I Think Lodger Rules (Stepdad's a Fool)

This post should really be written in all lower-case, as The Lodger really seem like the kind of band '90s zine chickfactor would've featured prominently if it were still around. (Well, it is, in website form, but it's not quite the same thing.) The rush of jangly guitars, uber-pop melodies, mandatory 7"-only releases... that "indiepop" sound that got it's start with Dan Treacy and Edwyn Collins and has been carried on by The Wedding Present, Heavenly, Velocity Girl, Small Factory, Tender Trap, and Spearmint, to name but a few. The Lodger have it pastel-coloured spades.

Originally a trio from Leeds, UK, the Lodger have a few lineup changes since forming three years ago. They're now a quartet and I'm pretty sure only one of the three people in this picture is still in the band. (That would be singer Ben Siddal, middle, who sounds a lot to me like Sice of The Boo Radleys.) And I'm not sure if the new lineup played on their debut album, Grown-Ups, which was released early this summer on longtime US indie label, Slumberland. It is a 14-song example of superior, quintessential indiepop.

MP3: The Lodger - Getting Special (Buy Grown-Ups)

Most excitingly, The Lodger have hopped the pond for an East Coast tour that starts tonight with a free show at Sound Fix Records in Williamsburg, with two more dates in NY (including an alluring show Monday at Union Hall with Holly Golightly) and continuing down South to Athens, GA. Do check them out if they're playing near you. Anoraks are optional. Here's the full list of dates:

Thursday Oct 25 - Sound Fix Records, Brooklyn w/L'il Hospital and The Besties (8:00pm)

Friday Oct 26 - Cake Shop, NYC w/Pants Yell!, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, In Interview (+ party afterwards...)

Saturday Oct 27 - Khyber Pass, Philadelphia w/Public Record, Brown Recluse Sings & Small Sins

Sunday Oct 28 - Velvet Lounge, Washington, DC w/Lorelei & Public Record

Monday Oct 29 - Union Hall, Brooklyn NY w/Holly Golightly & The Griefs (tix)

Tuesday Oct 30 - Mojo 13, Wilmington DE w/Deaf Not Dead, The Defog

Thursday Nov 1 - The Camel, Richmond, VA w/Cinemasophia & Now Sleepyhead

Friday Nov 2 - Duke University Coffeehouse, Durham, NC w/ Dom Casual, The Future Kings of Nowhere and Gray Young (part of the Troika Music Festival)

Saturday Nov 3 - Flicker Theater and Bar, Athens, GA w/Spring Tigers

If you want to hear more, longtime fan Untouched by Work or Duty also has an MP3, and there are a few on the Slumberland website. 

Comments

[Heather]

I know you probably would have written something about The Lodger anyway, but thank you for the great entry. Which show are you going to?

[toby]

i've got my anorak, but no west coast shows. this country is too damn big.
for some reason they remind me a lot of clearlake too.