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Archives for February 2008

Scouting For Girls – Scouting For Girls

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Scouting For Girls are a Pop Rock band from London. They are currently signed to Epic Records, and with lyrics exploring subjects such as wishing to be James Bond for the day and lusting after Michaela Strachan when they were the age of twelve; it is clear that Scouting For Girls do not take themselves too seriously. They formed in 2005, released this self-titled album in September 2007, and already they have shifted over 300 000 copies of it. This is a really great achievement for a band few had heard of little over six months ago. They truly have come a long way as a band in a very short space of time.

The sound of Scouting For Girls is one that you will either love or hate; I feel that there is generally no middle ground with this sort of music as you will either take on board and be amused by the cheesy lyrics, or this will be a factor that will make you despise and detest the band. I personally don’t mind the lyrical content of the band at all, it actually adds to the charm and enjoyment that can be gained from listening to Scouting For Girls I feel. One complaint I do have with the lyrics however is just how repetitive they can be; it’s one thing the lyrics not being particularly intelligent, but when repeated over and over again they can certainly become a little irritating. I’ve noticed that repetition is something that Scouting For Girls seem to be huge fans of, and whilst repeated emphasis of words will certainly make you remember their music; it can sometimes be for all the wrong reasons.

The album consists of a mere ten tracks, plus one extra tagged on as a ‘Bonus Track’ at the end of ‘James Bond’. The album clocks in at a total of just under forty Minutes including the ‘Bonus Track’, and despite my grievances with the repetitive nature of the lyrics, I am actually quite a fan of this self titled début release from Scouting For Girls. There are a number of tracks that stand out strongly to me, most notably ‘Heartbeat’ and opening track ‘Keep On Walking’. That said, it is actually exceptionally hard to have favourite tracks when it comes to this album as pretty much all the songs sound the same and therefore if you like one you’ll probably like them all, and in the same sense; if you’ve heard any track by the band and not been a fan then chances are that you will not find this début album from them to be too impressive.

‘Heartbeat’ is one that captured my attention when listening to this album due to the exceptional nature of its chorus. The majority of the bands choruses on this album are very much the same and follow the same general patter, however there is something that stands out about this one as being just a little bit different and it is therefore a definite favourite of mine from this album and a clear highlight. ‘Heartbeat’ is a track that you can go back and listen to time and time again without ever tiring of I feel. It really is an infectious little number and once I start listening to it I find it hard to stop. ‘Keep On Walking’ again stands out to me as a result of its fantastic chorus, a track which works exceptionally well at the beginning of the album and sets up the mood fantastically. There is nothing particularly ground breaking about it, it just really appeals to me as it is so incredibly catchy, something that can actually be said about the Scouting For Girls album as a whole in fact.

When listening to this album you tend to get the impression that something is missing from the sound of the band. When you listen carefully, you soon discover that the band are devoid of a guitarist; the three instruments that the band possess are keyboard, bass, and drums. It is strange that the music works so well given the absence of a guitar to drive their sound forward, however I feel that the main reason the music does work is because of the great nature of the bands choruses. It is here that Scouting For Girls thrive, and not a single one of the tracks on this album disappoint in the chorus department. Always incredibly catchy, never short of enthralling; Scouting For Girls make the most of what they have and pull through with an incredibly well rounded sound which never fails to impress.

Although the band have only released one album so far, they are already causing a massive stir and are loved by people all around the country. Whilst the band have plenty of fans though, there are also a lot of haters out there as well. I explained earlier that Scouting For Girls are either a band that you will love or you will hate, so therefore it is really no surprise about the divide of opinion that the band cause. I do appreciate that Scouting For Girls début album will not be for all, but if you’ve not come across the band before then I would suggest that you give one of their tracks a try. If you like what you hear then go ahead and purchase their self titled début album as you can expect to hear plenty more the same. Scouting For Girls are not the most original of bands and they are certainly not the most intelligent, however the music that they are making is good fun to listen to and their album is therefore one that I would recommend. Listen to this album with an open mind, but don’t expect to find too much variation or lyrical intelligence or else you’ll be thoroughly disappointed.

Label: 14th Floor
Release Date: 17th September 2007

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The Enemy – We’ll Live and Die in These Towns

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The Enemy are an Indie Rock band from Coventry and can be seen to have had it very, very easy. They formed in 2006, and after playing a mere 10 gigs the band sought the help of ‘Grand Union Management’, the people that had helped Boy Kill Boy to success the previous year. They were soon the opening act at Coventry’s Godiva Festival, and shortly after this they became the first signing on Stiff Records for twenty years, a subsidiary label of Warner Records. This album was released through Warner in July 2007, and hit Number 1 in the album charts; a great achievement for the band. They are loved by the NME, hated by XFM’s breakfast show presenter Alex Zane due to altercations during a television interview, and although I personally do not like how they shot to success so quickly, I must concede that I really do quite enjoy some of their music.

