Tilt

Ian Broudie is probably one of the least likely people to embrace electronica, but on their fifth album Tilt, some of the Lightning Seeds' dancier undertones are brought to the forefront. The Seeds are no strangers to stiff, computerized beats; because the band was technically Broudie's solo act until 1996's stellar Dizzy Heights, he often used a drum machine to round out the sound. That's why Tilt, which is neither electronica nor rock, but merely danceable pop, is hardly a real reach for them. If anything, the album is a minor disappointment because it seems that just as the group began to sound like a live act (and enlisted Zak Starkey, Ringo Starr's son, as drummer) they reverted back to being a slick pop band. This is not to say that Tilt is a bad record, however; it's quite the opposite. Some of the lyrics here are Broudie's most affected yet, and some of the arrangements are very exciting. In a way, it's like a less-dated version of their debut Cloudcuckooland, released nearly ten years before this one. Highlights include the first single, the up-tempo "Life's Too Short" and the techno-rocker "Crowdpleaser." Occasionally, the Lightning Seeds sound like a warmer version of the Pet Shop Boys, especially on "If Only" and "Happy Satellite." Furthermore, the second single, "Sweetest Soul Sensations," samples Al Green. Overall, however, the album gels into a cohesive statement that's sure to please both casual and die-hard fans of this excellent pop band. ~ Jason Damas