For
the Lightning Seeds' third album,
Jollification,
Ian Broudie wrote his strongest batch of songs yet and managed to return to the top of the British charts. At ten tracks,
Jollification is overly brief; eight of the ten tracks are genuine keepers and rank amongst the band's best work. "Lucky You," "Marvelous," "Perfect," and "Change" (which received some recognition in the U.S. due to its exposure in the movie Clueless), were all modern British pop gems that arrived at the height of Brit-pop. While the album is occasionally too produced -- this is especially pronounced in the more synthesizer-driven songs -- the melodies dominate despite their occasional stiffness.
Jollification is
Broudie's most cohesive and consistent album to date. ~ Jason Damas