The 1975 “Notes On A Conditional Form 2020”
Prior to the release of their latest effort, “Notes on a conditional form 2020”, British band The 1975 announced on their social media that they will host a listening party for their self-titled debut album, "The 1975," which was originally released in 2013 (not 1975).
The listening party will took place on Friday, May 1 2020 at 7 p.m.
So just to get things straight - a band - supported the release of their latest album - by streaming their first album - that you can already stream - live.
So what can we expect from “Notes on a conditional form 2020” brought to us by the band that, in addition to “The 1975 by The 1975” brought us:
Well… the title is a highlight. A misleadingly thought provoking headline that suggests a degree of artistic or philosophical sophistication that is surprisingly absent from the album itself (or at least what we know so far).
The first single released from the jet-setting-Coachella-lovin’ Brits features a monologue from climate change activist Greta Thunberg. The environmentally inspired “The 1975 -2019” not to be, although easily, confused with the previously mentioned “The 1975 - 2013” left many of us thinking: was this the politically “woke” musical awakening that lead man Matty Healy had been heavily hinting at in all those interviews?
Well - on what we’ve seen since?..
Not yet.
“People 2019” saw Healy roll back (or forward?) the clock to the early 1990s as he and the boys(?) (I have to be honest so bright is Matty’s star that Im not fully aware of any of the other band mates - it may just be him?) try their hands at a grunge/Cobain-esque shouty shout. All together more engaging than anything I’ve heard from the band before but with lyrics any 2008 rapper woud be proud of Healy screams from his home in Cheshire, England:“Well my generation wanna fuck Barack Obama living in a sauna with legal marijuana”.
Writing for Pitchfork, Quinn Moreland described the state of the band with this song saying that "if there's still any question about whether or not the 1975 is a rock band, rather than an '1980s-indebted pop act, "People" will put that debate to rest."
Enter the 1980s-indebted pop inspired “Frail State of Mind 2019”. Healy - who berated our old fluffy friends The Imagine Dragons (how could anyone be mean to them?!) for inane lyrics, masterfully pens such timeless lines as:
“Oh, what's the vibe? I wouldn't know, I'm normally in bed at this time. You guys, go do your thing And I'll just leave at nine”
Despite being obviously boring for leaving parties pre-watershed, Healy clearly is head-and-shoulders above his peers with such breathtaking, poignant social commentary.
And I think it’s here that my main issue with the band, and in particular Healy, lies.
The 1975 deserve all the success they can get. I don’t really get it, but I’m not in a world famous pop band and making millions and have never written a song. But there are many people in that situation who I have never given a second thought to or spent any of my own time heroically cringing through their back catalogue.
Healy however…I’m drawn to because…well…the difference is that he is seemingly convinced that he is our generation’s game-changer. That his band is culture-forming and that he is an artist in an unenviable position. A great reluctant spokesman rallying the troops to say something real in their music. Healy thinks if you have an audience - then you should be telling ‘em somethin’!
But the issue is: he does and he isn’t.
Jonny Long, in his breathtaking article “It’s time to admit The 1975 are the lamest band in the world right now” said it better than I ever could:
The problem with the 1975 is they take themselves too seriously, mistakenly thinking they are making some divine contribution to art and culture when really they're making music for people who cry after having sex.
I’m all for politics in art. But I think in order to be a political force who dismisses all non-political bands then you actually have to say something.
But there is of course a place for art without politics. Healy’s mission exposes an primary school level understanding of the purpose of art from a man who literally called his dog Allen Ginsberg. Art says things about the world - of course, but it also serves many other functions - and a primary one is escapism. Peter Doherty said “I’m an fantasist not an activist” and when Nick Cave was asked about why he doesn’t write songs about climate change he said because he sees his work as a means to escape from “this world” and it’s something that we all need.
Perhaps all songs should be political - but the world be a pretty boring (and fucking annoying place).
Watching Healy project his woke-ness is especially cringey because it’s fairly obvious that he’s not that into politics anyway [He once said in an interview that the IPCC report that predicted we have merely years to stop irreversible climate change was a study by Time Magazine}.
I’ve lost myself here a bit…back to ‘Notes”
Skipping the Phoebe Bridgers song on the album (as it’s not credited to Phoebe Bridgers) we arrive at the latest release (at the time of writing). “If you’re too shy let me know 2020” whilst sounding like a pop song many years out of date actually sounds like a pop song many years out of date.
But don’t be fooled - the lyrics have an ever so modern twist.
It’s about wanking on facetime.
“Well, I found a hotel, I called up the twins
It's seven in the morning, so they won't let me in
I need to get back, I've gotta see the girl on the screen”
In our socially isolated world - Healy has delivered a song that Busted would be proud of in 2020 (well on the way to The Year 3000) by The 1975.
Who knows what other genre-jumping (all intentional of course) treats await us as we ease back to some normality over the next few weeks. I for one can’t wait.. and in the meantime - load up that Zoom and remember:
“I've been wearing nothing every time I call you And I'm starting to feel weird about it”…
Notes On A Conditional Form score: 1975/1975