And so it comes to pass…like so many bands before them, feted by the NME and many others, three fantastic singles that have gained progressively higher places on the charts (do we now say ‘Tracks’ chart? Singles chart is, like, so 2006) The View‘s debut is with us. The word is that ‘it’s the best debut since Definitely Maybe.’ Hmm. no hype there, then…

The aforementioned trio of brilliant singles ‘Wasted Little DJs’ ‘Superstar Tradesman’ and ‘Same Jeans’ are present and correct, and they are worth the price of admission alone (assuming you haven’t bought them all already, arguably). There are also some excellent tracks on this Dundee four-piece’s band that are worth hearing – ‘The Don’ and ‘Face For Radio’ certainly impacted on my radar even on first listening. The album is a fun, fine listen – but it is stretching it to say that it’s as good a debut as Definitely Maybe. Call me old -and as a teacher, hundreds of kids do daily – but there is a slight feeling of ‘heard this done before.’

The album doesn’t so much evoke Oasis’ debut, as bring to mind the Arctic Monkeys and the Libertines. Like the View, good bands who sometimes are at risk of their considerable talent being overwhelmed by even greater hype, that has a nasty habit of getting vicious like a media descending on Jade Goody. But like those bands, they have an excellent way with a tune, and Superstar Tradesman still feels as life -affirming as when I heard it a few months ago.

Ignore the hype, and take the album on it’s own merits, of which there are many.

7 1/2 out of 10.

The View -‘Superstar Tradesman.’ mp3

The View -‘Wasted Little DJs.’ mp3