Xpress Magazine (Australia) Album Review

Just to add to the list of regional rock bands painting a grimy picture of life in their home towns, here comes The View.
Frontman, Kyle Falconer, makes little attempt to disguise his Scottish accent as he sings of nights out in Dundee (Streetlights), the dangers of heroin (Skag Trendy) and long queues in chip shops (Gran’s For Tea). The true highlight here, however, is Same Jeans, a wonderfully jangly punk-pop tune in the mould of The Only Ones. The fierce Superstar Tradesman displays the quartet’s boundless energy to full extent as they break the golden rule of punk rock by offering up big guitar solos and generally enjoying themselves. Needless to say, the rough and ready approach has been done to death, though the playful songwriting more than saves them from drifting into mediocrity.

There’s a danger our relationship with The View won’t last as their raw indie-rock attitude hasn’t been given much room to grow on Hats Off To The Buskers. That said, with their charmingly rough edge in the vein of The Babyshambles (minus the 24 hour press coverage), it’s hard not be won over as they tackle each song in the shambolic spirit of a street busker. Hats off indeed.

BY ROBERT PENNEY, X Press Magazine, Australia, March 14, 2007