The biggest fault I had with 2012's Cheeky for a Reason was how familiar everything felt and in-turn, how everything had been done better before it.
Three years and a greatest hits album later (normally a death rattle unless a jealous record label cash grab), The View are back again with album five. Ironically within a week of The Libertines' long awaited return who arguably had the biggest impact in the band's aesthetic prior to Hats off to the Buskers, you know, the one that everyone likes.
Despite my...reservations due to Cheeky for a Reason, I had hopes for Ropewalk. Kyle Falconer went to rehab which from a heartless listener standpoint, meant that we might get some introspective songs regarding his condition instead of another iteration of Wasted Little DJs (that and obligatory best wishes etc).
Even more tantalising was the announcement of the producer which surely meant a shift in sound that sounded tired for at least two albums. Perhaps most importantly of all, Cheeky for a Reason sounded like rock bottom, and surely, it couldn't get worse.
But if life teaches you anything; it can, it will and ultimately does and Ropewalk, easily, without question, the worst album by the Scottish quartet.
Opener Under the Rug neither sets the tone nor quells uneasy hearts with bog-standard, downtrodden indie-rock. Marriage is the most experimental, in that it's stripped back, harmonic and has a drum track, negating Steve Morrison's presence as the backbone. It does have a catchy chorus, albeit using a well known phrase, but at least it's there.
The same can't be said for Penny towards the end of the record. Adding thudding piano chords for half of the track then stripping the song at the half way mark to acoustic guitar and harmonic vocals of literal "la la la's" which makes as little sense as me writing it here.
Stand-out amongst the rest and slapped in the middle is Psychotic. Led with a loud but simple beat, the tracks builds momentum and results in a surprising acoustic guitar led chorus. It screams for a bridge, but never gets one but nonetheless, is the highlight of the record. Following that is a rehash of Skag Trendy called Cracks and the record quickly slips back to mediocrity.
Falconer's voice, despite what the press call "interesting" lifestyle choices (aka he gets fucked and bombed more than the average person) and a decade of experience on the road, in a studio setting, is conflictingly young but weathered but never particularly interesting this time. Lyrically, there's no story telling nor none of the introspection, but the same repeated subjects for infinity since Hats Off.... There's only so many ways you can talk about a rough night out or girls being complicated before it gets a wee bit boring and it's been that way for years here.
Producer Albert Hammond Jr of The Strokes adds his own bells and whistles to give the album his signature style and, to his credit, it does give the record a bit of distinction among the previous four. Drums are crisp, Falconer's vocals are echoey and sound like a live take, the guitar track is turned up, making it distorted and again, the impression of spontaneity is the backbone here.
It all falls apart when the record has barely anything resembling decent. The View at their best are sharp, focused and catchy. This is unfortunately them at the worst, where they've crafted a record that is made up of filler. You know you're in for a rough ride when nearly every song sounds like a b-side from the previous less than average album and Ropewalk is just that.
If Cheeky for a Reason was atop the indie landfill and on fire, then Ropewalk offers it's strongest contender for undisputed king and only the absolute hardest of hardcore View fan will find anything redeemable.
Even then, it's at an absolute push.
3/10
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