The 1975’s self-titled album is packed with feel-good indie rock jams, with lyrics that capture the leftover teen angst of the band’s members, who are all in their early twenties. Their heavy guitar sound and catchy choruses mix together to create the perfect summer soundtrack to blast in the car with the windows down.
Some of the band’s new songs on the album sound very similar to their singles, like “Sex”, originally released in 2012, and “Chocolate”, a single off the new album. “Sex” brings in some of their youthful angst, with lyrics like “Twenty minutes before I drop you off/ all we seem to do is talk about sex/ She’s got a boyfriend anyway.” “Chocolate” has an infectious beat that could be played over and over again. Some standout tracks include “Girls” and “Settle Down,” which have a likeable sound similar to the band’s early singles.
Healy’s distinctive vocals have the potential to please rock and pop music fans alike. His accent and style of singing sometimes obscure the lyrics, so for now fans might just have to mumble along until the word “Chocolate” comes up again in the chorus. The band is most in its element with the songs that carry a stronger indie vibe, blending a pop-rock sound and sometimes incorporating electronic influences. Most songs have edgy pop influences that rely heavily on bass, drums and guitar while Matthew Healy’s voice gives the music an indie rock feel.
The final track, “Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You,” slows the album down a bit with soft vocals and piano chords. It’s a pretty big switch from the rest of the album; it has no guitar or heavy beats. It definitely shows the different dimensions to their sound and demonstrates their potential to evolve: the band manages to do a lot with a song that only has 15 lines of lyrics. It’s easy to get lost in the soothing vocals. Although this song has a very different sound from the others, it shows their diversity.
“Pressure” and “12” bring an electronic vibe to the album, mixing it up even more. It’s hard to create one simple definition for their sound because of the combination of rock, alternative and electronic influences. Some might even say it reminds them of 80’s hits or pop music because of the upbeat sounds that are heard throughout the album. Overall, with this being the band’s first studio album, The 1975 surpassed the expectations of its pre-release hype and shows that the band has a lot of room to grow.
-Kaitlyn Robertson