This is a comprehensive discography listing of Scottish singer Elizabeth Fraser who first achieved success during the 1980s as the lead singer of the alternative rock band Cocteau Twins. The band have had several UK top 40 albums, with four of their studio albums also reaching the Billboard 200 albums chart in the United States. Commercially, their most successful studio album, Heaven or Las Vegas was released in 1990 and reached number seven in the United Kingdom and number ninety-nine in the United States. Heaven or Las Vegas was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry. It eventually sold 235,000 copies by 1996, according to Billboard. The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, and was voted number 218 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums. In 2020, Rolling Stone listed it at No. 245 in its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The band have had four of their studio albums reach number one on the UK Indie Chart.
Cocteau Twins have had six of their singles chart within the top 100 in the United Kingdom. Three of their singles were heavily played on the U.S. alternative radio stations and they charted within the top 10 of the US Alternative Songs Chart. Their 1984 single "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops" reached number one on the UK Indie Chart. In 1986, they released a collaboration album The Moon and the Melodies with Harold Budd. Over the course of their musical career, the Cocteau Twins have released several compilation albums. Cocteau Twins split in 1997 following the release of Milk & Kisses (1996).
In 1998 Fraser co-wrote and performed several songs for Massive Attack's multi-award-winning album Mezzanine, including the band's most successful song: Teardrop. Some of Fraser's lyrics were an expression of how she felt about Jeff Buckley's death (the pair had previously been in a relationship). Fraser had a relationship with Jeff, and his father Tim Buckley through Song to the Siren which Fraser covered with the band This Mortal Coil in 1983. Both songs achieved more fame when they were featured in TV shows and films (House and Lost Highway).
After guest appearances and occasional soundtrack work, Fraser embarked on a relatively low–key solo career, releasing her debut single as a solo artist "Underwater" in 2000. This was followed by a second single, "Moses" in 2009, and by 2022, Fraser was a member of the duo Sun's Signature with her husband Damon Reece. Sun's Signature released a single, "Golden Air" in 2022, as well as a self–titled debut extended play album the same year.
Discography As Elizabeth Fraser
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionUKUK IndieThe Moon and the Melodies (with Harold Budd, Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde) Released: November 1986 Format: Vinyl, cassette Label: 4AD461
Cocteau Twins Studio albums TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionCertifications(sales thresholds) UK SCO UK Indie AUS BEL CAN NZ SWE USGarlands Released: 10 July 1982 Format: Vinyl, cassette Label: 4AD (CAD211)——4—————— BPI: SilverHead over Heels Released: 24 October 1983 Format: Vinyl, cassette Label: 4AD (CAD313)51—1—————— BPI: SilverTreasure Released: 1 November 1984 Format: Vinyl, cassette Label: 4AD (CAD412)29—2———3432— BPI: SilverVictorialand Released: April 1986 Format: Vinyl, cassette, CD Label: 4AD (CAD602)10—1——————Blue Bell Knoll Released: 19 September 1988 Format: Vinyl, cassette, CD Label: 4AD (CAD807)15—1—————109Heaven or Las Vegas Released: 17 September 1990 Format: Vinyl, cassette, CD Label: 4AD (00102)7———————99 BPI: SilverFour-Calendar Café Released: 18 October 1993 Format: Vinyl, cassette, CD Label: Fontana (518 259-2) Capitol (US)13—————22—78Milk & Kisses Released: 15 March 1996 Format: Vinyl, cassette, CD Label: Fontana (514 501-2)1724—644853——99
Compilation albums TitleAlbum detailsCertificationsAdditional informationTiny Dynamine/Echoes in a Shallow Bay Released: 1985 Format: CD, cassette Label: 4ADcompilation album, combined release of two EPs.The Pink Opaque Released: 30 December 1985 Format: Vinyl, cassette Label: 4AD, Relativity Recordscompilation album, joint release by 4AD (UK) and Relativity Records (US)The Box Set Released: 4 November 1991 Format: Vinyl, cassette Label: 4ADten-disc box set consisting of all EPs up to that point and one disc of bonus materialBBC Sessions Released: 27 September 1999 Format: Vinyl, cassette, CD Label: Bella Union, Rykodisccompilation album of 8 BBC sessions recorded between 1982 and 1996Stars and Topsoil Released: 16 October 2000 Format: Vinyl, cassette, CD Label: 4AD BPI: Silvercompilation album (1982–1990)Lullabies to