Leeds, UK-based band The Lodger will be launching its first string of US dates on the east coast later this month on the heels of the release of its debut stateside album Grown-Ups and the hit blog-o-sphere tune (and genuine UK smash) “Kicking Sand” (MP3). See below for the complete tour itinerary.

“Leeds trio The Lodger sound unapologetically influenced by several generations of their indie countrymen: flashes of Orange Juice, The Wedding Present, Heavenly, and others permeate their debut album Grown-Ups. But they’re more than just C-86-addicted anoraks attempting to replicate the cooler parts of their record collections. Opening track ‘Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion,’ with its scratchily energetic guitar parts and snarky lyrics, clearly owes a bit to the David Gedge songbook, and the winsome bubblegum melody and lovelorn lyrics of ‘The Story’s Over’ are tailor-made for a cover by Amelia Fletcher’s next band. But the young trio perform their brand of earnest semi-twee indie pop with such scrappy enthusiasm and emotional directness that accusations of near-plagiarism simply don’t wash. Listening to a small, unfussy gem like ‘Unsatisfied,’ which sounds like what Coldplay might have been if stripped of every last bit of Chris Martin’s inherent self-importance, it’s clear that The Lodger’s prime mover, singer/songwriter Ben Siddall, garners comparisons to Gedge and Fletcher mostly because Grown-Ups suggests that he just might be nearly as good as them.’ – All Music Guide

On the heels of the successes of bands like The Kaiser Chiefs and The Arctic Monkeys, the north of England is fairly bursting with exciting guitar pop bands, and The Lodger is amongst the brightest hopes. Taking its cues from fellow northerners The Smiths and The Wedding Present, The Lodger’s music is classic melodic pop, fueled by sparkling hooks and plangent lyrics. The tunes are sharp and timeless, a thoroughly modern distillation of great Britpop from the 60s right up to today. Grown-Ups is a perfect introduction to the thrilling pop charms of The Lodger.

The Lodger was born in Ben Siddall’s Leeds flat in 2004. Encouraged by local label Dance To The Radio, Siddall 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 its excellent debut single “Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion,” the “Watching” 7-inch on Double Dragon, and a track for the Wrath label’s split 7-inch series.

Soon after, the UK press was raving, with the NME repeatedly mentioning The Lodger and featuring “Many Thanks for Your Honest Opinion” in the influential “What’s on the NME Stereo?” column. London-based indie label Angular Records picked up The Lodger’s third single “Let Her Go” and in late 2006, the band entered a small Sheffield recording studio to being work on its debut album. The result is Grown-Ups.

Oakland, California-based label Slumberland Records has always had an ear for the next big thing, and is best known for releasing records by Velocity Girl, The Aislers Set, Hood, Rocketship, and The Softies. Label head Mike Schulman has been fairly quiet over the past several years, waiting for the next Slumberland worthy act to strike his fancy. The band that did just that was The Lodger, a band that Schulman feels has made a timeless pop record in Grown-Ups.

The Lodger Live:

10/24 Somerville, MA PA’s Lounge
10/25 Brooklyn, NY Sound Fix
10/26 New York, NY Cake Shop
10/27 Philadelphia, PA Khyber
10/28 Washington DC Velvet Lounge
10/29 Brooklyn, NY Union Hall
11/01 Richmond, VA The Camel
11/02 Durham, NC Duke Coffeehouse
11/03 Athens, GA Flicker Theater

Grown-Ups Tracklisting:

Stream The Album HERE

01. Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion (MP3)
02. Kicking Sand (MP3) |
03. Getting Special
04. You Got Me Wrong
05. A Free Period
06. Simply Left Behind
07. My Advice Is On Loan
08. Let Her Go
09. Watching
10. Unsatisfied
11. The Story’s Over
12. Not So Fast
13. Bye Bye
14. Let’s Make A Pact