The Lodger are a melodic indie-pop group with a knack for throwback 80s guitar pop a la The Smiths and The Housemartins. And the album “Grown Ups” is full of jangly energetic pop nuggets. “Many Thanks for Your Honest Opinion” is the bouncy opener that groups like Belle and Sebastian would kill to have. This is followed by “Kicking Sand” a very Housemartins styled pop tune with all the proper hooks and quick riffs. If you enjoy the band Ok Go, you’ll flip for “Getting Special” which uses a great guitar dance beat. Every song here is catchy and mines the late 80s post-Smiths guitar jangle for all it’s worth. In most cases it’s loads of fun and and makes for excellent listening. “A Free Period” has a U2-styled baseline and clever chorus. The song “Simply left Behind” adds a bit of Squeeze and Zampano here, and is the winning single on this album, that elevates it above the average. Listen to this one first. It slums a bit on the last few tracks, but nothing too bad and it “The Story’s Over” would’ve been a fitting ending track here, but the ballad “Bye Bye” has a bit of Aztec Camera coolness as well. Check this microsite out to hear the entire album streaming.
The Lodger Website | MySpace | E-Music
Listen to “The Story’s Over”
Kicking Sand Video