New release day is one of my favorite days of the week. Is it just me, or are the albums you’re excited for all released on the same day – or at least in close vicinity to one another? Then you have a cluster of albums you can’t wait for and you can’t decide which one to listen to first. That was my morning on this Tuesday. I finally decided to have a go with The 1975’s debut album first and I was certainly not disappointed with my choice!
I told you guys on the last post that I was absolutely obsessed with a couple of songs from these dudes. One of my best friends sent me a track a few weeks ago and they’ve been on my constant rotate since. At that time, all Spotify was offering me was one EP – which, don’t get me wrong, was fantastic, but I needed so much more. Today, the alt rock band from Manchester finally released their debut disc – with sixteen tracks!
The first song, The 1975, is a quiet lead-in – you’re interested, engaged, you’re in there. The band pulls you in and straps you to the roof of their vehicle right off in track 2 with The City, a song that I played on repeat from the EP. This jam is the perfect way to open up this album – it leans more to the indie rock side of the band and keeps things calm in case you still needed to get a feel for what you were listening to.
I still can’t get over what a good tune Chocolate is. If you haven’t listened to this song, please drop everything right now and get on board. It won’t get out of your head, but I swear it’ll be a fun ride.
I decided today that this band sounds like lace if it were crumbled up, melted down, and transformed into a sound. Talk! is the perfect explanation of that. Sometimes there are spaces that feel so airy and peaceful, like you’re drifting along a cloud, and then sometimes the chorus kicks in for denser parts that are the real meat of the sandwich. Sometimes there’s a scratchy feeling, but the overall composition is glorious.
Settle Down is one of my favorites on the album that really shows what this band is capable of reaching. There’s a fun, funky vibe to this song that monopolizes everything else going on in your life at the moment that this song is playing. If you don’t drop everything just to listen to this song, you’re lying. The lyrics are particularly captivating in this one: You’re losing your words, we’re speaking in bodies, avoiding me and talking about you. You’re losing your turn, I guess I’ll never learn, cause I stay another hour or two.
I was completely blown away by She Way Out. The guitar on this track gave me chills throughout and everything meshes together so well. If this song isn’t part of their live show, there’s a problem somewhere.
Pressure is rocking my world. This song almost feels like you’re hearing it from behind a curtain, but it’s so perfect with everything that’s going into the song and the lyrics are just minimalistic enough to not overpower the music or vice versa.
The album wraps up with Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You, an eerily soothing song with nothing but incredible vocals and a divine backing piano. This song is haunting in the most beautiful of ways. I know it’s me that’s supposed to love you, and when I’m home, you know I got you. Is there somebody who can watch you? Is there somebody who can love?
This album is wonderful. Hands down the best album I’ve listened to in a long time. And don’t forget, this is the band’s debut full length. I can’t wrap my mind around it. There is not a single song on this album that I want to skip over. The only down side to the album? I just found out the release from Target has five bonus tracks. Looks like I’ll be buying it a second time…
Key Tracks
Chocolate (track 4)
Settle Down (track 9)
Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You (track 16)
backtothemusic 
Like I don’t have enough to listen to. *grin*
Hmmm…this isn’t the first blog post I’ve seen about the 1975. Best I get spotifying… ;)
All the buzz about them is for good reason. Let me know your thoughts when you have a listen!
So found the EPs on Spotify, and I have to admit I jumped to a few conclusions about what I was going to hear after listening to ‘The City’…but I kept listening and I’m glad I did. One track doesn’t really sum these guys up and definitely intrigued by the bigger yet gentle soundscapes of Haunt / Bed and Heads. Cars. Bending. aganist the catchier, stronger pop sounds of Chocolate.
These guys are on the Big Day Out line up for 2014, and given I have my tix it looks like I’m going to be seeing them live too :)
Reblogged this on Mind the Gap and commented:
The new The 1975 album is fantastic and super up-beat. Check out this review of the album by backtothemusic!
So…I got my hands on a copy of this album last week (the deluxe version, with the EPs of course…) and I’m sold. Really good stuff, great hooks and worth a listen or few (it gets better with every listen!)
Ah, yes! I’m so glad you had a listen to them. It’s totally addicting, isn’t it? I’m still listening the the album and it hasn’t gotten old yet. I have a feeling there’s a gem in this band.
Great album! I heard “Chocolate” earlier this week and now I’m hooked. They have such an interesting sound, and maybe it’s just me, but the lead singer sounds a bit like Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy (which, in my opinion, didn’t hurt one bit). I just discovered your blog, and I’ll definitely be keeping up with your posts!
That was the first song that got me, too! It just gets its hooks in you and you can’t let go. I had never thought about his voice compared to Patrick’s, but I see your point there.
So glad you found me! :)
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Reblogged this on Bren the Ailurophobia.
I really don’t like or get this album. It just sounds like another band of people copying a sound, but doing it badly. Maybe I need to give it another go.