Cloudcuckooland
The Lightning Seeds are actually a single seed, Ian Broudie, who sprouted from the same scene in Liverpool, England, as Echo & the Bunnymen and Icicle Works.Cloudcuckoolandcontains distant hints of Echo, especially in the guitar track on "Pure." But this album is much more liquid than anything the Bunnymen ever created.Cloudcuckoolandis entirely programmed, with an overlay of acoustic rhythm guitar. Broudie's vocals approach a falsetto that Brit-pop fans will find soothing and others might find wimpy. These are entirely pleasant, full-bodied pop songs that are not at all demanding or raw, but too well composed and produced to be called bubblegum.--Beth Bessmer