The Lightning Seeds Album: “Cloudcuckooland”

Amidst my angst-ridden first year of college, I remember this bright, shiny, and reflective spot that was the Lightning Seeds. I hadn't known Ian Broudie from his previous gig in Echo and the Bunnymen, so this was my first exposure to his music in 1989/1990. And I consider this a good thing - Cloudcuckooland is a piece of bouncy happiness and solemn reflection in a neat little bundle of alt-euro-guitar/piano/synth pop that is best enjoyed as pure, simple, and untainted brilliance.

Bubbly and upbeat, the release begins with "All I Want," a bouncy anthem for angst-filled yet hopeful people everywhere. Released as a single, this song was a decent success, however this is somewhat sad since other artists have since done their own covers (very poor ones, too). "Bound in a Nutshell" is a power ballad that gives the listener a glimmer of hope and inspiration. Then we get to "Pure," the debut single from this release that is a bundle of energetic happiness that can only be released by smiling and bouncing like a loon all over the room. "Sweet Dreams" is a happy (almost syrupy) power guitar/percussion driven love song with a fun beat. "The Nearly Man" is in interesting tune with minor harmonics, thoughtful lyrics, and an almost Mediterranean beat that are fun to sway and sing along to. "Joy" is a thoughtful power ballad that places one in more a self-reflective and somber mood. The joy factor is cranked back up with "Love Explosion" which sounds almost like a Belinda Carlisle tune in the orchestration. "Don't Let Go" is a slower, euro-style melancholic pop tune that has hopeful and reflective lyrics. "Control the Flame" is a funky attitude song that will make you sing along struttin' about the room. "The Price" is a slow strumming folk ballad that is very poignant and tearful for those angst-filled folks. "Fools" is a groovy but thought provoking song that is uplifting sounding yet has a much deeper, darker message. And the album ends on a frenzied note with "Frenzy," a melange of stressed out orchestrations and lyrics.

I give Cloudcuckooland a strong 4 star rating. I almost give the release 5 stars, especially given the memories I have with the first 5 songs. However, on this most recent listen (and I gave it several), the songs toward the end of the release started to sound the same. The tone, musical style, and vocals all start to sound alike from song to song and begin to almost lose my interest. While an excellent release, once I get past the first 5 songs, I don't really pay much attention to the rest of the release (which makes for excellent background music).

Since I have no knowledge or exposure to Echo and the Bunnymen, I can't relate this release to previous Ian Broudie ventures. So my recommendation here is for those who appreciate fun, eclectic alt-euro pop. I could perhaps relate this release as a more sugary version of earlier New Order. If you enjoy the samples here, you probably will enjoy this release and be happy to have it in your collection. And for you angst and brooding fans, this is a great release to take you on a pure emotional trip that will be all you want, or need.