Look at this cover! If this is not “The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle”, I don’t know what it is. And The View are kind of back to ’78, not quit to Sex Pistols, but to The Who. Brits are obsessed by a few bands (and brands) such as The Beatles, The Clash and The Who. While nobody really succeed to become the next Beatles, many still trying to rebuild at least partially the sound – and fame – of The Clash or The Who. What can I say? “Lily, oh Lily….” 😀 Kind of “talking ’bout my generation…”
The View are a Scottish band formed in 2005, consist of Kyle Falconer – rhythm guitar, piano, occasionally bass, lead vocals, harmonica, Kieren Webster – bass, occasionally guitar, backing and occasionally lead vocals, Pete Reilly – lead guitar, Steven Morrison – drums and percussion and the only touring member, Darren Rennie – keyboards. They debut in 2007 with the album “Hats Off to the Buskers” and entered the UK album chart at #1 on 28 January. Following the album’s release, the band took part in the NME Awards Tour 2007, alongside acts such as The Automatic, The Horrors and Mumm-Ra and “Wasted Little DJs” was voted Best Track of the year at the annual NME Awards 2007. The first single – “Wasted Little DJs” – entered the UK top 75 at #73 on the week before full release, due to download sales alone, and climbed to #15 the following week. Four weeks prior to release, on 9 July 2006, the single entered the UK MTV/NME video charts at Number 9, climbing to Number 1 on 13 August 2006. The single was the BBC Radio 1 Colin and Edith show’s record of the week for week commencing Monday, 10 July 2006 and entered the BBC Radio 1 daytime playlist on 12 July 2006. The band followed up with their second single “Superstar Tradesman”, released 23 October 2006, also reaching #15 in the UK.”Same Jeans”, the third single from the album, was released 15 January 2007. It became their most successful single to date, reaching #3 in the UK Singles Chart and becoming a major hit for the band. The album produced big sales in UK and it was certificated Platinum.
The band released their second album “Which Bitch?” in February 2009, in its initial week of release it debuted at #4 in the UK albums chart, but fell to #27 the following week and was out of the top 40 another week later.
“Bread And Circuses” was released on 14 March 2011 and its consist of 13 songs recorded with producer Youth in 2010. The first single “Sunday” was released as a free download in November 2010 and second single “Grace” was released one week before the album in March 2011, with the previously unreleased B-side “Clowns”. “Grace” was inspired by guitarist Pete Reilly’s downstairs neighbor and their noise complaints against him.The single failed to chart inside the UK top 100.
I kind of like this album, it’s not outstanding, not quit original, but kind of nice and it’s a very listenable rock material in sort of old-fashion way. It’s definitively much better than 99.9% of most of so-called “indie” and “alternative” bands and materials the “critics” are praises now days. Actually I do believe if you really wanna listen something worth to mention, dig out all those bands who failed charting, are not in the columns of NME and wich are not on the eMpTyV in every 15 minutes.
The only problem with The View is that they trying to hard to be in all those places. Still, they have a few nice tunes and good songs.
