The View

Nominated for the Mercury Music Prize 2007 for ‘Hats off to the Buskers’ The View are back with there third album ‘Bread and Circuses’. Recorded in Britannia Studios and produced by Youth (The Verve’s ‘Urban Hymns’) the record opens with the first single ‘Grace’. With punchy guitars and sing-a-long chantey chorus the song sets the tone for the rest of the album with a strong punk influence.

The delivery of Kyle Falconer’s vocals on weekend drug binge ‘Tragic Magic’ is compelling and for me this is the stand out track of the album with some interesting structures and comparatively interesting lyrics. The album also features synth filled ‘Sunday’ previously released as a free download, it is a dance track that has the potential to be a song that you will hear floating around in the summer months.

Fusing punk, pop, folk and a strangely nostalgic and distinctly 90’s sound ‘Bread and Circuses’ is comprised of song with catchy choruses and hooks however the downfall is the lyrics which at times are cheesy and a bit embarrassing to listen to. Full of tales of love and drugs The View have produced a coherent album which does however feel dated and somewhat forgettable. Following on from their sophomore and critically acclaim if commercially unsuccessful ‘Witch Bitch’ I am sure a number of songs will be around for a couple of sunny summer months however there doesn’t appear to be much more longevity in the record than that.