Collector Disc - Cocteau Twins

Prior to the release of the official Stars and Topsoil compilation, perhaps the most effective Cocteau Twins retrospective was, of all things, this eight-song sampler compiled by 4AD in 1994 for radio station KRBE. Titled simply Collector Disc and packaged in a basic black-and-white sleeve with none of the lavish hallmarks of the 4AD aesthetic, it's nevertheless a very strong intro to the group, well-sequenced and drawn from their entire catalog. The college radio staples "Carolyn's Fingers" (from Blue Bell Knoll) and "Iceblink Luck" (from Heaven or Las Vegas) are the closest things to hits here, but other cuts like "Wax and Wane" and "Lorelei" are equally definitive; there are even a couple of worthwhile B-sides, "Sighs Smell of Farewell" and "Plain Tiger." Neophytes are now recommended to seek out Stars and Topsoil instead, but for old-timers, Collector Disc is a potent distillation of everything that you loved about the Cocteaus in the first place. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide