Treasure (Remastered, 180 Gram Vinyl)

Cocteau Twins: Elizabeth Fraser (vocals); Robin Guthrie (guitar); Simon Raymonde (bass). Recorded at Palladium Studios, Edinburgh, Scotland and Rooster, West London in August and September, 1984. With their third album, TREASURE, the Cocteau Twins settled on what would, from then on, be their primary lineup--vocalist Elizabeth Fraser, guitarist Robin Guthrie, and bassist Simon Raymonde. One of the band's most impressionistic records, it abandons the "phrase" titles of previous records in favor of mythological-sounding one word names, encouraging listeners to make up their own interpretations of the songs. Sound-wise, the band's performance, though not confrontational, is more aggressive, and several tracks, such as "Persephone," find Guthrie experimenting with a harsher guitar sound. Completists should note that some versions of the CD contain all four tracks from the band's 1985 EP, AIKEA-GUINEA. Standouts include the two opening tracks, "Ivo" and "Lorelei," both of which sound like very sexy baby food commercials, while the epic "Donimo" opens with choral-style vocals over sustained musical tones augmented by glittering chimes, exploding halfway through with a pounding drumbeat and Guthrie's crystalline, effects-laden guitar. Despite the fact that Guthrie has stated in interviews that he is largely unhappy with the album, it remains a favorite among the band's fans and it is almost certainly their most consistently upbeat record.