Songs inspired by women. The View vocalist Kyle Falconer visits his back catalogue and rediscovers some gems.
Release Date: 7th February 2025
Label: Assai Records
Formats: CD / Vinyl / Digital
INSPIRED BY A FEMALE MUSE
It’s quite remarkable how many of Kyle Falconer’s songs – whether performed with his band, The View, or whether released as solo efforts – are inspired by, addressed to, or metaphorically reference, women. Indeed, by his own admission, he’s always been inspired by a female muse. He’s uses his new solo album – his third – as a platform to rework, in pared-back form, a bunch of his songs pursue that theme.
Kyle explains: “’The One I Love the Most’ came from an idea that I had after getting my own studio in Spain. I thought about all the girls’ names I had written about thought it would be a great romantic idea to put them all in one place and release the record for Valentine’s Day. I wanted to show the songs as they were without all the production and we captured the first essence of them.”
A WINNING FORMULA
He’s hit on a winning formula, that’s for sure. The pared-back accompaniment, consisting mainly of confidently-strummed acoustic guitar and jangly sparkles of electric guitar, provides a delicious folk-rock platform. It gives Kyle’s passionate, smoky vocals all the room they could possibly need. The listener is allowed to concentrate on the lyrics to what are uniformly excellent songs.
The album takes its title from a line: “The one I love the most has turned into a junkie,” in 5 Rebeccas. A fan-favourite song from The View’s 2009 Which Bitch? album. The song – in a new semi-unplugged, but no less rocky, incarnation – features here (with the slimmed-down title of Rebecca) alongside a selection of reworked songs that span almost two decades. From the unrequited love of Claudia (from The View’s chart-topping and Mercury Prize-nominated 2007 debut album, Hats Off To The Buskers) to the elegant Dixie. The latter a song that featuring originally on the band’s 2023 offering, Exorcism Of Youth.
NO ALBUM UNREPRESENTED
No part of Kyle’s – or The View’s – career is left unrepresented. Alongside Rebecca, Which Bitch? is represented by a sprightly folk/doo-wop take on Gem Of A Bird. A brightly choppy version of Blondie in which the smooth, sweet backing vocals sit in direct contrast to Kyle’s gritty lead, waves the flag for 2011’s Bread And Circuses album. 2015’s Ropewalk selection is a stirring rendition of Penny, in which the gentle verses – acoustic guitars and harmony vocals – alternate with rocked-up choruses and some inspiring electric guitar soloing.
Kyle’s solo work doesn’t escape reappraisal either. In fact, some of the album’s strongest tracks are reworkings of songs from his two previous solo albums. Laura, from Kyle’s 2021 No Love Songs For Laura album is a great song in any incarnation. Here, Kyle’s words of regret for the impact his behaviour had upon his then-partner, now-wife Laura, are dressed in a melodic coating. He doesn’t surrender any of the pop sensibilities that dominate The One I Love The Most. Manchester rapper, PROSE, is guest vocalist on a blistering-yet-gentle Lucy (another from the No Love Songs… album). Kyle’s solo debut outing, No Thank You (2018) is represented by the bouncy pop of Lily Anne (actually Kyle’s ode to Los Angeles, rather to than to a lady) and stunning reproductions of Kelly and Madonna.
ELEVATED FROM ‘GREAT’ TO ‘EXCELLENT’
It is, perhaps, those latter pair of tracks that elevate the status of The One I Love the Most from, merely, ‘Great’ to ‘Excellent.’ Kelly is, quite possibly, the most insightful of all of Kyle’s songs. His lyrics address the issues and challenges of gender identity so directly and so succinctly. When he sings them, he gives it everything he’s got. The wound-back accompaniment – acoustic guitar and tambourine – to the gently anthemic Madonna (originally Madonna’s Makeup) is the perfect way to channel the listener’s attentions towards Kyle’s descriptive lyrics.
The icing on the cake is that The One I Love The Most also features two brand new Kyle Falconer songs. They’re both smashers! New single, Grace, is as bright, poppy and jangly as anything else on the album. The lead single, Angelina – released just before Christmas 2024 – is, by some measure, the most dramatic cut of all. The production is BIG and awash with strings and the urgency and passion of Kyle’s vocal delivery thoroughly befits his reflections on a terminally damaged relationship.
The One I Love the Most could be the album that Kyle Falconer really NEEDED to make…
Listen to Grace – the album’s opening track and latest single – here:
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