Friday, 10 January 2014

The 1975- The 1975 Album Review


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Album- The 1975
Artist- The 1975

The 1975 are an alternative rock group that really dominated the music scene in 2013 in terms of being seen as one of the best new groups of the year, producing such hits as Chocolate and The City. The band initially released 4 E.P.’s before this album, in the process showing people their musical diversity, and so their self-titled debut not only comes after much online buzz, but after an experimental journey that shows different sides of the group. Five years in the making, this record shows of different levels of the group, being described by frontman Matt Healy as an album where every track is lead track after lead track, with the ability to be a single. But is this really the case, or are people really just creating hype over a band that doesn’t deserve it?

Track 1- The 1975

Opening track The 1975 seemingly acts as this futuristic music moment where the band signal to the listener that they are being taken on this musical journey. It is both a weird and wonderful slice of music complete with distorted vocals and heavy synths, but ultimately it does a beautiful job in really getting you interested in the record.

3.5/5

Track 2- The City

Originally appearing on their debut E.P. Facedown, first proper track The City was mixed again after the success of the groups track Chocolate, and was released as a single from another E.P., IV. The song focuses on the idea of finding love in the city, with the chorus having a catchy hook that is given power by the light and quirky tone of lead singer Matt Healy’s vocals. The punchy guitar loops and clashing of the drums makes a vibrant sound for the track that means the record begins with a proper bang, but in essence The City feels a little rushed and could have more power in terms of the lyrical structure.

3/5

Track 3- M.O.N.E.Y.

Opening with synthesised beats that create this essence of euphoria, M.O.N.E.Y acts as a track that from the outset shows how the group have a wind range of sensibilities. The song acts as a relationship number where the guys ask if this guy has enough money to spend on his girl, acting as a cool kind of birds eye view on a relationship and how it takes a lot to be in a relationship. The tracks distorted rhythms feels both weird and cool at the same time, with the drums and synths blurring together to create this frenzied sound that perfectly encapsulates the frenzied nature of the lyrical subject. Healy’s vocals have a little more depth within this track, but they are also distorted in a way that makes the track feel a bit cold, and so this definitely works better as an all-round package which is an intriguing listen.

3.5/5

Track 4- Chocolate

The bands breakout hit, Chocolate ups the records tempo to give us a bouncy rock number with firm pop sensibilities. The song’s lyrics are a little weird and find the group singing about never quitting and feeling like chocolate. The lyrics may be weird, but they are definitely catchy, with a number of hooks making this a really pleasurable listen that is made even greater by the youthful essence of the number. Healy’s accent driven, light and fast paced vocal performance makes you believe in the frivolity of the song, whilst the guitar loop and smashing drumbeats creates this preppy sound that is just a joy to dance around to.

4/5

Track 5- Sex

Re-recorded for the album’s release and being the official single from the album, Sex is one of the most raucous and most rock edged pieces on the record, portraying the group as fun loving lads looking on the positives of lives that many males see. The song finds the group singing of having fun with girls, although apparently it’s a bit cheeky because they have boyfriends. The raucous fun of the song is quite infectious and is nicely elevated by the vibrancy and quirky tone of Healy’s voice, which makes the track that bit more believable. The drums and guitar riff are a bit typical rock, but they set the tempo of the track just right, and so the typicality can be forgiven.

3.5/5

Track 6- Talk!

Talk! continues with the energy of Sex, but this time the groups emotions are embedded more in frustration, as they continually sing the question of why do you talk so loud. The message is strong and although a bit repetitive, the song is good in the way that it can be construed in different ways to relate to different people. Healy is focused in his vocal, with the layering of his voice giving a sense of drama to the song that really makes the message that bit stronger, and with the steady beats and small, stuttering electro undercurrent, this is another song where the group show off different sensibilities to great effect.

3.5/5

Track 7- An Encounter

More of an interlude than an actual track, An Encounter is another track that sounds a bit psychedelic and futuristic, and which nicely gives the listener a space to just chill for a moment and prepare for the next batch of tracks. The swirling electro rhythms nicely build in sound but never go too overboard, having this almost euphoric quality that is really emotive and exciting.

3.5/5

Track 8- Heart Out

Heart Out is one of those tracks that is great in that it shows that whilst they may be a rock group, the 1975 are also so much more. This is because the songs rock guitars and simple bass are cemented in some great synth notes that grab your attention from the start, giving us a great indie pop number which has a simple but great sound about it. The song is also lyrically strong, with a chorus that is simply very catchy, and a lovelorn sentiment that finds the group asking this person to figure my heart out, something which will undoubtedly appeal to the groups female fans. Healy has a slight delicacy to his voice that means that he carries the sentiment of this track very well vocally, but in also keeping things vocally simple he nicely lets the lyrics and sound maintain their impact. The saxophone solo in the song is also a great section that is a bit nostalgic in sound, and which shows how the group are definitely influenced by music of the past, and this is a great thing.

