar. Sobre a compra, o produto chegou em perfeitas condições e a entrega pela Amazon foi ok, com o disco bem protegido e dentro do prazo estipulado. Curiosidades e detalhes que elevam a obra: • O Ápice do Dream Pop: Lançado em 1990, este álbum é frequentemente citado como a obra-prima da banda e um dos pilares que definiram o gênero Dream Pop e Shoegaze para as décadas seguintes. • Linguagem Própria: Uma curiosidade fascinante é que Elizabeth Fraser costuma cantar em uma "língua própria", priorizando a fonética e a emoção das palavras sobre o significado literal, o que cria uma experiência auditiva quase espiritual. • Sucesso Comercial: Apesar de sua sonoridade experimental, este foi o álbum de maior sucesso comercial da banda, provando que música abstrata e etérea também pode conquistar o grande público. Este vinil é uma peça de arte tanto visual quanto sonora, indispensável para quem busca uma audição imersiva e relaxante.

コクトーツインズには三枚の傑作があります。 一つは3枚目のアルバム『Lorerei』で、彼らの音楽の方向性を決めた金字塔です。 一つは4枚目のアルバム『Victorialand』で、一生をかけて聴き込める深遠です そしてもう一つが今作で、彼らの要素の全てが詰まった集大成です。 耽美、幽玄、夢見心地、浮遊感、陶酔感、多幸感。それらが最も誰にでも分かる形で提示されています。アルバムジャケットの視覚イメージ通りの音が毎秒に渡って展開されています。 次作以降は浮遊感や陶酔感が減退した、地に足をつけたサウンドになりますので、音楽を聴いている時は夢見心地でいたい方には今作がお勧めです。

Físicamente, el disco llegó en buenas condiciones (viene en cartón, no en su case de plástico) la calidad del empaque y el CD es excelente, no puedo opinar sobre la calidad del audio pues fue un regalo, pero en general considero el producto bueno y no parece ser una copia.

Amazing album, comes in a really nice envelop that looks as a vinyl.

An amazing album. A milestone.