Reviewed by:
Bozjoarmstrong, on june 22, 2011
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Sound: A champion of mine recommended this album to me when I asked him for some good pop-rock I could hear to, you know, something in the same vein Bowling For Soup. I can frankly say I haven`t spoken to that friend for a month, and this only is the cause why.
I accept merely chosen to reexamine this as I was clearing out my music library and establish this, and out of curiosity wondered if anyone had beaten me to this review, and considering the amount of anger this album inspired when I first listened to it, I`m surprised to be the start here.
It`s somewhat incredible that this album has been labeled by a certain internet encyclopaedia with the lyric "rock" and "indie". This rocks about as often as wallpaper and scissors, and is about as independent as Bieber.
Frontman Roy Stride plods gormlessly along his keyboard to a low grade standard throughout this travesty whilst his nagging voice is complimented by simplistic support from drums, bass and (only just) guitar. This is not me bashing the ease of it all, I know a bit of simplicity, but ended and over again for 10 tracks? And this is the major flaw of the album; play "She`s So Lovely", "Heartbeat" and "Elvis Ain`t Dead" over one another and they will fit perfectly. It`s a question they get by with it, even the least musical pop-lover must mean something is up.
There is simply nothing to say near the sound. Nothing special. Nothing memorable. Nothing yet to equate it to. It somehow manages to be slow and annoyance at the same time, and for that remarkable achievement Scouting For Girls can make at least 1. //1
Lyrics and Singing: Ahhh. I thought I`d got by the worst part with the sound. But then there`s the lyrics. Roy Stride`s words have the hearer to a completely new form of hell; I`m not sure how he contrives to say every letter in the words "beautiful" and "extraordinary" but it`s truly painful to experience. And those two words are likely a load for Stride; most of the lyrics sound like they`ve been scripted in green crayon.
The worst effort here has to be "Elvis Ain`t Dead", a half-baked, 4-minute metaphor for denial. The construct is there, it`s not a specially strong one, but unlike most of the others, there is one. The job is in the execution. If you`re going to talk a song called "Elvis Ain`t Dead" or even "I Wish I Was James Bond" you must do so with your tongue firmly in your cheek. But no, these guys are serious. This is very intelligent, poetic, meaningful and indecipherable to them. Either that or Roy Stride is troll for 40 minutes.
So why, I see you cry, have you awarded the lyrics a two? Because two rhymes with poo, which not only describes what I`d sooner have forced down my ears, but is likewise a rhyme Scouting For Girls would presumably be proud of. //2
Impression: I`ve heard some very bad albums in my time. But those albums have been by bands who I know could do better. Scouting For Girls could not do better. You can tell, particularly through the lyrics, that these guys are really trying. Which is a shame. If this was done by a greater band, in a tongue-in-cheek, almost parodying manner, then maybe, just maybe this album would be forgiveable. But alas. The earth is stuck with Scouting For Girls, who I hear do possess a second album out. On this showing, it`s not so often a miracle as a catastrophe that they got the opportunity to do so; this sword of bullsh-t is surely unsustainable.
Something positive to say about it? The songs may get stuck in your head, an often desirable musical quality. The most suitable thing about Scouting For Girls` music is Alzheimers. //1
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