Rating: 9/10
The 1975 are one of the most iconic bands of this music era. The 1975 does not shy away from tough topics, real life, or finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. The band’s third album has been described as fans and critics as “outrageous” “honest” “eclectic” and a “modern masterpiece”, all of which suit the theme of the release perfectly. A brief inquiry into online relationships is just the breath of fresh air that both the music industry and the world needed at the close of this year. This album is varied and eccentric, as the group branches out in new directions, away from the modern, silver, technological synth autotune feel of their past. In this album, the 1975 experiment with deeper lyrics, atmospheric, almost ethereal intros and interludes, and even acoustics. Of course, some of the English band’s usual elements make it into a few of the songs on this album, which makes this a highly versatile album that will easily reach a wide range of audiences. The album contains a whopping sixteen tracks, each of their own separate subgenre within the modernized indie pop genre of the album.
When speaking on this album, critics at Pitchfork stated that “the 1975 are a thrillingly unreasonable band for unreasonable times”. Front man and lyricist Matty Healy has served as a generational mouthpiece since the band’s breakout into the industry, speaking for the millenial generation and younger, creating an extremely wide and loyal audience: lost teens looking for guidance. If the beatles were the first British musical invasion, and One Direction was the second, then I dare say that the 1975 is the third. Surprisingly, America has never heard anything like this before, and nothing quite as good has been able to come along since their debut, although there have been many copycats of the band’s style. This album while definitely more somber, reflective, and serious, not as cheerful as their previous album, is their bravest and most impressive album yet. Where the band is stripped of their synths and tinny guitars, they are able to create real, raw music with their vulnerability and natural talent.
While it may have been easier to hide under a veil of autotune and synthesizers for the band’s entire career, they have been applauded by audiences and critics alike by opening themselves up to new sounds and clean cut, quiet, almost acoustic accompaniment. Songs which showcase the group’s vulnerability and new style are I Couldn’t Be More In Love, Mine, Be My Mistake, Inside Your Mind, and Surrounded By Heads and Bodies. The best of these is “Be My Mistake”, as it is the most vulnerable, with lyrics such as, “I shouldn’t have called, ’cause we shouldn’t speak; You do make me hard but she makes me weak”, which express extreme vulnerability. These are lyrics that most people can relate to, as listeners will most likely think of someone who makes them weak as they listen to this line.
This album also features a good mix of songs which are very characteristic of the band’s traditional sound, a sound which they have built their fan base upon in their past two albums. These tracks include Give Yourself A Try. TOOTIMETOOTIME, Love It If We Made It, Sincerity Is Scary, I Like America & America Likes Me, and It’s Not Living (If It’s Not with You).
In this album, the 1975 have once again dared to do more. They have done more with their message, their music, and their impact. The world will be impatiently listening in anticipation as the band continues to grow and do even more.
Now streaming on: Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon Music
