Armed with controversial music videos, an in-your-face attitude and hook-laden rock songs, Finnish band Lodger is aiming to go global. Named after a David Bowie album, the band was formed in 2002 by singer/songwriter Teemu Merilä and lyricist/bassist Hannes Häyhä, who completed the lineup with Jyri Riikonen on keyboards, Antti Laari on drums, and Panu Riikonen on guitar.
Through EMI Capitol, Lodger released Hi-Fi High Lights Down Low internationally last year (U.S. release date of March 13, 2007 through Ryko/Recall), and will release How Vulgar this summer in the U.S. Even though the band cites Bowie, Beck and Eels as their main influences, their raunchy, slightly synthesized rock noise makes them sound more like a hybrid of Nine Inch Nails and 70’s Southern Rock. Songs like “I Love Death” and “Doorsteps” contain the raw energy and heavy melodies similar to Queens of the Stone Age.
Lodger’s lyrics are highly pessimistic and dark, with themes of death and violence appearing frequently. “We are obsessed with sex and food and alcohol and men and women and cigarettes and money and crimes and happiness and unhappiness and spare parts, and all those little things that look real but are not” says Merilä. With its desire to reach more fans Lodger writes its songs in English. “I think that English is the language of rock music. Finnish is language for depressing tangos”, continues Merilä. Not that it affected them in Finland, where they are becoming increasingly popular, in great part due to their music videos.
Häyhä created the concept of One Eye -- a small black and white flash animation that became their music video protagonist and even earned the band awards for Best Finnish Video and Best Flash Animation at the BAF festival in the UK. “He’s just a poor unlucky accident of our ego kicking the shit out of our ID. But ID is coming back with vengeance,” says Häyhä jokingly.
Though they certainly look the part, the band is not relying on their tough boy image to strike it big in America. Their MySpace profile and website do not even contain photos of the band, and neither do their videos. “We think that music should come first. There are too many artists/bands that are more about their appearance than their music. We didn't decide that we are some kind of a mysterious band with hidden identities; it just happened that way,” says Merilä.
Lodger certainly has perfect timing--- right now Scandinavian indie acts are more popular than ever. Groups like Peter, Bjorn and John and The Knife have opened the doors to blog popularity and overall media exposure. Merilä concurs, “Maybe it is just a time for it. Like there was time for grunge and that came from one area as well”. Häyhä gives it a more cynical and humorous explanation: “We in Scandinavia are twenty years behind you in music business and I guess you just have a thing for 1987 right now”, he says. “I don't blame you, it was a good year”.
With a South by Southwest showcase and a few L.A. and NYC shows as part of the Music Export Finland tour, Lodger is performing for the first time in the U.S. If the buzz surrounding them is any indication, it will certainly not be their last. “We have two goals as a band. First goal is that we try to get our album to our local pub's jukebox and second is to appear in Late Night with Conan O'Brien”.
~ Diana Past
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http://www.lodger.tv
http://www.rykodisc.com
LODGER's HI-FI HIGH LIGHTS DOWN LOW album is out now on Rykodisc/Recall Records.
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