View Larger
Rate it!
Avg: 3.5 (10 ratings)
- Date Released: May 27, 2008
- Genre: Alternative/Punk
- Style: Brit Pop, Indie Rock
- Label: Slumberland / IODA
The spirit of '86 lives on…
-
We Say...
What with Cause Co-Motion, Vivian Girls and Crystal Stilts, it's C86 all over again here in the late '00s. And what a wonderful thing that is! But where those acts tend more towards the shambling and noisy, Leeds-based Lodger reveal themselves to be restrained pop purists. Anglo-funk burner "The Good Old Days" needs to find its way onto a cool car commercial right now, it so winningly mixes downer words with beautiful, bubbly sounds. That's pretty much the perfect recipe for indie-pop, isn't it? On darn near every song, the Lodger recall Orange Juice, Housemartins, Aztec Camera, Talulah Gosh and the Wedding Present at their best. But far from being some retro exercise, this is a record that's lively and alive.
-
They Say...
The Lodger's debut album, Grown-Ups, was a fine slice of indie pop that called to mind stellar groups like Orange Juice, the Wedding Present, and Heavenly, while making a case that they might someday be mentioned in that same class. Life Is Sweet is a step forward in both sound and song, and goes a long way toward making this thought a reality. The newly configured trio is driven as before by Ben Siddall's ace songwriting and intimate vocal style, but on Life Is Sweet, the songwriting has gotten a bit sharper, trading some of the wordiness that often derailed Grown-Ups for a more refined approach. Nowhere is this better illustrated than on the punchy and lyrically austere track "The Good Old Days." It's the kind of song that could overshadow the rest of the album, taking post-Postcard Orange Juice as inspiration, it sounds like a jumped up version of "I Can't Help Myself" with some thrilling falsetto and a huge hook. Luckily, the rest of the record is strong enough to withstand the threat of being swamped by the presence of such a monster song, and there are a few (the opening "My Finest Hour," the rocked-out "The Conversation," the brief but ultra-catchy "A Year Since Last Summer," and the country rocking of "Nothing (Left to Say)") that come close to the same rarefied air as "The Good Old Days" occupies. It helps too that the songs are played by a trio that is tighter than a baby tee, sounding at times like the Jam in the taut and ferocious attack. Unlike most indie pop bands, they choose to keep the sound pretty insular; apart from a slash of pedal steel here and a violin there, the sound is guitars, drums, and keys, and this focus creates a unified mood from song to song. Often a recipe for blandness, here the band's energy and craft keep things interesting and lively. With only a couple minor stumbles (like the overly wordy "Honey"), the solid and often thrilling Life Is Sweet is a confirmation of the promise made by Grown-Ups that firmly plants the Lodger at the head of the class of indie pop in the late 2000s.
“ The indie iTunes — Hardcore music fans are migrating to eMusic, the iTunes Music Store's cheaper, cooler cousin.”
Rolling Stone
eMusic Tip
Paid downloads are counted towards an album discount but free downloads are not.
COMPLETE FOR FREE!
You can download the rest of the tracks from this album for free! Just click the Complete Album button.
We’re sorry this album can only be downloaded using paid subscription download credits.
We recommend you Save it for Later by clicking the Save for Later button shown just above this message. For a list of related albums you can download right now, check out these recommendations.
| 01. |  |
My Finest Hour |
2:50 |
|
| 02. | |
The Good Old Days |
3:21 |
|
| 03. | |
Falling Down |
3:34 |
|
| 04. | |
Honey |
2:23 |
|
| 05. | |
The Conversation |
3:49 |
|
| 06. | |
A Hero's Welcome |
3:04 |
|
| 07. | |
A Year Since Last Summer |
1:56 |
|
| 08. | |
An Unwelcome Guest |
2:40 |
|
| 09. | |
Running Low |
3:46 |
|
| 10. | |
Nothing Left (To Say) |
3:00 |
|
| 11. | |
Famous Last Words |
5:12 |
|
11 Total Tracks, 35:35 Total Length
Loading...
Playlists If you like The Lodger, check out these member playlists
Explore music recommended by The Lodger fans
Credits
- John Morelli - Cover Design // Alan Smyth - Producer // Alan Smyth - Engineer // Sarah Williams - Vocals // Ben Siddall - Guitar // Ben Siddall - Keyboards // Ben Siddall - Vocals // Ben Siddall - Group Member // Bruce Renshaw - Percussion // Bruce Renshaw - Drums // Bruce Renshaw - Vocals // Bruce Renshaw - Group Member // Joe Margetts - Guitar (Bass) // Joe Margetts - Guitar (12 String) // Joe Margetts - Group Member
Choose from over 6 million
music downloadseMusic features legendary and emerging artists in every genre: classic rock to classical,indie to international, soundtracks to spiritual, jazz to country and many more.
MP3 downloads work on any digital media player
With eMusic, you OWN your music without any restrictions. Burn music to a CD, play it on your computer, mobile phone or any digital media player - including iPod®, Zune® and Walkman®.
Songs available for 50¢ or less
eMusic subscriptions start at just $11.99 a month for 24 downloads - that's just 50¢ per song! And it gets better from there - our plans go as low as 42¢ per song!
Music Discovery
eMusic is about discovery. We make finding new music fun again with music recommendations from our award-winning team of music experts, member playlists and new music features.
Cancel anytime
With all the great music and site features we're pretty sure you will love eMusic. If not, no problem. You can cancel at any time and keep the music you have downloaded.
© 1992 - 2009 All Media Guide, LLC