Pure - Lightning Seeds

Year: 1989

Artist: Lightning Seeds

Hit Song: All I Want

Album: Cloudcuckooland

I started listening and appreciating new wave at 85’, I was still in primary school that time. So even before local radio station or other media streams picked up and commercialized the genre, I was already hooked on it. Back then “New Wave was the new Pop”, alternative became mainstream back then thanks to movies like ‘Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Some kind of Wonderful etc.  

I heard this song in the mid 90’s; the station I came across featured their blast from the past hits. I remember asking myself “how come I missed this one?” no good music escapes my ear, especially not this type…poetic lyrics, catchy tunes, Brit vocals…definitely new wave! Then I found out, it was released in 89’. You see, sound has to travel before people start appreciating and this is the pre internet era so you have to wait years to hear new sound especially if you live in some corner parts of the globe. Also, its release of 89’ was actually the start of the new wave decline. People started listening to rap, disco tunes, and yes, Rick Astley.

The common denominator with Lightning Seeds and the Beatles were they both from Liverpool, England. So what’s up with people from this place writing good lyrics and cool tunes? What are they eating? What’s in their mashed potato? Such music geniuses!  Formed by Ian Broudie  the vocals slash guitar slash producer and who single-handedly gave birth to this lush  song - ‘Pure’. According to allmusic.com, he first emerged as a member of Big in Japan a product of the same Liverpudlian post-punk scene that gave rise to Echo & the Bunnymen, the Teardrop Explodes, and Icicle Works. in 1982 Broudie teamed with Wild Swans vocalist Paul Simpson under the name Care; the duo released a series of shimmering singles that pointed in the direction Broudie followed in the Lightning Seeds.

What more can I say? This guy is a freaking music genius…hands down!

...I personally love this lyrics of the song

"if love's the truth then look no lies

and let me swim around your eyes

I've found a place I'll never leave

shut my mouth and just believe

love is the truth I realize

not a stream of pretty lies

to use us up and waste our time "