Treasure (Cocteau Twins album)

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Treasure
Studio album by
Cocteau Twins
Released12 November 1984[1]
RecordedAugust–September 1984
Studio
  • Palladium Studios, Edinburgh
  • Rooster, West London
Genre
Length41:19
Label4AD
ProducerCocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins chronology
The Spangle Maker
(1984) 		Treasure
(1984) 		Aikea-Guinea
(1985)

Treasure is the third studio album by Scottish alternative rock band Cocteau Twins, released on 12 November 1984 by 4AD. With this album, the band settled on what would, from then on, be their primary lineup: vocalist Elizabeth Fraser, guitarist Robin Guthrie and bass guitarist Simon Raymonde. The album also reflected the group's embrace of the distinctive ethereal sound they became associated with.[2][3]

The album reached number 29 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the band's first UK Top 40 album, and charted for eight weeks.[4] It also became one of the band's most critically successful releases, although the band considered it underdeveloped.[5] The track "Lorelei" became a minor dance hit during the mid-1980s.[3]

Background and music

The album was recorded from August to September 1984 at Palladium Studios, Edinburgh and Rooster, West London.[6]

Record label executive Ivo Watts-Russell originally tried to hire Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois to produce the album. However, Eno felt the band did not need him and Guthrie ended up producing the album.[7] Pitchfork noted that the album's drum machine backing added a sharp edge in contrast to the band's ethereal sound and Elizabeth Fraser's "angelic vocals".[3] On the albums title, Fraser claimed "I thought it was a really good idea because I thought, well, what are people gonna see in these names? They’re gonna realise it’s got nothing to do with mythology and all that bollocks. Well, it’s not bollocks, but I foolishly thought people wouldn’t think that we were into that sort of thing".[8]

Raymonde alluded to Treasure being rushed and unfinished, while Guthrie referred to it as "an abortion",[9] "our worst album by a mile",[7] and to the period in which it was made as "arty-farty pre-Raphaelite".[5] Nonetheless, as Raymonde observed, "It seems to be the one that people like the best and it's probably sold the best".[9]

Reception and release

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Louder Than War
10/10[11]
Q[12]
Record Collector[13]
Record Mirror[14]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[15]
Smash Hits8/10[16]
Spin Alternative Record Guide9/10[17]
Stylus Magazine7/10[18]
Uncut9/10[19]

Treasure is considered by many fans to be the band's finest work,[5] and has received critical acclaim. Pitchfork wrote, "Cocteau Twins' third album was titled simply enough. Treasure was an adjective for the endlessly inventive melodic lines you'd find buried in these songs, and a verb for what you'd do with them for years to come", and noted that the record signalled the start of Cocteau Twins' "signature ethereality".[3] Ned Raggett of AllMusic complimented its "accomplished variety", saying, "Treasure lives up to its title and then some as a thorough and complete triumph".[10] BBC Online wrote, "Treasure was where the Cocteau Twins first got it 100 percent right".[20] Steve Sutherland in Melody Maker described the album as "true brilliance" and stated that the band were "the voice of God".[21][22]

In March 2018, the album was repressed on 180g vinyl using new masters created from high definition files transferred from the original analogue tapes.[23]

Legacy and accolades

Jeff Terich of Treblezine placed the album on his list of best

Robert Smith of The Cure calls it one of the most romantic records ever recorded,[7] so much that he played it as he was getting ready on his wedding day.[citation needed
]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Cocteau Twins (

Cindy
)"5:35
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Amelia"3:31
2."Aloysius"3:26
3."Cicely"3:29
4."Otterley"4:04
5."Donimo"6:19

Initial pressings of the Canadian LP release included the "Aikea-Guinea" 12" single as a bonus.

Personnel

Cocteau Twins

Production

Charts

Chart performance for Treasure
Chart (1984) Peak
position
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[30] 34
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[31] 32
UK Albums (OCC)[32] 29

References

  1. ^ "Twin's third" (PDF). Music Week. 27 October 1984. p. 21. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  2. ^ Scourfield, Jack (14 July 2014). "Cocteau Twins: The Complete Guide". Clash. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e Dare, Christopher (20 November 2002). "Staff Lists: Top 100 Albums of the 1980s | Features | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 28 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  4. ^ "The Official Charts Company - Treasure by Cocteau Twins Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "Cocteau Twins |".
  6. ^ "Cocteau Twins: Treasure LP". cocteautwins.com. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Lindsay, Cam (10 June 2015). "An Essential Guide to Cocteau Twins". Exclaim!. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Cocteau Twins: Treasure LP". cocteautwins.com. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  9. ^ a b Select, October 1990
  10. ^ a b Raggett, Ned. "Treasure – Cocteau Twins". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  11. Louder Than War
    . No. 14.
  12. ^ Segal, Victoria (May 2018). "Cocteau Twins: Treasure". Q. No. 384. p. 117.
  13. ^ Atkins, Jamie (March 2018). "Head Over Heels, Treasure | Cocteau Twins". Record Collector. No. 477. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  14. ^ Strike, Andy (24 November 1984). "Cocteau shaker". Record Mirror. p. 20.
  15. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8
    .
  16. ISSN 0260-3004
    . Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  17. ISBN 0-679-75574-8
    .
  18. ^ Parrish, Peter (7 May 2004). "Cocteau Twins – Treasure". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 8 November 2004. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  19. ^ Bonner, Michael (May 2018). "Cocteau Twins: Head Over Heels / Treasure". Uncut. No. 252. p. 44.
  20. ^ Jones, Chris (22 August 2008). "BBC – Music – Review of Cocteau Twins – Treasure". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  21. ^ Sutherland, Steve (10 November 1984). "? [Cocteau Twins: Treasure review]". Melody Maker.
  22. ^ Raggett, Ned (24 February 2016). "Cocteau Twins – 10 of the best". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  23. ^ "Cocteau Twins : 'Head Over Heels' and 'Treasure' Represses". 4ad. 16 January 2018. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  24. ^ Terich, Jeff (5 April 2012). "10 Essential Dream Pop Albums". Treblezine. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  25. ^ "Best Albums of the 1980s | Music | Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  26. ^ "Albums and Tracks of the Year: 1984". nme.com. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  27. ^ Jackson, Josh (13 July 2016). "The 50 Best Post-Punk Albums". Paste. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  28. ^ Makowsky, Jennifer (11 February 2020). "Hope Despite the Times: 12 Essential Alternative Rock Albums from the 1980s". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 30 November 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  29. ISBN 0-7893-1371-5
    .
  30. ^ "Charts.nz – Cocteau Twins – Treasure". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  31. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Cocteau Twins – Treasure". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  32. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 June 2021.

External links

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