4/5

Track 9- Settle Down

Keeping with the synth pop energy of the former track a little bit, Settle Down is another pop number with a strong chorus. But the song is also a little bit funkier than the last offering, and definitely has a Michael Jackson touch about it. The song finds Healy singing of this relationship where people want them to settle down, and he does seem to be invested in the relationship. The twirling, slick guitar riffs give us a sound that is supremely catchy, and which is backed up in catchiness by the great use of whistling. And it is by this point that you become fully assured of how great Matt Healy is as a frontman, with his vocals just adding to the tracks appeal.

3.5/5

Track 10- Robbers

Robbers kicks off exactly where Settle Down finished in terms of the production, but with respect to the whole track we are treated to a slightly softer musical offering from the group. With this track Healy sings of how this girl has come into his life and kind of stole his heart, with Healy pleading with this girl to just give him one more night. The song has this slight narrative feel to the lyrics and shows a bit more depth from the group, whilst Healy is vocally awesome within the song as he really lets go and brings this visceral intensity to the track that is just a pleasure to listen to. The production is kept simple with the synth underpinnings and steady drum rhythms, giving the song a slight new wave feel and just really allowing the vocals to have a really full impact on the listener.

Track 11- Girls

From the subdued quality of Robbers we turn to more upbeat territory with Girls, which is just a ridiculously catchy pop rock number that is tinged with an 80’s disco feel. The song is another lyrically sharp piece that has a slight narrative feel and finds Healy and the rest of the boys expressing that you shouldn’t take things seriously, as the types of girls described in the song are just ordinary girls who break hearts. There is just this undeniably infectious, witty quality to the track, and Healy just sounds like a quite fun loving lad that gives us a vocal performance perfectly in tune with the lyrical content. The disco tinged guitar rhythms create a preppy vibe to the track that is designed to really have you up and bouncing around, and this is really just a gem of a pop tune.

4/5

Track 12- 12

The final interlude of the album is an instrumentally led moment with this flowing electronic sound and breathy, processed vocal ‘ah’ style, creating this ambient moment within the record that makes this feel like not just an album of songs but more of a creative body of work.

3.5/5

Track 13- She Way Out

She Way Out is another track where the boys take things to slightly more of a simplistic pop rock vibe. The track focuses on the group painting this picture of this two tone girl who grabs their attention but who is kind of out of the way. The track isn’t one of those tracks where you can really fully understand what the meaning is, but the lyrics are smart and catchy, whilst Healy’s vocal performance is kept a bit more simple and light. The melding of the heavy electric guitar riffs and thumping bass creates a stomping rock feel to the track that works well, and overall this is just more of  a simple but nice musical affair.

3.5/5

Track 14- Menswear

The opening of Menswear features a funky electro rhythm that is really intriguing and marks this out as more of an innovative music piece for the group. The songs ambient opening nicely manages to maintain your interest and create this chilled feeling before Healy’s vocals kick in. The vocal performance is really intriguing as it starts of really processed and inhuman before the song kicks into a higher musical gear and Healy just conveys this sense of him being a simple guy who is just a bit jealous. The lyrics are firmly led by the idea of jealousy, whilst the electronic infused production is nicely melded together with some stomping drumbeats, creating this slightly weird but really interesting song that brings variety to the way that the group structures their songs.

3.5/5

Track 15- Pressure

Pressure is another slice of funkier pop rock in which Healy sings of changing pressure and promising to just be with this girl. The message is nice but some of the lyrics feel a bit too recycled, whilst the vocal performance is almost too overpowering in places. The tracks sound, however, is great, infusing this clicky indie pop instrumentation with funky guitar riffs, thumping drums and an awesome 80’s inspired saxophone solo that just creates this nice track that feels like a real conglomeration of genres.

3/5

Track 16- Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You

The closing track for the album is a lovely end in that things are really kept simple and honest as Healy sings of how he is supposed to love this person and will do so when they are home, but they ask this person if somebody will watch over them when they are not there. The track just feels like a lyrically honest piece that can nicely relate to family, friends or your partner, whilst the simplistic style of the track with just the piano allows for the vulnerable essence of Healy’s vocal performance to really shine through and impact on the listener a bit more.

3.5/5

Final Review

The 1975 is a record that definitely lives up to its expectations, as each of the songs on the album stand on their own musical merits, yet the album definitely still works as a coherent piece. Vocally Healy imbues the songs with a nice level of personality and with the album he really shows his ability as a great front man, whilst the melding of different styles and sounds for various tracks creates a fun record in tune with some of the styles of the past and bringing more interesting material to today’s music landscape. The lyrics are also really sharp and relevant whilst being ridiculously catchy, and with this record the group have a really promising career ahead of them and deserve their success.

9/10

Best Track- Girls

Worst Track- Pressure

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