Title: Everybody Wants To Be On TV
Artist: Scouting For Girls
Genre: Pop
Release Date: 21st May 2010
Label: Columbia Records
Album Review
The British three-piece SCOUTING FOR GIRLS was founded in the year 2005 by long-time friends Roy Stride, Greg Churchouse and Peter Ellard. Already before even having really written something except a demo, the band was playing a few concerts and had built a large fan base. With 2007 came the fateful year of them getting signed to Epic Records! Very quickly they headed out to go about recording their debut, but their first release actually was an EP called ‘It’s Not About You, released in June of that year. The EP sold-out! The eponymous debut followed in September and even went to #1. In the following years, the band was touring extensively. In 2009 the band returned to the studio to start working on the follow-up, released in May 2010.
A jet speeding by makes the beginning of the opener ‘This Aint A Love Song’ which turns out being a wonderfully melancholic effort about the feelings when it’s time to say goodbye, but also with prospects of “…coming back to life” Unnerving vocoder vocals like of a CHER song we probably all know start ‘Little Miss Naughty', a woman that’s obviously meaning trouble. Stride’s vocals tell the tale amidst toe-tapping drum rhythms and overly prominent string arrangements. Being a nobody in school days can be a tough fate and it can change people; sometimes for the good and other times for the worse like it happened with the ‘Good Time Girl’ that went “…from trouble teen to beauty queen” and obviously manipulative queen. The song itself relies on upbeat drum sections and bouncing piano chords, making it an utmost dancing pleasure. ‘Famous’ is the secret title song of the album and initially sounds like background music to one of those boring commercials on TV. The song says what big part of the population wants “…to read their name in the papers; be a face on the screen.” I hope you don’t mind me asking why that is so desirable.
‘Take A Chance On Us’ wraps up the album with a handful of heartfelt, dramatic melodies played over restrained rhythms, wrapped around with acoustic embellishment. It’s a yearning end for an album that mostly doesn’t weight too heavy on the soul but is not completely shallow either. You should listen carefully as sometimes the real message is hidden between the lines. Thumbs up!
Tracklist
01. This Ain't A Love Song - 3:30
02. Little Miss Naughty - 3:12
03. Good Time Girl - 3:13
04. Famous - 2:35
05. Silly Song - 2:57
06. On The Radio - 3:27
07. Blue As Your Eyes' - 3:42
08. Posh Girls - 3:08
09. 1+1 - 2:47
10. Take A Chance On Us - 5:19
Line-Up
Roy Stride - Lead Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
Greg Churchouse - Bass, Backing Vocals
Pete Ellard - Drums, Percussion
Website
http://www.scoutingforgirls.co.uk/ / http://www.myspace.com/scoutingforgirls
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 7
Sound: 8
Extras: -
Total: 7.5 / 10
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