This 1985 gem is one of the Twins' finest EPs
Christopher Culver | 09/27/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Between their 1984 album TREASURE and 1988's BLUE BELL KNOLL, the Cocteau Twins' output was limited to a somewhat prolific series of EPs. Three were released in 1985 alone, and while the back-to-back "Tiny Dynamite" and "Echoes in a Shallow Bay" EPs got the most attention, the earlier "Aikea-Guinea" EP is a hidden gem. It shows a band moving even further into ethereal bliss with softer production and a greater understanding of subtlety."Aikea-Guinea" opens the disc. TREASURE was a hard album to follow, and happily this song shows that the Cocteau Twins have stayed as strong. "Kookaburra", the second track, is somewhat different but equally amazing. It announces that the vocals of Elizabeth Fraser has now entered their finest period, one that would continue until 1990. The exquisite layers of vocals (one with gorgeously trilled r's) with Robin Guthrie's solid guitar and Simon Raymonde's bass combine to form a track better than most of TREASURE and one that is sadly underrated. The third song is the low point of the EP, as "Quisquose" sounds like a track that didn't make it on TREASURE and displays rawer production (it's somewhat reminiscent of "Pandora" from that album) that doesn't make it fit in very well with the other three tracks here. The closing track "Rococo" is, ironically, an instrumental. While the Twins' had one of the finest female singers in history, on this track the superb instrumentation shows that Guthrie and Raymonde were masters of their own particular fields. While the track is technically brilliant, it is all the more astounding because it sounds like a random jam. That this guitarist and bassist could create such a powerful track off the cuff makes one chide oneself for having paying so much attention to just the vocals before.Of course, nothing's perfect, and while the music here is among the Cocteau Twins' best, 23 Envelope's artwork is among their most lackluster. The stone with the seahorse-shaped patch of lichen that adorns the cover doesn't really impress the viewer as much as Nigel Grierson's photographs on earlier Cocteau Twins EPs. Nonetheless, one can't judge an album by its artwork, and those who move past the cover to the disc will be very pleased. And while the music does great as it is, the Cocteau Twins' best-of STARS AND TOPSOIL features a remastered version of the song "Aikea-Guinea" that brings out layers of the song never before heard. That's certainly worth getting.While some of the Cocteau Twins' finest work is on their EPs (especially 1986's "Love's Easy Tears" EP), it's probably best to start with their albums. I'd recommend HEAVEN OR LAS VEGAS or TREASURE as an introduction to their work if you've never before heard this excellent group. Once you've got the albums, the EPs await, and "Aikea-Guinea" should be one of the first you get."
Buried Treasure: 3 bright gems shine on this CD.
Robin | Chicago IL | 07/02/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Many folks have heard the song Aikea-Guinea on the compilation album The Pink Opaque. Whether or not you like that song, the 1985 Aikea-Guinea EP is worth buying for the other 3 songs not featured on any full-length album.Full track listing: 1. Aikea-Guinea 2. Kookaburra 3. Quisquose 4. Rococo Kookaburra and Quisquose (and actually Aikea-Guinea as well) sound almost as if they belong on the 1986 Love's Easy Tears EP. And Rococo is a wonderful, circular romp of an instrumental. This is an EP I always recommend to new and existing Cocteau Twins fans. It's one of my personal favorites."
Often overlooked masterpiece: perfection
Sonofpfunk | st. paul, mn | 08/11/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The greatest e.p. that I can think of, by CT or any band. A must have."
Track Listings (4) - Disc #1