The 1975: It doesn’t get any more meta than starting off your self-titled album with a self-titled track. Just saying. Either way, I do like the heavily synthed-up sound that this track provides in its short runtime, and I also think it feels like it’s a “warm-up” song, kinda giving me a feeling that the band is just warming up, tuning things, and raring up for action. It’s pretty clever, I’ll give it that.
The City: The song begins with a really punchy beat and a really bright sound, and it’s extremely head-noddy. I love Matty Healy’s vocals, the really catchy hook, and the really nice lyrics talking about finding love. This is a track I’m probably gonna end up breaking the replay button on, it’s really bright, fun, and all-around great!
M.O.N.E.Y.: A slightly lighter song, I like the guitar track on this and the lyrics that discuss cocaine use are really fascinating. There’s plenty of energy on this track, but there’s something about it that’s not quite grabbing me like the previous track. Maybe the overuse of strange filters on Matty’s voice makes it feel like the verses are not as strong as the hook? I’m not sure what it is, but I think this track might need to grow on me in the future.
Chocolate: One of the group’s most popular songs, I like the really bright, uptempo feel of this track, the really fun hook, Matty’s vocals, and the all-around fun vibe of this track. The way the lyrics use chocolate as a way to describe weed is also kind of interesting to me. I had way too much fun with this track, I feel like I’ll be replaying it quite a bit!
Sex: An energetic, but much harder, rockin’ track, this one talks all about that first awkward encounter with a girl that eventually escalates into sex, even though “she’s got a boyfriend anyway.” It’s all so strange, but the song succeeds in so many ways, from the extremely head-nodding and fun instrumental, Matty’s strong vocals, and the really memorable hook. Another replay-button-breaker for me.
Talk!: Sonically, this one sounds a bit strange to me, but it’s definitely pretty groovy overall, and I like Matty Healy’s vocals on this one. I’m not particularly struck by the hook, but I like the lyrics that talk about one’s encounters with drunken friends. Not one of my favorites on the album, but it’s a pretty solid track overall.
An Encounter: You know, it might seem odd to say that a minute-and-a-quarter track is one of my favorites on the record, especially when there are so many great tracks on here, but for the short runtime, I fell in love with this short interlude. I love the bright, wondrous sound of it, and I kind of feel like I want to go back to it in the future.
Heart Out: I once again love Matty’s vocals on this track, and while this initially didn't really leave much of a lasting impression on me, it grew on me with repeat listens. I love the hook a lot, and lyrically, it’s kind of sweet at points. Originally, I thought it would be something I wouldn't return to much, but I definitely slept on it when I first wrote this review; great track.
Settle Down: I like the guitar groove and the bass line on this track quite a bit, and as usual, Matty brings the goods with his vocals on this one. The track as a whole is pretty funky and, while it’s wasn't initially one of my personal favorites on the record, it really grew on me with repeat listens. The hook is infectious, and I had a lot of fun with the song.
Robbers: A slower song about a destructive relationship, I like Matty’s extremely passionate vocals, the general sad sound that this track provides, and the surprisingly dark lyrics throughout the track. I’m not in love with the hook, but this is another track that I feel has a lot of potential to grow on me.
Girls: The first 1975 song I’d ever heard, this one kind of feels like a sequel to “Chocolate” for me, and in a good way. It’s bright, it’s catchy, it’s fun, Matty’s vocals are strong, the hook is really memorable and catchy, the guitar track is really fun, and it’s a really memorable song overall. I’ve had quite a bit of fun with this track before, and I think I’ll definitely listen to it even more in the future.
12: The 1975 reminds us that they are meta on this song, naming it “12” while also making it the twelfth track on the album. It’s another instrumental interlude and, much like “An Encounter,” I feel a strange urge to keep revisiting this track in the future: I like that it’s really dark and beautiful-sounding, and while it again might be strange to call a minute-and-twenty-second interlude one of my favorite tracks, it really is!
She Way Out: I love the guitar intro on this track, and I like the bright, really fun vibe on this track! Matty’s vocals, as usual, are on point, and I like the lyrics on this one, talking about the girls who can dance. The hook is really fun as well, and I think I’ll be revisiting this track for sure.
Menswear: This track starts off with a light, largely instrumental song that has only a few occasionally synthesized vocals coming in here and there. It’s an interesting approach and the instrumental does sound really bright and really fun. Eventually, it transitions into something more upbeat. The track tells an interesting story of Matty’s experiences bringing drugs to a wedding, and his vocals are still as strong as ever. It’s not one of my favorites on this record, but I did have a lot of fun listening to it.
Pressure: Keeping things really upbeat on here, this song has one of the most fun hooks on the album. Beyond that, I love Matty’s vocals, the really bright and exciting instrumental, and the interesting, layered lyrics that talk about the pressure Matty Healy feels having celebrity parents. Another potential replay-button-breaker here.
Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You: Taking things MUCH lighter here, we have a piano-driven ballad where Matty talks about his obligation to watch his younger brother after the divorce of his parents. It’s a really nice song, and I love Matty’s more raw vocals on this track. My only real gripe with it is that seeing as how this is a largely poppy, energetic album, this track does kind of fly out of left field for me, and it does feel a little at odds with the rest of the record, but even if it’s not one of my favorite tracks on the album, I see the appeal in it, and I think it’s definitely an appropriate end to the record.
Overall, I think this album just turned me into a 1975 fan, because it was too much fun! The 1975 clearly has a grasp on how to make catchy, fun, and energetic pop music, and Matty Healy succeeds as both a wonderful vocalist and a strong storyteller. Even if a lot of the tracks talk about love, he finds unique ways of keeping the stories interesting throughout. The album, as a whole, is also just fantastically enjoyable. It grabs you from the start and just never lets go, bringing a lot of energy, passion, and excitement throughout. If you haven’t given The 1975’s debut album a listen, give it a shot! I think you have a fun time!
Stay tuned, though, because next up, I’ll be reviewing the band’s second album “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it.” Still a really strange title, honestly.
Favorite tracks: The City, Chocolate, Sex, An Encounter, Heart Out*, Settle Down*, Girls, 12, She Way Out, Pressure
Least favorite tracks: M.O.N.E.Y.**
Rating: Excellent
(*An asterisk next to a “favorite track” indicates that the track wasn’t initially one of my “favorite tracks” when I first wrote the review. If a track has an asterisk next to it, it means the song wasn’t initially a favorite of mine, but it grew on me, and the text for the song may have been edited to more properly reflect that.)
(**"Heart Out" was originally listed as a "least favorite" track. However, repeat listens helped it to grow on me, hence the double asterisks. Text in the review has been changed to reflect that.)
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