His melodically brilliant powerpop chafed against the 90s indie scene – but the singer, who has died of bowel
cancer, should also be remembered for songs made after his band’s fame
It’s a cruel quirk of artistry that praise is often at its most fervent when the artist is no longer around to hear it. When news broke of Silver Sun
Singer James Broad’s death from bowel cancer, the internet was duly awash with acclaim for the songwriter’s innate grasp of melody. You dearly hope Broad – who was in his late 40s – knew just how appreciated his talent was in life, too.
Sadly, that is unlikely. Though his band were familiar on the Britpop scene – the band’s self-titled 1997 debut and helium-throated breakout single Lava are widely regarded as genre classics – what became apparent during the collective grieving of Friday night was that few were aware of Silver Sun’s creative output after being dropped by Polydor in 1999. The band’s excellent sixth album, Switzerland, was released in April.