Snow (EP)
{{Infobox album
| name = Snow
| type = ep
| artist = Cocteau Twins
| cover = Snow (EP) cover.jpg
| alt =
| released = December 1993
| recorded =
| studio = September Sound, London
| genre = Dream pop
| length = 5:45
| label = Fontana
| producer = Cocteau Twins
| prev_title = Four-Calendar Café
| prev_year = 1993
| next_title = Twinlights
| next_year = 1995
}}
Snow is a 1993 EP{{fact|reason=Allmusic, Discogs and Cocteau Twins website all call it a single.|date=February 2025}} by Scottish band Cocteau Twins, released in December 1993 on Fontana Records. It contains cover versions of the Christmas standards "Frosty the Snowman" and "Winter Wonderland". It is out of print, though its tracks appear on the compilation Lullabies to Violaine.{{cite web|last1=Kellman|first1=Andy|title=Lullabies to Violaine|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/lullabies-to-violaine-mw0000355822|website=Allmusic|publisher=RhythmOne|accessdate=22 December 2016}}
Background
Snow was released in extremely limited quantities; one expert suggested that fewer than 5,000 copies were made.{{cite web|last1=Topkoff|first1=Tom|title=Hybrid Music Reviews: Cocteau Twins Snow EP|url=http://www.hybridmagazine.com/reviews/c/cocteau-twins-snow.shtml|website=Hybrid Magazine|publisher=MacHighway|accessdate=22 December 2016}} One of the songs on the album, "Frosty the Snowman," was recorded more than a year before Snow's release, for an album to accompany a year-end issue of Volume. Robin Guthrie was reluctant to record Christmas songs, so the group opted to record non-specific winter songs instead.
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r313803|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]
}}
Snow received fairly positive reviews from contemporary music critics despite its limited release. AllMusic's Ned Raggett called the EP "perfectly enjoyable," noted its calmness and praised Elizabeth Fraser's vocal performance. Hybrid Magazine's Tom Topkoff noted that the songs sounded similar to the group's non-holiday songs and declared that the album was "sure to bring you joy during each holiday season." Everett True from Melody Maker wrote, "What's truly magical is the second track, "Frosty the Snowman", done in the style of the old Cocteaus (ie: you can't work out what the f*** Liz is singing about, and furthermore you don't care)."{{cite magazine|first=Everett|last=True|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53039319884/|title=Singles|magazine=Melody Maker|date=11 December 1993|page=27|access-date=17 July 2023|author-link=Everett True}} Pitchfork named Cocteau Twins’ "Frosty the Snowman" the 36th best holiday song of all time.{{cite web|last1=Pelly|first1=Liz|title=The 50 Best Holiday Songs of All Time (pg. 2)|url=http://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/9977-the-50-best-holiday-songs-of-all-time/|website=Pitchfork|date=21 November 2016 |publisher=Condé Nast|accessdate=22 December 2016}}
Track listing
Adapted from Discogs{{cite web|title=Cocteau Twins – Snow (overview)|url=https://www.discogs.com/Cocteau-Twins-Snow/release/173616|website=Discogs|date=December 1993 |accessdate=22 December 2016}} and AllMusic.
- "Winter Wonderland" (Felix Bernard, Dick Smith) – 2:50
- "Frosty the Snowman" (Steve Nelson, Jack Rollins) – 2:55
Personnel
Adapted from AllMusic.{{cite web|title=Credits|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/snow-mw0000912628/credits|website=AllMusic|publisher=RhytmnOne|accessdate=22 December 2016}}
- Elizabeth Fraser – vocals
- Robin Guthrie – guitar
- Simon Raymonde – bass guitar
- Lifeboat Matey – image processing
- Lincoln Fong – additional engineering
- Andy Earl – photography
- Cocteau Twins – producer
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Chart performance for "Winter Wonderland/Frosty the Snowman" ! scope="col"| Chart (1993) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{single chart|UK|58|date=19931212|rowheader=true|access-date=8 June 2021}} |