The Lodger - Grown-Ups

The pen is mightier than the sword, so they say, and on similar lines it would seem that unassuming pop is more than capable of giving your hook laden, larger than life supergroups a bloody nose now and again. Small is more than capable of being perfectly formed.

Those in the know have been anticipating a definitive long player from The Lodger for what seems like ages. Masters of the bedsit anthem, there’s already been a string of peerless 7’ to devour, but when put together things really start to click.

‘Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion’ is nothing if not a trademark opening shot, full of poppy stomp mixed with wry wit, but it’s the James Ford-produced ‘Getting Special’ that proves that ‘Grown Ups’ is an album that’s, well, grown up. Spaced out claustrophobia may seem a contradiction in terms, but when mixed with a touch of Seventies disco (yes, disco) the results are somewhere between Pulp and Belle and Sebastian, yet fiercely original.

Elsewhere there’s the bittersweet ‘You Got Me Wrong’ (now with added handclaps), tempo-hopping The Story’s Over’ and the ramshackle brilliance of ‘Let’s Make A Pact’. All showcase brilliantly both the near-cynical realism and hopeless naivety at the heart of The Lodger; a combination that turns a collection of good songs into a great band.

Full of glittering gems, ‘Grown Ups’ is proof that the best things come in small packages. You won’t hear a better album this year, we promise you that.