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, as well as disapproval from critics who decry their songs as tepid and generic.
The group's fourth full-length album, 2015's Still Thinking About You, is a tastefully produced affair, chock-full of catchy, hummable choruses that will do nothing to dissuade proponents on either side of the argument.
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 you'll have a hard time getting out of your head whether you want to or not.
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.
Of course, hearing any of these songs out of context, you might mistakenly attribute them to Mumford & Sons, Coldplay, or any number of other British pop groups.
Which is, ultimately, both a blessing and a curse for Scouting for Girls, who write songs people will enjoy even if they can't quite remember who sings them.