The View – Bread & Circuses

While Mogwai and Biffy Clyro have made the success of Scottish acts less of a novelty, there’s still an odd mix of pride and all-round smugness at seeing bands from north of the border making a name for themselves. Dundee’s The View may have achieved that several years ago when their debut album went platinum, but with Bread and Circuses there is the potential to take another tangent.

Latest single Grace might be a predictably catchy wedge of indie-pop, but don't let it fool you. Resisting the temptation to travel down the well-worn path of least resistance, they show applaudable ability to strike a balance between radio-friendliness and ingenuity. These songs work both as audible decoration and an innocuous soundtrack to an evening laden with good friends and booze, but also as a more involved exploration of a colourful spectrum of styles. In the aftermath of commercial suicide, this is an assured new chaper for The View. [David Bowes]