slumberland records

This Is Fake DIY

The pen is mightier than the sword, so they say, and on similar lines it would seem that unassuming pop is more than capable of giving your hook laden, larger than life supergroups a bloody nose now and again. Small is more than capable of being perfectly formed.

Those in the know have been anticipating a definitive long player from The Lodger for what seems like ages. Masters of the bedsit anthem, there's already been a string of peerless 7" to devour, but when put together things really start to click.

"Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion" is nothing if not a trademark opening shot, full of poppy stomp mixed with wry wit, but it's the James Ford-produced "Getting Special" that proves that Grown-Ups is an album that's, well, grown up. Spaced out claustrophobia may seem a contradiction in terms, but when mixed with a touch of Seventies disco (yes, disco) the results are somewhere between Pulp and Belle and Sebastian, yet fiercely original.

Elsewhere there's the bittersweet "You Got Me Wrong" (now with added handclaps), tempo-hopping "The Story's Over" and the ramshackle brilliance of "Let's Make A Pact." All showcase brilliantly both the near-cynical realism and hopeless naivety at the heart of The Lodger; a combination that turns a collection of good songs into a great band.

Full of glittering gems, Grown-Ups is proof that the best things come in small packages. You won't hear a better album this year, we promise you that.

- Stephen Ackroyd

Caught In The Carousel

When The Lodger’s Ben Siddall sings, “Give me your future/It looks really bleak,” two questions come to mind: How does he know and what does he want with it anyway? Hard to say what the boy is up to, but one thing’s for certain—he knows his way around a pop song. Armed with whip smart sarcasm and a biting wit, Siddall sounds like the kid brother of Morrissey or the Wedding Present’s David Gedge, navigating his way through romantic frustrations with cheeky belligerence. That being said, The Lodger’s Grown-Ups is a speedy, punchy and altogether glorious debut. It’s hard to think of a band in recent memory who come with such instant pop velocity as this trio from Leeds. “Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion” is a snappy winner; the lyrically caustic “Kicking Sand” brings to mind The Wedding Present (“You say we’re in the same boat/ But I’m not in yours!”) and the jangling “Getting Special” which examines the lives of the “obvious people” is good devilish fun. Although Siddall is capable of searing cynicism (“I hear that you are keeping well/Since your life became a living hell”), he doesn’t come without a heart. “Let Her Go” finds him imploring “Let her go/You cannot save her/I only wish that we could get along,” while over the hustle and bounce of “The Story’s Over” he confesses, “I’ve got a lump in my throat/Where I’ve swallowed my all my pride.” But it’s on the album closer (“Let’s Make A Pact”) where Siddall lets his guard down and admits “So I’ve been wrong a 2nd time/A 3rd, a 4th/Is this a sign?” Perhaps, perhaps, but if out of such egregious mistakes this is the kind of pop music that flowers, let’s hope that he keeps screwing up.

- Alex Green

SF Weekly

You can take your Arctic Monkeys, your Kaiser Chiefs, your Futureheads. To these ears, the Lodger is the most exciting British guitar band to come along since the Wedding Present unleashed George Best on an unsuspecting public in 1987. After a clutch of acclaimed U.K. singles, the Leeds-based trio has delivered a debut LP so chock-full of bristling hooks and acidic lyrics that the dude from the Housemartins must be green with envy. Tunes like "Many Thanks for Your Honest Opinion" and "Kicking Sand" match up with the best of Northern British angst pop, driven by amphetamine drumming, anarchic riffage, and Ben Siddall's bitter worldview ("You say you're doing better / But how long will it last / Till I am doing better / And you're just in the past"). That said, even the euphoric rush of the guitars might grow wearisome over a full album if they weren't leavened by Siddall's singing, which is as delicate and assertive as the Mozer's. Obviously, The Lodger has learned its lesson from Mary Poppins: A spoonful of sugar does indeed make the medicine go down.

