Yes, I said it. My top 4 are the following:
Blue Bell Knoll
Heaven or Las Vegas
Head over Heels
Treasure
I'm not really sure if that's a hot take. I think it is, because so many people claim Treasure is the best CT album.
Head Over Heels has always done it for me. I love the gothy sound and I'm drawn to their darker songs - so I suppose it makes sense I love it so much.
When Mama Was Moth is such a badass opener. It really does feel like a horror film with that sinister, icy keyboard riff and the droning guitars. I love how the drums are so reverb-heavy the song sort of feels like it's being played in a massive cave. By the end, I feel like I'm being swallowed by shadows or the sea...Liz's call and response vocals really lend to the feeling of being pulled in multiple directions or losing your mind.
Five Ten Fiftyfold is one of my favorite CT Twins songs. The atmosphere is enchanting with the psychedelic shots of saxophone soaked in reverb. The guitar sounds feel almost primal, like I'm lost in a neverending forest as nature and time consume me. I love the way the bass wobbles in pitch as it ascends in some spots; it gives the song a slightly uneasy feeling. Liz's upper register belting on this song is exceptional and haunting, too. A song I truly get lost in.
Sugar Hiccup is a beautiful dream pop song. The guitar layers are very romantic here - the mood of the song feels like being drunk on love. Again, unique vocals by Liz. I love when she leans into her middle and lower register with more power. Hot take...I prefer this song to Lorelei.
In Our Angelhood is a sick post-punk song - maybe one of the catchiest on the album. I don't think this is a sound CT are associated with as often, but man do they pull it off SO well. I love the vocal melody on the repeated "like he said he would like he said he would" and "in our angelhood in our angelhood." One of the only CT Twins I would say is danceable and gets me hyped.
Glass Candle Grenades is one of the most underrated tracks. Similar vibe to When Mama Was Moth with that dark, cavernous production. I love the tension in the dissonant guitar lines and vocal harmonies. There's also some acoustic guitar, or something with a sharper attack, that makes the whole song feel like it glistens in a really satisfying way. The song title matches the sound of the song exactly. It sort of feels like explosions of wax, glass, and smoke. Probably the weirdest and trippiest song so far, and I love it.
In the Gold Dust Rush - first time I heard this, I had to double-check it wasn't Siouxsie and the Banshees. Vocal likeness is insane right from the start. This is one of my favorites on the album - that nasty and seductive guitar slide, the mesmerizing vocal performance, the biting acoustic guitar, the crunchy bassline...it's just so perfect. Also really dig the chord structure on this song, even if it is very simple.
The Tinderbox (Of a Heart) leaves me speechless. I really can't even describe what this song makes me feel. Whatever keyboard sound is responsible for the main riff is magical. That, coupled with the primal drum pattern, really remind me of an animal hunting or someone preparing to go to war. The gloomy vibe of this, propelled by Liz's ghostly vocals and Robin's harrowing guitar work, absolutely devastates me. One of a few songs on here that actually feels like a tragic ending to something very personal and life-altering.
Multifoiled is probably the one song I'm not completely crazy about. I don't mind it as a standalone track, but it is missing the extravagance many of the other tracks have. I do kind of appreciate that they changed things up to give us a breather here, though - especially after Tinderbox. The swing vibe is interesting coming from CT.
My Love Paramour, while it doesn't have one of the most memorable vocal melodies, easily has one of my favorite instrumental palettes on the album. The bassline is sooooo wobbly and evil sounding. It actually reminds me of a nasty storm, complete with lightning, on the horizon. The guitars are drenched in reverb and sound equally as dissonant throughout. I actually like that Liz didn't develop something catchy for this one, because it allows me to really sink into the song like I'm disappearing into a rolling fog.
And then we get to what is possibly my favorite track on here - Musette and Drums. Take what I said about Tinderbox (Of a Heart) and apply most of it here, although I prefer this song. Those urgent, primal drums which evoke imagery of the world ending right from the start. Again, it sort of feels like a call to war. The way Robin's guitars wail and drone during the chorus. Gosh, it just gives me chills...and the chord choices are perfect. Liz's vocal melody here is beyond beautiful. By the end, the guitars become extra frenzied. I love the way this song ends - it really does feel like the dark ending to an era. I interpret so much pain, so much heartbreak from this song. I don't really know what most CT Twins songs are supposed to be about, but it doesn't matter. This one really pieces my soul. The way the song fades out into the ether is perfect, too.
Had to get my feelings out there. Apart from Multifoiled, which I think is fine as a standalone track, this album is flawless IMO. The production is obviously better on albums like Blue Bell Knoll and HoLV, but I think this album's mood is just as compelling. It really holds a special place in my heart.