Over rated; probably, but a decent band nonetheless, The Enemy’s 2007 début album ‘We’ll Live and Die in These Towns’ is one that is well worth listening to. Of the eleven tracks present on the album, six have already been released in some shape or form already, and with a seventh due out in March; it would seem that The Enemy may well be on a mission to release every track from their début. Would sure be an interesting one if they did, and I personally would love to see them do it. That said, a couple of the tracks they have not already released aren’t exactly the best of tracks so I doubt that they’d do too well if they were released upon the world as singles.

‘We’ll Live and Die in These Towns’ begins quite weakly with the track ‘Aggro’, one of which I am really not at all a fan of. I just feel that the track never really gets going and is therefore not very interesting at all to listen to. I never like to hear a weak opening to an album, it generally means that the album ahead is going to be rather disappointing, however this is not so with The Enemy. Despite the dodgy opening they then go on to produce quite an impressive display in the rest of the album. They don’t wait long to prove their worth as the second track on the album is actually ‘Away From Here’ which is probably my favourite from this release. It’s such a fantastic track and right from the very first time I ever heard it I was a huge fan. The track just captures my imagination entirely and has me hooked from beginning to end as the band blast their way through this superbly catchy ultimate Indie anthem.

‘You’re Not Alone’ is another highlight from the album for me. Although it only reached Number 18 in the charts, I feel that it definitely should have been at least a Top 10. It is a hugely powerful track, one where the vocals really shine through and the driving guitars really make the track stand out to me. The lyrics aren’t exactly ground breaking, however they work and somehow possess a great power about them which makes them sound more important than they perhaps are. It is warming and reassuring to hear the band belting out the lyrics of ‘You’re Not Alone You Know’ in a vocal tone so deep that it will rock the very foundations of your existence. The Enemy have a great talent for producing intensely powerful music and ‘You’re Not Alone’ is no exception to this rule.

When a band have released six singles from an album and are soon to push that number up to seven; you’d imagine that with only four remaining tracks to pick from there would be little or nothing of interest remaining. In thinking this however, you’d be completely wrong as ‘Technodanceaphobic’ for a start is absolutely excellent. It is not a conventionally appealing track; it has quite a slow pace and a rather repetitive musical back beat, however it works and actually sounds absolutely excellent. This is a track that I’ve played many times over the months and is one that I would wholeheartedly recommend to all. Given that it has not been chosen as a single, maybe I am out on my own in my love for this one, however even still, I somehow doubt it and perhaps the excellence of this one has been carelessly overlooked.

One thing that does strike me when listening to this album is that the last two tracks are really quite disappointing. The album begins badly with ‘Aggro’ and the closing tracks ‘This Song’ and ‘Happy Birthday Jane’ are equally irritating to listen to. They just don’t appeal in quite such a way as the rest of the album, and these three tracks alone I feel detract from the overall quality of the ‘We’ll Live and Die in These Towns’ album as a whole. Bad openings and closings are something that I hate to hear when listening to an album, and this one possesses both which really is a great shame. The Enemy are a decent band and had they hidden these three tracks in the middle rather than putting them at the beginning and end of the album then I probably wouldn’t have minded so much, but for me these are very important points and can make or break an album for me. Whilst I’d find it very hard to dislike a decent album purely on the basis of a bad opener or closer, I do find it greatly irritating to hear and am disappointed with The Enemy for their decision to use these tracks in the places that they have.

The Enemy make terrific use of their instruments on this release and prove themselves to be really quite proficient performers at their trade. Their brand of Indie Rock is not always successful as at times it can sound a little dull in my opinion, but for the most part the band sound great in doing what they do and should definitely look to continue on with the same formula in the future. Front man and champion guitarist Tom Clarke is in possession of a fantastic voice and his vocals really shine through in this release. His guitar work is also greatly impressive, and with the ever powerful drums, and booming bass lines to back him up; the music of The Enemy is absolutely fantastic and for the most part listening to this album is therefore a joy.

Although this début album from The Enemy contains a few tracks that will probably not impress you as much as others, the album as a whole is really rather excellent and I feel that it is definitely worth checking out. Success came a little too easily for The Enemy as far as I’m concerned, however I shall not be holding that against them as I think that it is great when Rock bands do well for themselves. Whether a band has been together for 5 minutes or 5 years; cracking the mainstream is a great achievement that should not be belittled in any way, shape or form. If you’ve not yet listened to this début album offering from The Enemy then why not give it a go? There’s bound to be at least the odd track or two here that will put a smile on your face, and if you happen to be a fan of the Indie Rock genre then I’m sure that you will find great enjoyment in this release. There are a lot of bad Indie bands out there, but The Enemy are not one of them.