- Dan Strachota

Indiepages

This band from northern Britain has been getting loads of praise for their 7"s released over the last couple years in their home country, but I haven't had a chance to hear them until now, thanks to some swift action from the always excellent Slumberland Records! They play upbeat pop with jangly guitars, garnering them obvious (but appropriate) comparisons to the Wedding Present and the Smiths, but I also hear a bit more to their sound, from the dancier rhythms found in songs like "Simply Left Behind" and "Getting Special" to the Paul Weller-ish tone occasionally found in the lyrics. And sometimes, you'll find more sober, quieter songs like "Not So Fast" and the synth/string-filled "Bye Bye", but the band excels at the 2-3 minute catchy pop song, which you'll find in abundance throughout the record. I also quite like Ben's voice - it reminds me quite a bit of Rob from long-lost favorites, Monograph/Pacific Radio. Let's hope the band gets as popular over here as they are at home! (MTQ=12/14)

- Chris Mac

Dagger

A label that I thought was dead and buried, Slumberland, is still up and running. I should have figured…….for as long as I’ve known Mike “Slumberland” Schulman I should have thought he’d still has plenty o’ tricks up his sleeve. He had taken a long break before he discovered his last catch, The Aislers Set, in the 90’s . It took Mike a while to find some inspiration but find it he did in this UK trio, The Lodger. The Lodger is basically Ben Siddall, the main songwriter who apparently started the band in his Leeds bedsit flat in 2004. I just have one question…what the hell is a bedsit ??!! Anywho, he asked (connived) two folks into helping him out (Joe on bass and Katie on drums) , did some recording and I’ll tell you, GROWN-UPS is as good a debut as I’ve heard in ages. From the short-circuited guitar that opens the first song “Many Thanks for Your Honest Opinion” to the hooky-as-hell “Kicking Sand” to the moodier , almost dancy “Getting Special” , they all kick ass in their own unique way …and that’s just the first three tunes ! And lyrically he has that same kinda self-deprecating yet acidic wit that David Gedge employed so well for so many years (“I couldn’t care less about you now…” from “Kicking Sand”) . I’m happy to say it’s as good as I heard it was.

- Tim Hinely

Philly Girl About Town

The Lodger, from Leeds in the northern part of England, is not to be confused with Lodger, a band from Helsinki, Finland. In fact, one could argue that The Lodger is quintessentially British, in the same way that several precedent bands have represented the UK with songs referencing life in the towns and countrysides of their motherland. (Coming to mind are The Jam, The Clash, and The Smiths). The Lodger is no exception, taking their place in England's pop pantheon with a sound that owes every debt to those who came before and embodied the essence of being British. Grown-Ups is filled with sophisticated pop tunes, breezy melodies galore, and jangly guitars. Reminiscent of bands like The Housemartins, The Wedding Present (also from Leeds), The Pale Fountains, Orange Juice, Aztec Camera, and Prefab Sprout, but with faster tempos and a more upbeat vibe, despite the heady lyrics. The Lodger channels the guitar bands of 80s indie rock without crossing into overly-polished territory reserved for the more outlandish Top-of-the-Pops bands of the era. The songs portray an honesty and simplicity while still retaining their pop essence. Don't think, however, that The Lodger is a "me-too" band, for they have their own sound that fits in perfectly with both the Leeds scene (Kaiser Chiefs, The Cribs) and today's growing indie scene. All this from a three piece, consisting of songwriter Ben Siddall (guitar, vocals, keys), Joe Margetts (bass), and Bruce Renshaw (drums), who replaced drummer Katie James, after she replaced him earlier on. The record has been out a while, released in June of 2007 to open arms in the UK and abroad. 14 songs that clock in at 41 minutes, the band believes in short songs that don't wander or get self indulgent. Best tracks are: "Kicking Sand", "You Got Me Wrong", "The Story's Over", and "Let's Make a Pact". The Lodger is also working on a new record called "Life is Sweet" which is due out on May 19th. We're sure the internet and college radio stations will be abuzz.

- Royce Epstein