The View

Who? Rising Scottish stars the View -- singer Kyle Falconer, guitarist Pete Reilly, bassist Kieren Webster, and drummer Steve Morrison -- got their name from the local Dundee, Scotland pub, the Bayview, they used as rehearsal space after they graduated from high school. The View's debut full-length, Hats off to the Buskers, hit U.K. shelves in early 2007, while the stateside release arrived earlier this month.

What's the Deal? Though whispers of being the next British "it" band have been around since last year, it's taken a little longer for the View to be noticed in the U.S.: Visa problems (Falconer was caught with cocaine) forced the band to cancel several American tours. But Yankee fans should have no problem catching up to their spunky, riotous kind of rock'n'roll -- the fun, scruffy, Arctic-Monkeys-meets-the-Strokes rock of "Coming Down" and the Pig Latin-strewn "Wasted Little DJs," or slower, melodic pieces like "Face for the Radio" or "Claudia," where Falconer's brogue comes through clearly and sweetly.

Fun Fact: The name of their first single, "Wasted Little DJs" (winner of "Best Track" at the 2007 NME Music Awards), was borrowed from a pair of Dundee DJs/hairdressers, who also frequently played at the Doghouse. The duo promised the band free haircuts for life if they wrote a song about them, and the rest, as they say, is history. MARISA BROWN

On the Web:
The View at MySpace
theviewareonfire.com

Now Hear This:
The View - "Face for the Radio" DOWNLOAD MP3

Now Watch This:
The View - "Wasted Little DJs"
WINDOWS MEDIA HIGH | LOW
QUICKTIME | REAL

Talk: Hats off to the View or no?

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