One notable development in the successful young Scottish rock bands of our time is that some are losing the fear of singing in their own accents. The Fratellis’ singer has a mild but detectable Glaswegian tones, Idlewild sound Scottish if you listen carefully, and a more Dundonian twang can be heard in the songs of The View. It beats those awful mid-Atlantic efforts we’ve had to endure down the years. Twenty years ago the Proclaimers were looked upon as something of a novelty act. Why? Because added to the fact they weren’t the best looking, they sang in the accents they’d always had. The curious thing was that they were asked in nearly interview why they did this while those who pretended to be Americans got off ‘Scot-free’. It’s a terrible crime to try and be yourself in your art.
Getting back to the View. They certainly have something although they are probably not as good as they think they are. But the public has been lapping them up so I don't suppose they will care about a thirty something like me saying they have some polishing up to do. And at my age almost all guitar bands sound like someone else. On their debut album, Hats off to the Buskers, I hear quite a lot of the Libertines, a bit of the White Stripes, Husker Du, Smiths (especially on Don't tell Me) and their compatriots Teenage Fanclub (on Wasted Little DJ's).
