Music : Scouting For Girls 'Scouting For Girls'

Album Info :

Album: Scouting For Girls
Artist(Band): Scouting For Girls
Released: 17 October 2007

Album Review :

by Gemma Padley

If there is a band or artist for every occasion, Scouting for Girls (SFG) are the saccharine-fuelled teeny-bopper’s choice. Formed in 2005, the guitarless London trio make sun-kissed Sunday afternoon strolling music. While not exactly groundbreaking, their self-titled debut album tumbles and skips along happily enough; inoffensive, if not exactly life-affirming.

For happy-go-lucky couples it’s the perfect ‘relationship’ soundtrack; there are plenty of tracks here that would make ideal ‘our song’ choices. Take ‘The Airplane Song’; with its oh-so philosophical leanings and references to the airport – that eternal symbol of loss, love and patched-up break ups – it’s a definite ‘here’s a compilation I made to celebrate our love’ song.

There’s a lot here too for emotionally-fraught teenage girls. On "It’s Not About You" frontman Roy Stride sings: ‘Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad’ as he weighs up the deeper things in life with all the conviction of a wet tea towel. Beach Boys pastiche vocals creep in as heartbeat-skipping power chords loop round and round. It’s cringe-worthy to all but lovers of the most sugary pop.

SFG steer clear of any real heartbreak; references to anything remotely resembling pain are coated with bright pick-yourself-up melodies and upbeat riffs. "I’m Not Over You" is a classic example; the lines ‘She said it was over...I’m not over you and I know that I never will’ cue a bouncy piano-laden chorus to make it all better.

For the under-tens, "She’s So Lovely" has a nice, sweet melody and not a hint of anything lyrically controversial, perfect at a kids’ birthday parties where jumping up and down constitutes dancing.

This is music for an all-inclusive club. It’s no coincidence the band’s fanclub is called The Wolfclub (members are known as ‘wolfcubs’ and there’s even a secret code). Stride’s vocal is a combination of Joel Pott from Athlete and, as has been noted several times, Eels frontman Mr E (who, it must be said, did the whole emotional thing rather more convincingly.

But perhaps a little slack needs to be cut. While SFG’s life musings are not the stuff of music epics, their pop market appeal should not be so hastily dismissed; "Elvis Isn’t Dead", for one is a damn fine pop song. The album is not aimed at music connoisseurs but lovelorn adolescents. As far as shimmery, gleaming up-tempo ballads go, Scouting for Girls have the upper hand.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. If you choose to use this review on your site please link back to this page.
Taken From : http://www.bbc.co.uk



Track Listing

1. Keep On Walking
2. She's So Lovely
3. It's Not About You
4. The Airplane Song
5. Heartbeat
6. Elvis Ain't Dead
7. I'm Not Over You
8. I Need A Holiday
9. The Mountains Of Navaho
10. James Bond

Scouting For Girls - Heartbeat (Making Of Video)




Scouting For Girls 'Heartbeat' lyrics

Am I alone in your heart?
Have I hope with your heart?
She’s such a teaser, she’s such a star.
Give me a reason or gimme a chance.
Am I alone in your heart, or am I alone…?
It tears me apart.
Am I alone?
Doing all I can do, just to be close to you.
Every time that we meet, I skip a heartbeat.
Always up for a laugh, she’s a pain in the arse.
Every time that we meet, I skip a heartbeat.
Give me an evening, or give me a night.
I’ll show you the time, of your life.
I’ll walk you home safe, from the dark.
I’ll give you my jacket, I’ll give you my heart.
But she won’t come dancing tonight, She’s having the time of her life.
Am I alone?
Doing all I can do, just to be close to you.
Every time that we meet, I skip a heartbeat.
Always up for a laugh, she’s a pain in the arse.
Every time that we meet, I skip a heartbeat.
I do love, she does heartbreak.
I did love, till she broke my heart.
I do love, she does heartbreak.
I did love, till she broke my heart.
I do love, she does heartbreak.
I did love, till she broke my heart.
I do love, she does heartbreak.
I did love, till she broke my heart.
Doing all I can do, just to be close to you.
Every time that we meet, I skip a heartbeat.
Always up for a laugh, she’s a pain in the arse.
Every time that we meet, I skip a heartbeat.
I skip a heartbeat for you.
Doing all I can do, just to be close to you.
Every time that we meet, I skip a heartbeat.
Always up for a laugh, she’s a pain in the arse.
Every time that we meet, I skip a heartbeat.
I skip a heartbeat for you