the lodger

You know how sometimes when you listen to a band or a record for the first time without any preconceived expectations whatsoever, you can have the most rewarding listening experience ever? Like when you listen to a mix CD and are completely blown away by a particular track? Well, dear friends, this happened to me yesterday morning as I was driving to work, when I slipped "Grown-Ups" by Leeds band The Lodger into little Coldplay's* CD player.

To backtrack: I had briefly read about The Lodger on Skatterbrain and seen their name mentioned here and there, but I hadn't done any further investigations. Then, last week, a parcel arrived from the lovely Andrew of Pants Yell!, containing a copy of "Grown Ups". So I slip it in on my drive to work and what do I find? Proper British Indie that sounds like it's been equally influenced by Bernard Sumner's vocals, Morrissey and Marr's melodies and pop hooks, Lawrence's startling intelligence, and a long, illustrious line of classic British pop history. In short, I love it. It's fun and cheeky and serious at the same time, and it makes me want to dance around, just as all good UK indie should. Go listen to "Getting Special" on their Myspace page and try to tell me that it doesn't want to make you dance.

And now I've listened to "Grown-Ups" a few times, I'm besotted. Look how cute they all are! Cups of tea with scrabble, those dapper jumpers and smart haircuts - they look like pretty damn fine boys to me. I bet they all have girlfriends - they always do. You know, Belle & Sebastian were right when they said, "the best looking boys are taken".

There's a new album coming out on the wonderful Slumberland Records in May - I am really looking forward to it! If I'd have heard The Lodger last year, they would have been one of my favourite bands of last year. They'll certainly be up there on my 2008 list!

(* To clarify, Coldplay is the name of my lovely little yellow car!)