Violaine: Singles and Extended Plays 1982–1996 Released: 21 November 2005 Format: CD, digital download Label: 4ADlimited edition (10,000 units worldwide), four-disc box set of single and EP tracksLullabies to Violaine, Volume 1: Singles and Extended Plays 1982–1990 Released: 20 March 2006 Format: CD, digital download Label: 4ADfirst two of the four discs in box set shown aboveLullabies to Violaine, Volume 2: Singles and Extended Plays 1993–1996 Released: 20 March 2006 Format: CD, digital download Label: 4ADlast two of the four discs in box set shown aboveTreasure Hiding: The Fontana Years Released: 19 October 2018 Format: CD, digital download Label: Fontanafour-disc box set that includes Four-Calendar Café, Milk & Kisses, EPs, B-sides, and more
Extended plays
TitleEP details Peak chart position UK SCO UK Indie NZLullabies Released: October 1982 Label: 4AD——11—Peppermint Pig Released: April 1983 Label: 4AD——2—Sunburst and Snowblind Released: 7 November 1983 Label: 4AD86—2—The Spangle Maker Released: 2 April 1984 Label: 4AD (BAD405)29—2—Aikea-Guinea Released: 4 March 1985 Label: 4AD (BAD501)41—138Tiny Dynamine Released: 15 November 1985 Label: 4AD (BAD510)52—1—Echoes in a Shallow Bay Released: 29 November 1985 Label: 4AD (BAD511)65—148Love's Easy Tears Released: October 1986 Label: 4AD (BAD610)53—1—Snow Released: December 1993 Label: Fontana58———Twinlights Released: September 1995 Label: Fontana5957——Otherness Released: October 1995 Label: Fontana5955——
Singles
Title Year Peak chart positions Album UK SCO UK Indie POR IRE US Alt"Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops"198429—1———The Spangle Maker"Carolyn's Fingers"1988—————2Blue Bell Knoll"Iceblink Luck"199038———224Heaven or Las Vegas"Heaven or Las Vegas"—————9"Evangeline" 199334——4—— Four-Calendar Café"Bluebeard"19943377https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/19940313/41/————"Tishbite"19963429https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/19960324/41/————Milk & Kisses"Violaine"5666https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/19960714/41/———— Notes
Solo career Singles 1983: "Song to the Siren" (with This Mortal Coil) – UK No. 66 – (4AD) 2000: "Underwater" (Blanco Y Negro) 2009: "Moses" (Rough Trade)
Guest appearances
ArtistAlbumTrack(s)DateLabelOneohtrix Point NeverMagic Oneohtrix Point Never (Blu-ray edition)"Tales from the Trash Stratum"2021WarpJónsiShiver"Cannibal"2020Krunk Sam Lee Old Wow "The Moon Shines Bright" 2020 Cooking Vinyl Ltd The Insects The Living and the Dead Soundtrack "She Moves Through the Fair" 2016 Self Released Massive Attack Collected "Silent Spring" 2006 Virgin Records Howard Shore The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: The Complete Recordings "Caras Galadhon / Lament for Gandalf", "Lothlórien" 2005 Warner Brothers Yann Tiersen Les Retrouvailles "Kala", "Mary" 2005 EMI Various artists (compilation) Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before... "At Last I Am Free" (originally by Chic) 2003 Rough Trade Howard Shore The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers "Isengard Unleashed" 2002 Warner Brothers Peter Gabriel OVO "Downside Up", "Make Tomorrow" 2000 EMI Elliot Goldenthal; Elizabeth Fraser In Dreams "Dream Baby" 1999 EMI Massive Attack Mezzanine "Teardrop", "Black Milk" and "Group Four" 1998 Virgin Records Michael Kamen The Winter Guest "Take Me With You" 1998 Universal Craig Armstrong The Space Between Us "This Love" 1998 Melankolic Simon Raymonde Blame Someone Else "Worship Me" 1997 Bella Union The Bathers Sunpowder "Danger in Love", "The Dutch Venus", "Angel on Ruskin", "The Night is Young" 1995 Marina Moose Live a Little, Love a Lot "Play God" 1995 Play It Again Sam Records Fuel Timeless EP "Butterfly Knife" 1994 Diffusion Records The Future Sound of London Lifeforms [Remixes] EP "Lifeforms 1–5 and 7" 1994 Astralwerks Medicine Sounds of Medicine "Time Baby 3" 1994 Beggars BanquetPeace Together feat. Peter Gabriel, Sinead O'ConnorPeace Together "Be Still (remix)"1993Polygram Ian McCulloch Mysterio "Heaven's Gate" 1992 Sire Records Ian McCulloch Candleland "Candleland" 1989 Sire Records The Wolfgang Press Standing Up Straight "I Am The Crime" 1986 4AD Felt Ignite the Seven Cannons "Primitive Painters" 1985 Cherry Red Dif Juz Extractions "Love Insane" 1985 4AD This Mortal Coil It'll End in Tears "Song to the Siren", "Another Day" 1984 4AD The Wolfgang Press Scarecrow "Respect" 1984 4AD This Mortal Coil Sixteen Days / Gathering Dust "Song to the Siren", "Sixteen Days / Gathering Dust" 1983 4AD
Sun's Signature
Singles
2022: "Golden Air" (Partisan Records)
EP
Sun's Signature (Partisan Records)
See also
Cocteau Twins discography
References