The Lodger
Pop
Leeds, United Kingdom
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About
The Lodger was born in Ben Siddal's Leeds bedsit flat in 2004. Encouraged by local label Dance To The Radio, Ben recruited friends for bass and drum duties, tuned-up with live shows around town and debuted in early 2005 with a track on a Dance To The Radio compilation. The band quickly followed-up with their excellent debut single "Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion," the "Watching" 7" on Double Dragon, and a track for the hotly-tipped Wrath label's split 7" series.
2006 was when the band got their act together -- a permanent line-up of Ben, Joe and Katie was established and the band went out on the road in the UK with kindred Yorkshire spirits The Research in February. London indie label Angular Records released the band's ace third single "Let Her Go" shortly afterwards. This single won the BBC 6music's Rebel Playlist and started to pick up airplay worldwide. In the summer the band decamped to Alan Smyth's tiny little Sheffield recording studio to record songs for their debut album. Thirteen tracks were recorded in a week in September -- with the addition of "Getting Special" the result was the group's debut album Grown-Ups.
Grown-Ups turned a lot of heads when released in June 2007. Garnering comparisons to heavyweights like The Housemartins, The Smiths and The Wedding Present, it displayed a band steeped in pop history, especially the classicist guitar pop so beloved of English bands. Band leader Ben Siddall's songs are elegant gems of melodic construction; catchy, sure, but also full of clever turns of phrase and rhythmic hooks that add depth and elevate them into the realm of the truly special. Tunes like "Let Her Go" and "Simply Left Behind" are destined to enter the canon of classic 3 minute pop right alongside The Lodger's heroes.
Spending the second half of 2007 touring the UK, Europe and the US gave the band ample opportunity to write and hone their next set of tunes, and eager to get them down on wax they again joined Alan Smyth in Sheffield in December 2007. The results can be heard on Life Is Sweet, the band's excellent sophomore album. As great as Grown-Ups is, Life Is Sweet ups the ante even further. Led by the effervescent Sound of Young Scotland beat-pop of single "The Good Old Days", Life Is Sweet is filled with gorgeous melodies and some of the catchiest tunes you'll ever have stuck in your ear.
The rest of 2008 looks to be mighty exciting for The Lodger, with a full touring schedule taking in Europe, Japan, Scandinavia and the US; expect to hear an awful lot about Life Is Sweet and The Lodger this summer.
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Balm, Dec 23, 2008:
I have expanded the Virb songs to ten instrumentals, four of which we played that night. at the House of Blues with Bruce, I believe that you all will really enjoy them!
ps
If you would please mail me and tell me your favorites, I am working on cutting some wax and I am finding it hard to choose since my soul went into them all. Thanks
Stephanos Anton Ballmerfeld
(Steve Ballmer)
Balm, Oct 23, 2008:
Ranger Stobi, Oct 19, 2008:
Hey! i like it, i like it!
Balm, Sep 7, 2008:
As many of you already know, on October 19, Balm will open up for "the Boss" at the House of Blues in Chicago! (7:30 PM)
Reaction has been quite enthusiastic to say the least. However the House of Blues is a rather small venue and I want my special friends in the area to be there. So here is the deal: I have reserved 50 free tickets for Zunist! That's right!
All you have to do is to show up with your Zune, show it to the bouncers and say, "I'm a friend of Steve's!" They will usher you to several mid-section tables, all expenses paid (peanuts, chips, sodas, fajitas ... all pre-paid). Be sure to show early on the day of the show, because when the 50 are gone that's it!
Bruce said, "please open up with So Far Away From Home!"
We are gonna' rock the house baby!
Balm, Aug 30, 2008:
Thanks for being a friend, i appreciate it.
Use Vista, ... please!
Braiden Harvey, Aug 30, 2008:
Braiden Harvey says Nice Video UMA
Dektro, Aug 21, 2008:
That's some good pop music!
Keep it up.