The 1975 Review
Primed to dominate UK Charts in 2013 with their debut album, with a tour on hand and underway in 2014, The 1975 emerged out of nowhere as a fully formed funky ‘pop’ band in 2012 with suave songs destined for stadium crowds. Unsurprisingly, support slots with Muse and The Rolling Stones arose, and top 20 single ‘Chocolate’, fortified this misapprehension.
These songs are still Rock-ish and rave-ready; but non their compositions entail a slight R&B feel with clap and a funky bass line.
Astounded faces definitely surfaced when the self-titled debut album from Manchester-based four-piece, The 1975,hit number one on the UK albums charts in its first week, thrashing the return of Nine Inch Nails. Their genre-defying 16-track effort is the pinnacle of the sounds from the four EPs the band has put out in the past year, equal parts evocative synthpop hooks and husky lyrics about sex, drugs, and life in the city, as well as adventures into plenty of new sounds.
In truth though, despite being early-20-year-old pin-ups, the band is actually made up of previous musical legends who’ve been playing under different semblances for the past decade.(The Stones)
As this unique music persists, an up-to-date heave in ‘90s revitalization can only signal one thing:the looming return of Britpop. Some will say that testosterone-fired bands with brash guitars and even brasher opinions have never vanished, but we’re apt to suggest that a new wave of Britpop is on the horizon.The 1975 have engendered considerable thrill with a series of EPs before their debut album, but don’t mark them off as just another lad-rock band talking about sex, drugs and rock 'n’ roll.
Current re-released single ‘Sex’ is backed with, once again, stadium-worthy riffs and funky beats. Other EP releases ‘The City’ and ‘Chocolate’ merely spur on the guitar-dominated image, but little embellishments of synth-op chords are a telltale sign of things to come on the album.
Although The 1975 are primarily a rock band, they’re undoubtedly confident to dabble in other genres too. ‘M.O.N.E.Y’ hears lead vocalist Matt Healy’s whirling robotic vocals over light-hearted R&B claps, before a guitar funk line emphasises the decade their name comes from. Likewise, ‘Heart Out’ is consummated synth-supported popness, with hooking grooves and dejected sentiment (“Why don’t you figure my heart out?”)
Michael Jackson-inspired ‘Settle Down’ brings both sides of The 1975 together, as smooth guitar riffs pirouette around an ear-snagging chorus, whilst ‘Girls’ is a compelling disco-spattered track that is fated for success in the charts. Brace yourselves: a new Britpop era is amidst – but with The 1975’s debut at the wheel, it’s likely to be one full of surprises upon us.
Second track ‘The City’ sets an early marker by intermingling big-beat drums, a pulsing synth, and fine-tuning guitars with front man Matthew Healy’s falsetto vocals. ‘M.O.N.E.Y.’ then pushes things further with a softly alternating electronic intro parallel to Gold Panda’s‘Vanilla Minus’, but reveals itself to be a glitchy pop track.
‘Settle Down’ is a soft-rock moment similar to Bombay Bicycle Club’s ‘Shuffle’, and ‘Heart Out’ excites with audaciously abrasice looping keys, warm vocal harmonics and a sax solo.
It’s a great pop record with plenty of depth (a rare thing) that will prove contentious. Some will scorn this band in one listen (or none) as the next new Owl City, but with years of playing together, plenty of fans at hand, and lots of songs ready to go, The 1975 will be one overnight success that’ll endure the critics.
But then came the storm. The 1975 - keeping it nice and simple – haunting is shadowed by two singles, Sex and Chocolate, which present new stadium-worthy riffs, synth-pop chords and punchy beats.
8/10
- Emily Stephens
(originally posted 15th June 2014 www.in-bloom-music.co.uk)
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