Label: Warner Music Group
Release Date: 9th July 2007

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The Wombats – A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation

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The Wombats are a three-piece band from Liverpool, an Indie band that have been together now since 2003. Having had three Top 40 singles from their début album, ‘A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation’ is an album which has brought great success to The Wombats and as far as I’m concerned this is nothing less than they deserve. Released in November 2007, their first album offering to date is thirteen tracks strong and consists of many fantastic tracks. Having been together for several years previous to recording this album has clearly benefited The Wombats greatly as they sound excellent in their ‘A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation’ album; a really tight unit performing perfectly together as a band.

After hearing their ‘Let’s Dance To Joy Division’ single on the radio, I just had to get my hands on this album from The Wombats and am very glad that I did. This track really impressed me, and from the first time I ever heard it I was singing along by the end and tapping my feet frantically to the beat. It really is an instantly infectious Indie track and still remains to be one of my favourites from this album. Their other single ‘Moving To New York’ is another definite stand out track for me, one which I have worn out with continuous play over the last couple of months. I just never tire of the track and always enjoy singing and dancing along as the band blast their way through this one. The lyrics always bring a smile to my face, the guitars sound great, and the vocals are absolutely excellent. Everything about the track pleases me and I feel that I would find it hard to ever become bored of listening to it.

With ‘Moving To New York’ coming near the beginning, and ‘Let’s Dance To Joy Division’ towards the middle, it should not be seen that these are the only stand out tracks from the album as this is really not the case. The album contains a great depth of quality, and many of the other tracks present on this album are hugely impressive. ‘Lost In The Post’ for example is an excellent track with a fantastic chorus also, I absolutely love the energetic ‘ Backfire at the Disco’, and ‘My First Wedding’ closes the album brilliantly. Basically, there is no track here that particularly disappoints and listening enjoyment can be gained from each and every one of the thirteen tracks here present. ‘Backfire at the Disco’ is a track which I feel captures the band at their very best, it is a fantastically catchy track and is perhaps even more so than either of the aforementioned tracks which have already been released as singles. If I were working for the record label I would definitely commission this one as the next to be lifted from the album as I feel that it is one which could perform extremely well as a single release and could even propel the band in to the Top 10 for the first time in their history.

‘A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation’ is the first album the band have ever released in the UK, however in 2006 they released an album in Japan only entitled ‘Girls, Boys and Marsupials’. It could therefore be seen perhaps then that this is the bands second album, however the fact that most of the tracks that were present on the Japan release are here also means that this is not really so. It would be foolish to argue that this is the bands second album when the track listing is largely the same, but what I will say is that ‘A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation’ is an album that you should really look to listen to. I am sure that there are many people out there that would be greatly impressed with the music that is on display on this album as there is never a dull moment with The Wombats and their tracks always possess plenty of life, character and charm. With such great energy and tremendously catchy tracks, The Wombats are a band that should go far and I for one can’t wait to hear more from them. This should be the start of a long and successful career for The Wombats; it’s taken them several years to hit the mainstream, but now that they’ve done so they should be here to stay.

Label: 14th Floor
Release Date: 5th November 2007

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Elliot Minor – Still Figuring Out

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Last time I reviewed Elliot Minor I referred to them as McFly’s ‘boring little brother’. For this; I apologise. Elliot Minor sound far more like Busted than McFly, but that’s beside the point and I like Busted anyway. What I’m trying to say here is that I’ve changed my mind about Elliot Minor, I’m still not a fan of the track ‘Jessica’, but their latest release ‘Still Figuring Out’ has actually really impressed me. I like the way the band combine almost classical elements with what I would describe to be Pop Punk, it works fantastically well and their sound comes across magnificently here I feel.

At three minutes in length, the track is just right and is a perfect example of how music of this sort should sound. Backed with some powerful rock guitars, the vocals of Elliot Minor come blasting through and truly do provide a treat of aural excellence. ‘Still Figuring Out’ is an incredibly catchy track, one that will no doubt get lodged in your mind for months to come. Everything about ‘Still Figuring Out’ just seems to work, all elements of the music fit together perfectly to provide for one of my favourite tracks in a long while. It is no wonder that this track launched straight to Number 17 in the charts, it really is quite extraordinarily catchy and is a fantastic track to listen to.

With the sound that the band are creating, I feel that they will never be too popular in the Rock world, however having said that I would love for the band to prove me wrong. I recently read in an interview that Elliot Minor wish to be perceived as a Rock band and not as a Pop band, dismissing any claims that they are in any way ‘manufactured’. Obviously they do have strong elements of Rock in their sound I feel, however the production of the music is perhaps a little too squeaky clean for the majority of Rock fans out there. I wish Elliot Minor well, and personally can’t wait to hear their album when it is released upon the world reportedly in May.

Label: Repossession Records
Release Date: 28th January 2008

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