The Lodger – Flashbacks

It’s been a while since I’ve heard an ambitious shoegaze band (or any shoegaze band for that matter), so I was taken aback when I found myself listening to transcontinental three piece The Lodger’s recent full length, Flashbacks.  The album has all the washed out haze of classic 90’s shoegaze (or in some cases 60’s psych), but survives off of a plethora of instrumental flourishes.  Consequently, Flashbacks boasts a dynamic audio range both relaxing and stimulating.

The album starts off slow, but progressively builds itself into a lively affair.  “The Back Of My Mind” opens the track listing safely with the ring of warm, fuzzy guitars, and vocalist Ben lazily piping along to an echoic effect.  Had the entire album followed suit I doubt I would have made it through the entire disc, but as an opener it gets the job done.  Following this classic shoegaze soundscape comes the energetic “Have A Little Faith In People.”  In fact, thanks to an uppity tempo and fresh bursts from a tight brass section, “Brit-pop” might be a better-suited title for these moments.

Other instruments surface even in the later half.  “Stand Up!” integrates a jazzy saxophone and a full-bodied sound bringing to mind regional legacy act Madness’ recent revival.  Likewise, “Nothing’s Impossible” includes a palpitating organ and moveable, feel-good beat right before the album closer.

To shift focus over to the album title, as with all memories, “flashbacks” aren’t always celebratory.  They can also be memories about troubled times and past regrets – as is the case with the title track.  A sorrowful memory about a father’s warningless midnight departure from his wife and children, “Flashbacks” grapples with the challenges of understanding and living with traumatic events.  Long violin strokes and soft piano keys accentuate the distressing event, sucking listeners into the emotional response.

With Flashbacks, The Lodger has created a very full and subtly engaging take on 90’s shoegaze meets 60’s pop.  What starts off as business as usual eventually blossoms into something more.  While it’s true that a more defined production value might have helped hone Flashbacks’ hooks and melodies, the album’s hazy overlay should give it a broad appeal with fans of noise-pop, psych, and shoegaze – and their catchy, ever-evolving soundscape shouldn’t hurt either.