Let me tell you how excited I was about the news below, courtesy of the Slumberland news list. The Lodger on Slumberland. How utterly, utterly appropriate, since the Lodger have been one of my very favourite new UK groups of recent times. Go see my Last FM list and see how smitten I have been by their mighty ‘Let Her Go’. I think they have been my most played group at EGP! too. I span both sides of their recent download only single last time out, with ‘Kicking Sand’ getting two airings alone. I am so excited by the prospect of the album. It’s going to be a great summer. Go out and get ‘em boy!

Spring is springing out all over: the lilies are in bloom, baseball season is underway, and Slumberland has roused from a brief late-winter snooze to bring you more top sounds. First up, we're excited to finally christen the maiden voyage for our Slumberland Podcast. The first installment features Kid Frostbite playing some (mostly) recent pop, featuring tunes by Good Shoes, Bricolage, The Lodger and lots more. Future plans include guest curators and special editions focused on skinhead reggae, obscure C86-era pop, afro-beat and whatever other flavors capture our fancy. While you're over on the Extras page, be sure to check out the new Track of The Week, a fine slice of fuzz/melody overload from Perspex Whiteout.

A piece of news that we're especially jazzed to announce is the June 4th release of The Lodger's wonderful debut album Grown-Ups. Slumberland will be releasing Grown-Ups on CD here in the US and on vinyl LP worldwide. Those of you that follow the burgeoning UK pop singles scene will probably know The Lodger already; this Leeds trio's string of 7" gems over the last two years, culminating in 2006's classic "Let Her Go," has marked them as one of the brightest pop groups to arrive in quite a while. They remind us a bit of The Go-Betweens, The Boo Radleys, The Wedding Present, Blur, The June Brides and more -- and in our book that's pretty good company to keep. They have catchy tunes, gorgeous melodies, and play with infectious enthusiasm. We are really excited about Grown-Ups and hope you will be too; they're in our podcast, and be sure to check out The Lodger's MySpace page and website for tour dates, music, videos and more info.

Slumberland website: http://www.slumberlandrecords.com
Slumberland Podcast: http://www.slumberlandrecords.com/extras/podcast
Slumberland Track of The Week: http://www.slumberlandrecords.com/extras/trackoftheweek
The Lodger MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/thelodgerleeds
The Lodger website: http://www.thelodger.net
The Lodger YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=thelodgerleeds