London's
Scouting for Girls have built a loyal following on the basis of their earnest, soundtrack-ready pop, combining folky singer/songwriter stylings with an almost unfailing ear for mainstream hooks. It's a sound that has garnered them tremendous success with several Top Ten albums. The group's fourth full-length album, 2015's
Still Thinking About You, is a tastefully produced affair, chock-full of catchy, hummable choruses. Produced by
Scouting for Girls guitarist/pianist/lead singer Roy Stride, the album also features production contributions from Jon Maguire (
Lilygreen & Maguire,
Union J) and
Andy Green (
Keane,
KT Tunstall). Together, they've come up with a warm, organic production sound well-suited to Stride's throaty croon and the band's mix of acoustic guitars, piano, synth, and minor orchestral flourishes. Cuts like the twee, ukulele-steeped "Life's Too Short" and the dramatic piano number "My Vow" are infectious, if ultimately lightweight recordings that you'll have a hard time getting out of your head. Similarly, tracks like "Castles," "Three Words Eight Letters," and the synthy, '80s New Wave number "Bad Superman" display the trio's knack for writing breezy choruses that roll off the tongue. ~ Matt Collar