The trouble with iTunes…
Before I launch into my iTunes woes, can I first let out a not so small “YAAAAAAASSSSSS”! It’s been a long two year wait but Scouting For Girls dropped their new album today and I am beyond happy!
Now if you’re a music geek like me you will more than likely have had the album on pre-order many weeks in advance and your alarm set for midnight on release day.
The Trouble with Boys dropped at 11am my time (I am currently in Auckland) and so it had already been a long wait. I impatiently refreshed my iTunes app for twenty minutes. Let me remind you (in case you’d forgotten), it has been TWO YEARS since the guys released an album and my patience was not at its highest.
We live in a digital age where instant gratification is what we are accustomed to and so I hopped over to Spotify where I managed to listen to two new songs before adverts and random songs took over. It wasn’t until I got home around 3pm that I was able to investigate why I still had no album.
Travelling is not compatible with music geeks!
Having pre-ordered the album in Australia I was unable to download it because I was now in New Zealand. “No sweat, I’ll change my country region back to Australia.” Oh no you don’t! I no longer had an Australian address or accepted payment method for that region.
It was now coming up to 4pm – FIVE HOURS after release and I was getting angry. Cue Joshua from Apple Support, who is probably chuckling to his colleagues about the “crazy fangirl” who had him online for over an hour and half just so she could get a music album! But just to be absolutely clear, you do remember it’s been TWO YEARS since Scouting For Girls released an album?!
FINALLY, six hours after release, I got to listen to it and here’s what I thought:
Track by Track
1. Dancing with You
The opening track is what I love to call ‘typical’ Scouting For Girls. Infectious tune, catchy lyrics and some cheeky voice overs from our famous “Elvis has left the building” Greg Churchouse!
I am all about the lyrics in songs and this one feels like a love song (except I can’t decide if it actually is) The poor guy obviously hasn’t got the girl judging by the melancholy tone of the verses but this is in juxtaposition to the chorus. The vocalisation of “I think I love her” leads us into a positively upbeat sound of which I envision lead singer Roy Stride skipping along pavements. The chorus has that head bopping (love makes us do crazy things) kinda vibe.
And lastly, can we just discuss those crazy high vocals from RS at the end?! Where has this come from? Kudos – Seriously impressed!
2. Grown Up
I have been obsessed with this song since it was released a few weeks ago. In fact, it’s my go to running song when I am on the treadmill.
The lyrics are ones that I think many of us can relate to. Did we blink and suddenly become so much older than we feel? I certainly have days where “I don’t wanna be a grown up”!
This is one song I really can’t wait to hear live because I can see it in in my head already. I see the masses clapping and dancing with sheer abandonment. Definitely a personal favourite!
3. Count on Me
No Scouting For Girls album would be complete without an epic love ballad and RS certainly knows how to pull one of those out of the bag. He has written and delivered many of my most cherished love song/break-up favourites.
The thing I love about this song (aside from the devastatingly beautiful lyrics) is the emotion in its delivery. I can genuinely feel the love behind every word. I am not ashamed to say I cried when I heard this the first time. RS strikes again!
4. Sweet Love
We move on (still dabbing at leaking eyes) to a track that gives us ‘all the feels’ for every couple goal we could ever want in life. Who doesn’t want to hear the words “Batshit crazy for you” from somebody?
Now come on, fess up! How many of us are already planning to scream “WE LOVE YOU” when RS sings “Tell me you love me” and takes a breath?
5. The Trouble with Boys
Being part of a ‘fandom’ is a beautiful thing. “You’re not strangers if you like the same band”. Many a friendship of mine has been formed through shared musical tastes. One example of that is the friendship between me and my good friend Rachel. Together we have been faithfully following the lovely Scouting For Girls lads for many years. We have been lucky enough to have met them on “several occasions”, and it is because of those lucky moments I 100% feel I can say that this song IS Scouting For Girls.
You should see these guys drink! You should see the banter when they are together! In fact, listen to every single line of this song because they are literally letting you into their world!
This is one of those genuinely truthful songs about an incredibly down to earth group of lads who haven’t let “fame” go their heads. I personally believe that this is one of the reasons their fandom is so loyal.
So thank you for sharing this one guys. I literally “snorted” with laugher at “Your Mama”, because it is just so you! This is one for the “die hard” fans.
6. Waiting for the Weekend
I found this track to be a conundrum. I am struggling, even now, to put a review into words.
It feels as though I have had this song in my life for years. By tomorrow I will struggle to remember a time when this track wasn’t around.
They have managed to create a completely different sound to any previous song they have released but at the same time made it feel more Scouting For Girls than any previous song ever released. Told you – Conundrum!
This one is way up there in my favourites list!
7. Beautiful Day
One can’t help but feel RS is indulging us all with his personal happiness in life by giving us another track full of couple goals. “It’s just what I needed” we all sigh.
8. Double Act
Over the last two years it seems RS has transformed from loveable cockney rogue to distinguished English gentleman (it’s probably a result of being a “grown up” now and “growing up in the countryside”) His vocals sound mature and polished. In fact, the bands vocals as a group entity blend together seamlessly. They appear to have reached the dizzying heights of being a ‘man band’ now!
I love this track (not only because it sounds as if RS is reading us a bedtime story on CBeebies) but because it gives us a little bit of the old with the new. There is the slightest hint of cockney in the first verse “know what I mean” before RS succinctly introduces us to some pretty famous friendship duos. “Dick Dasterdly and his Mutt Muttly” is a particular favourite pronunciation of mine. Also… “Scratcheeeeeeeeeeee” – Kudos (again.)
RS is hands down the most lyrical genius I have ever had the pleasure of listening to and I can’t help but feel this song was a ‘hoot’ to record. How many times did he have to say “Ben and Jerry’s Cookie Dough Cream” I wonder? I belly laughed so hard listening to this song and I am truly sad that I will not be able to see my good friend Rachel’s reaction to it when she hears it for the first time.
9. Sunshine Laserbeams
This track conjures up images of The Beatles. It screams Sixties; peace and love. If this was to become a single the accompanying video needs to have star jumping in a field of sunflowers. Who didn’t love the Sixties?
10. This is a Love Song
“I think it’s one of my favourite tunes” because “it came from the heart”. Goodness me you’ve come a long way from “This Ain’t a Love Song” RS.
This one smashed my heart into a thousand fragments and that is why it is my new favourite love song… OF ALL TIME!
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