Customer Reviews

Tilt

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

From the beginning, what I liked best about the Lightning Seeds was their ability to sound like a synthesis of some of the best elements of the Beatles and New Order. Now, after "Jollification" and "Dizzy Heights", two sublime albums that fall somewhere on the poppier side of Britpop, Ian Broudie returns with "Tilt" to the more dance feel of "Cloudcuckooland" and the loop-based production used in many of the tracks from "Sense". The results are marvelous. "Life's Too Short" is an instant classic in the vein of "Pure" and "Life Of Riley", but with a more polished and modern production style. "Sweetest Soul Sensations" takes the sound of their remake of "You Showed Me" and applies it to an original song built around an Al Green sample. "Happy Satellite" is their most electronic dance sounding track yet. Very cool lyrics too. My favorite song here, however, is "Get It Right". Produced by Tim Simenon, the sound evokes a beautiful feeling of determination in the face of opposition that fits perfectly with the song's lyrics. Unfortunately this album is currently only available in the U.S. as an import. I wouldn't be surprised if, like "Dizzy Heights", it is eventually released in the U.S., but if I were you, I woundn't wait for that. It is well worth the extra cost.

Just like the Cure epitomized the darker sides of life, Lightning Seeds have taken upon themselves to make the world a happier place. The joy of life is the central theme in all their songs and Tilt carries on that tradition beautifully. From instantly classic songs like "Life's too short" with one of the best production on an electronic track ever, to sublime songs such as "Get it right" and "If only" you can't help but feel better, if not good, about yourself. Although the ballads are skipable to a casual listener, they add a completeness to the album which generates a very fulfilling listening experience. On the flip side, metaphorically speaking, you will be hard pressed to find happier songs than (surprise!) "Happy satellite" and "Crowdpleaser." Dance, Top40, RandB, Adult Contemporary listeners will equally find songs to their liking in this gem of an album. Even though, I am not a die-hard Lightning Seeds fan, Tilt was (is) my favorite album of the last 12 months.

I simply can't understand the negative reviews written about this album. Granted, it is not the best work of the Lightning Seeds - especially for people wanting to get into The Seeds to listen to - but I think this album deserves much more positive recognition than it gets.

The Lightning Seeds are probably best loved for their up-beat ultra-happy tracks like "Pure" and "Life Of Riley", and I was pleasantly surprised to find how The Seeds have succeeded in making Tilt beautifully dark and melancholic. Some of the tracks in this album, namely "Cigarettes and Lies" and "Get It Right" will simply take your breath away with the gorgeous lyrics and haunting melodies. There are, of course, more up-tempo songs on here such as "Life's Too Short" and "If Only"... of course not forgetting the chirpy "City Bright Stars".

However, that said, I do particulary admire the darker songs on this album. It only goes to prove the versatility of The Seeds. And that they've succeeded yet again at creating something of a semi-masterpiece.

I wanted to blurb this as it's one of my favorite albums of all time, and -- because it's almost unknown except to Lightning Seeds fans -- seriously under-blurbed. Tilt was Ian Broudie's last Lightning Seeds album and probably one the most unexpected-sounding albums of the decade, at least for people who thought Broudie's style was epitomized by "Three Lions" or even "Pure". Tilt is breathtakingly authentic and consistent in its sadness, a meditation on loss buttressed by a conviction that that sadness is no excuse for moping or even for affectation. It's about coping, about turning yourself inside out and pushing through, stiff upper lip and heart on sleeve. Danceable and dark, disposable and dignified, Tilt is, in every sense, full of pop music's deepest contradictions, from the seriously unhappy lyrics to "Happy Satelite" to the Al Green sample channeling romantic authenticity on the deceptively pouty "Sweetest Soul Sensations". Album highlight is "If Only", in which Broudie sings "If I could feel it/ If only, If I could mean it / If only" over a sublime piano hook and a female backing vocal going "oooh-whooo-whoo", somehow conjuring up more sadness and restlessness in its conventionality than any number of new-wavish bands who've spent their careers trafficking in sadness and restlessness and passing it off as unconventional. The album moves gradually from the personal to the political in its second half before ending, in what might be Tilt's first ironic moment, with "All the Things", a song that could easily have showed up on any of the Seeds' earlier, less memorable, albums, with all Broudie's starry-eyed, calculated, romantic optimism on full display. Make of it what you will.

The happy joy stuff is gone. More moody deeper tracks, with highly developed lyrics.

"Happy Satellite" and "Get It Right" are the two standout tracks on TILT. Prevous CD "Dizzy Heights" was more satisfying due to its fun guitar work missing from "Tilt" which is still a good record.