I think I'm going to blame Marsha from Xfm for first introducing me to Scouting For Girls, though I should note that a fellow CMUer points out he first heard of them before that via those rather fine Shifty Disco chaps. But I'm pretty sure it was Marsha who first mentioned them to me. I always make an extra effort to follow up Marsha's tips, so when I saw this tipped outfit were playing the Tiscali hut at the Wireless festival I made an extra effort to ensure I was there in time. And after their four song set I was fully converted and rushed back to my office to play the demo recordings that were then on their MySpace again and again and again. After I first raved about Roy Stride's keys/bass/drums outfit here in the CMU Daily one reader emailed in to warn that their distinctly poppy toons would soon start to wear thin, but I have to beg to differ, because I listened to this debut long player on something nearing repeat play for at least a week after it arrived at CMU HQ and I'm still in love with it. Then again, I'm a sucker for the keys/bass/drums combination - see the Ben Folds Five obsession for reference - and while Stride's songs don't yet possess the knowing cynicism that gives Folds that extra layer of substance, I don't care because these songs are so catchy I still love them. And hell, songs about James Bond, Michaela Strachan and He-man are all good in my book. So much so I am really looking forward to Stride's next batch of material, and in the meantime am very happy to announce 'Scouting For Girls' as our first Album Of 2007. And to celebrate, look out for an interview with Mr Stride going online at the below URL later on today...
http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/albumsoftheyear