Ian Broudie’s musical CV was already impressively well stacked before the emergence of The Lightning Seeds in 1989. Jollification, though, represents the moment it all went right for the Liverpudlian songwriter and producer with the endearingly wobbly voice.
Broudie’s softly reflective tones and expert knack for a winning chorus made Lucky You, Change and Marvellous unforgetable 90s anthems, and the good news is they’ve aged surprisingly well. Alison Moyet is a welcome guest on My Best Day and Open Goals, with Terry Hall and Ocean Coour Scene’s Simon Fowler also putting in shifts.
With Needle Mythology releasing Broudie’s 2004 solo album Tales Told on vinyl for the first time and a new record apparently in the pipeline, it appears there’s a revival under way for an underappreciated craftsman.
8/10
Gary Walker