Having released three 7”s on Dance to the Radio and Angular Recordings you might expect the Lodger to be a jerky, dancefloor-filling band. How wrong you would be. No, the Leeds trio are nothing like this - which could be a good thing if they weren’t so dull. Sophomore album ‘Life Is Sweet’ is a dire selection of sub-Britpop "songs", which really couldn’t be more boring if they tried. Hell, listening to Klaxons talk about how many drugs they’ve taken would be more interesting than this.
‘A Year Since Last Summer’ is the closest to enjoyable as this record gets, whilst ‘The Good Old Days’ comes a narrow second with it’s questioning lyrics and cheerful guitars. ‘Honey’ is one to avoid, coming on like a Rifles d-side, whereas ‘An Unwelcome Guest’ makes Keane seem like a good idea. ‘Running Low’ tries to sound mature and knowledgeable about the world and all that, but ends up seeming more like bad sixth form poetry.
All in all, ‘Life Is Sweet’ is an excruciatingly dreary listen; like the aural equivalent of watching paint dry. Perhaps in a few years time they’ll be as much fun as decorating (so, y’know, mildly enjoyable and only really on bank holidays) but for now they should go back to the bedsit where they were formed.
Standout Track, at a push: A Year Since Last Summer
Rhian Daly
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