Four-Calendar Café
Four-Calendar Café | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 18 October 1993 | |||
Recorded | 1993 | |||
Studio | September Sound, London | |||
Genre | Dream pop | |||
Length | 41:23 | |||
Label | Fontana | |||
Producer | Cocteau Twins | |||
Cocteau Twins chronology | ||||
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Singles from Four-Calendar Café | ||||
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Four-Calendar Café is the seventh studio album by Scottish band Cocteau Twins, released on 18 October 1993 by Fontana Records. It marks their first release since leaving their former record label, 4AD,[1] and the first album since their 1990 critically acclaimed sixth album Heaven or Las Vegas. Two singles were released to promote the album, "Evangeline" (September 1993) and "Bluebeard" (February 1994). A performance to promote "Bluebeard" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno marked their debut performance on American television.[2]
Background
The album distinguishes itself from the rest of the Twins' catalogue in two major areas: The sound is much more pop-oriented and less ambient than previous works, and vocalist
The cover image was taken by
NME named it the 46th best record of 1993.[7]
Release and promotion
Four–Calendar Cafe was released on 18 October 1993 by Fontana Records, their first album since leaving record label 4AD, under which their previous studio album, Heaven or Las Vegas (1990), was released. Two singles were released from the album – "Evangeline" as the lead single on 20 September 1993, and "Bluebeard" as the second and final single on 14 February 1994. To promote the album, Robin Guthrie appeared on MTV's 120 Minutes, marking the first television interview by a member of the band in the United States.[8] As part of the promotion, the band performed "Bluebeard" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Critical performance
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide | [18] |
Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic said "Four-Calendar Café is also, tellingly, their most earthbound effort; as with Heaven or Las Vegas, the emphasis here is on substance as much as style -- "Evangeline," "Bluebeard," and "Know Who You Are at Every Age" continue the trio's advance into more accessible melodic and lyrical ground without sacrificing even an ounce of their trademark ethereality".[19] Pitchfork commented on the album saying "Four-Calendar Café is full of trauma’s echoes".[20]
Sales and commercial performance
In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number thirteen on the
It also spent three weeks within the albums chart in New Zealand, following a peak position of number twenty-two,[25] and also reached number forty-five on the European Top 100 Albums charts.[26]
Track listing
All songs written by Cocteau Twins.
- "Know Who You Are at Every Age" – 3:42
- "Evangeline" – 4:31
- "Bluebeard" – 3:56
- "Theft, and Wandering Around Lost" – 4:30
- "Oil of Angels" – 4:38
- "Squeeze-Wax" – 3:49
- "My Truth" – 4:34
- "Essence" – 3:02
- "Summerhead" – 3:39
- "Pur" – 5:02
Personnel
- vocals
- Robin Guthrie - guitar
- Simon Raymonde - bass
- Additional personnel
- Lincoln Fong - additional engineering
Cover versions
The songs "Bluebeard" and "Know Who You Are at Every Age" were covered by Cantopop artist Faye Wong for her 1994 album Wu Si Lyun Seung or Random Thoughts. "Bluebeard" was renamed to become the album's title track, and "Know Who You Are at Every Age" became "Ji Gei Ji Bei" (or "Know Yourself and Each Other"). Wong's cover version of "Bluebeard" was featured in the film Chungking Express, in which she also starred.
Charts
Chart (1993) | Peak position |
---|---|
European Albums (Music & Media)[27] | 45 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[28] | 22 |
UK Albums (OCC)[29] | 13 |
US Billboard 200[30] | 78 |
References
- ^ "Music Street Journal - Music News & Reviews". www.musicstreetjournal.com. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Cocteau Twins: Bluebeard". cocteautwins.com. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "History". Cocteau Twins. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ "Cocteau Twins: Four-Calendar Café". cocteautwins.com. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Cocteau Twins: Four-Calendar Café". cocteautwins.com. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Cocteau Twins: Four-Calendar Café". cocteautwins.com. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Albums and Tracks of the Year: 1993". NME. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
- ^ "Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) • MTV 120 minutes interview (Circa 1994)". YouTube.
- ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Four-Calendar Cafe – Cocteau Twins | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2000). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
- ^ Woodard, Josef (19 November 1993). "Four-Calendar Café". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ Aston, Martin (23 October 1993). "Market Preview: Alternative — Pick of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. p. 12. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ Kessler, Ted (16 October 1993). "Long Play: Aahhh Bistro!!!". NME. p. 32.
- Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^ Dorris, Jesse (19 October 2018). "Cocteau Twins: Four-Calendar Café". Pitchfork. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
- ^ Q. October 1993. p. 104.
{{cite magazine}}
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(help) - ^ Drozdowski, Ted (10 March 1994). "Recordings". Rolling Stone. Issue 677.
- ISBN 9780743201698.
- ^ "Four-Calendar Café - Cocteau Twins | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Cocteau Twins: Treasure Hiding: The Fontana Years". Pitchfork. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart on 24/10/1993". Official Charts. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "FOUR-CALENDAR CAFE". Official Charts. 30 October 1993. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Cocteau Twins | Biography, Music & News". Billboard. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Bradley Bambarger (6 April 1996). "Radio Climate Could Boost Capitol's Cocteau Twins". Billboard. p. 14.
- ^ "Cocteau Twins". Charts.org.nz. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). World Radio History. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- OCLC 29800226– via World Radio History.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Cocteau Twins – Four Calendar Café". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
- ^ "Cocteau Twins Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 June 2021.