The View lead singer (and founding member) Kyle Falconer is setting sail on a solo voyage around his newly clear mind, stopping off at good hope, health and happiness. The former cheeky rapscallion’s journey from hellraiser to bed maker is hung out on the dirty laundry line for all to witness. Opener ‘Poor Me’ has a more melodic, experimental edge with a cantering Florence backbeat. Kyle’s voice still cuts glass and rolls the rrr’s, however, it’s now also armed with an emotive force dredged up from a haunted pit of the shaggy-haired singers gut. Next track ‘Kelly’ is a delicate brush stroke of watercolours and highlights Falconer’s refreshed musical landscape. The clap-happy ‘Avalanche’ is a dark, feather tickling ditty and lyrically it’s just beautiful kitchen table poetry.
‘The Therapist’ has Country twangs and a brutally transparent personal message while ‘Japanese Girl’ blows bubbles through a straw of Pop honesty. A Beatles-esque ‘Confusion’ pokes its head around the Music Hall door before ‘Family Tree’ lights the path that Kyle now proudly walks. ‘Lily Anne’ reads like a letter scribbled from behind addictive bars, the tangible, cathartic release continually cascades from his sober lips. A hit and miss ‘Madonna’s Make Up’ gives way to the albums final and finest cut. ‘The Last Bus Home’ laconically meanders along the dimly lit streets of Kyle Falconer’s revitalized spirit. In the words of Colin Hay, “Now I leave the party early at least with no regrets.” ‘No Thank You’ signals a newer, lighter sounding albeit deeper direction for Kyle Falconer and although the shambolically stunning rough ‘n’ tumble of his previous band has slightly dissipated, his undoubted songwriting craft and natural talent certainly hasn’t.
KYLE FALCONER
NO THANK YOU
Riverman Records
8/10