by Natalie Fitts
More than 10 years after becoming a band, The 1975 released their self-titled debut album September 3. The British alternative rock group’s first EP to debut in the United States came in May of this year. They had previously released three EPs internationally throughout 2012 and 2013. The band is currently touring in the UK, but are planning to come to the US in October and November, including a stop in Kansas City October 17 as part of 96.5 the Buzz’s Halloweenie Roast. The following is a track-by-track review of The 1975’s self-titled, 16 song debut album:
“The 1975”: One of the only things I dislike about this album is how it opens. This mediocre “introduction” song, though not nearly as painful, is reminiscent of the clips 90s pop stars such as Aaron Carter would put at the beginning of their albums, welcoming fans to their CD. The space this song takes up definitely could have been occupied by better music, which listeners know the band can create based on the rest of the album.
“The City”: The band released this song earlier this year as a single in the UK. It seems to be a more rock-influenced version of “Chocolate,” the fourth song on the album. The song is defined by its dominate drum beat, much like nearly half the songs on the album.
“M.O.N.E.Y.”: This song introduces listeners to The 1975’s more electronic-inspired side, which they use throughout the rest of the album. Like many of the band’s songs, the lyrics tell a story. This song’s story is of a man’s struggle with drugs. The lyrics definitely match the somber sound of the song.
“Chocolate”: While this song has been playing on alternative stations since early spring, pop stations are starting to pick it up. It is easy to see why as the song has the perfect mix of indie and pop that listeners have been so enamored with lately. The meaning of the song is up in the air, but the beat is so fun, it hardly matters what the lyrics are saying.
“Sex”: It’s clear from the title of this song that it cannot be defined as “appropriate” or “family friendly.” Once you accept that though, it’s easy to see “Sex” is one of the best songs on the entire album, both lyrically and musically. The lyrics are clever, while the beat manages to be fun and intense simultaneously. It’s no wonder the band used it as the first single from this album.
“Talk!”: When reading over the lyrics, I had to look up some words in the dictionary. This just exemplifies how much thought and energy goes into the lyrics of each song from this band. Overall, the song is relatively simple, allowing lead singer Matthew Healy to show off his unique vocals.
“An Encounter”: This short song provides a break in nearly the middle of the album. While I would have liked to hear the awesome beat put to lyrics, the lacks of words allows the song to act as the intermission of a play would. This concept would seem ridiculous, almost pretentious for nearly any other band, but each of The 1975’s songs is so intense and thought-provoking, a break is kind of nice.
“Heart Out”: This song rivals “Chocolate” as the most pop-driven track on the album. It combines strong drum and electronic beats, the band’s two signature sounds. Towards the end of the song, they also throw in a jazz section, which they have not used up to this point on the album.
“Settle Down”: “Settle Down” is the perfect example of the poetic storytelling the band uses in nearly all of their songs.The catchy chorus and whistling part make it one of the easier songs to sing along to on the album.
“Robbers”: The haunting beat, the haunting lyrics and Healy’s haunting vocals combine to form a song that gives me chills no matter how many times I listen to it. Even without truly comprehending the words, listeners can get a sense of the creepy story that tells of guns, riots and relationships gone bad.
“Girls”: The band will release this as their next single in October. From the first beat, it feels like an ‘80s song you can dance to. It wouldn’t be surprising if this song was played on both alternative and pop stations, much like “Chocolate” has been.
“12”: The 1975 uses this song as another break in the action. While there are vocals this time, no actual words are sung. It seems kind of unnecessary, but at 1 minute 19 seconds, there is not much time to complain.
“She Way Out”: This song features more prominent guitar than nearly any other song on the album. The lyrics also draw on some of the band’s favorite topics–girls, messed-up relationships and drugs. Overall, it isn’t a bad song, but certainly doesn’t shine on an album full of star songs.
“Menswear”: It’s easy to get bored before the “real” song even begins. The introduction lasts about half the song. If you can last that long, the interesting, fast-paced lyrics make the journey worth it.
“Pressure”: At this point in the album, the songs seem like additions the band made toward the end of production because they had nothing else. They aren’t bad songs, but they don’t hold a candle to the hits earlier in the album.
“Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You”: This is a decent song, but I wish they had closed their debut full-length album with a stronger song that better represents their overall sound. This song easily could have replaced one of the instrumentals as a “break” from the faster-paced songs.
Overall, The 1975’s debut album appeals to several different tastes in music and can be played on a variety of stations, from alternative to pop to rock. This versatility will allow them to draw a huge fan base and therefore dominate the charts in the coming months.
Most download-worthy songs: “Chocolate,” “Sex,” “The City”
For fans of: The Strokes, The Naked and Famous
