Scouting For Girls - These Are The Good Days

Scouting For Girls - These Are The Good Days

These Are The Good Days; Get What You Give; Waiting For Your Love; Stars Never Fade; Don’t Go Solo; As Bad As You Are Beautiful; Love Gone Bad; Counting Down The Days; Still Feel The Love; Alright In The End.
Label: Absolute

Nearly twenty years into their career, Scouting For Girls release their new album of piano-led pop songs. The formula has not changed since the three-piece made their debut; with the huge success the band have attained, the recipe for that success seems hard to change.

That familiarity might become tiresome for anyone outside their fanbase; most of the ten tracks here sound very familiar – with one exception: Don’t Go Solo. The track was released earlier this year but gained little success or little in the way of radio play.

Arguably the song is the best one on the album – a breezy, uplifting number that is as welcome as a cool, refreshing breeze on a hot summer day.

Elsewhere the title track sees Ray Stride singing a lyric about observing that he and their fans are now living their best days, which will be looked back upon with fondness; it all may sound a little basic, almost trite, though it shouldn't, as the sentiment will rest easily with their fanbase. The reason why Scouting For Girls are so triumphant is because their lyrics and music are so relatable – demonstrated here to full effect.

Love Gone Bad builds and bursts into life and adds some soul into what has now been a very melancholy set of songs, saved again with the set-closing number Alright In The End, which is an apt way to end what is probably not their best work.

Credit to them for releasing a new album when they could have easily continued touring – the band are a regular fixture on the touring circuit. These certainly are the good days, though this new album might not necessarily be good all the way through.