Over the past year, the label 429 has been building a reputation as a safe haven for 90’s musicians exiled too soon from the majors (Lisa Loeb, Camper Van Beethoven, Soul Asylum, etc.), but if their latest signing, the Scottish indie rockers The View is an indication, they have a hell of a knack for picking the next big thing as well.
Cheeky For a Reason, actually the band’s fourth full length, but first that’s been readily available in the U.S., is a fantastic introduction to a new audience. With a sound that belongs somewhere between Power Pop and Indie Rock, The View have a sense for writing catching hooks and pairing them with cleaver lyrics (you need only listen to “Tacky Tattoo” to be sold on their charm). A song like the driving “Hole in the Bed” is something the guys in Squeeze would have proudly called their own while “Lean On My World” manages to come off as beautifully emotional without sounding forced (not an easy feat).
The View may have started out as high schoolers playing covers, but with Cheeky For a Reason, they have certainly proven they have talent enough to write the songs some other gang of high schoolers will one day be covering.
The View – Cheeky For a Reason/12 tracks/429 Records/2013