The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships (Album Review)

The 1975 are a very interesting band, for their music and for their social presence. They always deliver some of the most unique and different material that's always at the forefront of modern society and innovation. At their very best they push the boundaries of pop music and produce some of the greatest and most important songs of the decade.

Usually I don't review an album track by track but with "A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships" I feel it is necessary to go through each songs to discuss the highs and lows of what's being called the next "OK Computer". That's because, in my opinion, it is one of the most important albums, a staple of our time, but it may not be one of the best.

We start the album off with "The 1975", the third rendition of their self-titled track and the most experimental. On their previous two albums, this introductory track was smooth, slow and built up the anticipation to the rest of the album. This time, it changes everything up quite surprisingly. The instrumentation is quite minimalistic but Matty's vocals are jolting, sudden and exciting.

This is followed by the lead single "Give Yourself A Try", something I was initially very into with its catchy, distorted guitarline; blocky production and some of the best lyrics the band had delivered. Unfortunately, the more I listened to this one the less I liked it. That cool distorted guitarline was all too repetitive and didn't have enough substance to entertain throughout the whole length of the song and there was something off about the chorus, although it was fun at first there was nothing exceptional about it. Overall it's still an enjoyable song, but it fails to capture the magic that so many others succeed in delievering.

"TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME" is a tricky one because it just doesn't deliver anything original, clever or remotely interesting. I'd say that it probably is The 1975's worst song to date, it lacks the usual personality and charisma that Matty brings on vocals and George on production. The other members of the band don't sound used at all on this one and yet it's a fan favourite, perhaps only because of the unoriginal and uninteresting music video. I'll pass on this one.

Next is "How To Draw/Petrichor", an immediate step up in quality with its almost fragile, atmospheric synths and gentle piano beginning that leads into a fantastic electronic epic with some of the best beats and production elements the band has ever delivered. Despite being mostly instrumental this song manages to swell with emotion and stands out as one of their very best.

Where to start with "Love It If We Made It"? This is a generation defining piece of politically charged indie pop fury. This song fumes with potence and drive, pointing out everything going on around us with quotes, facts and ideas all simmering together to deliver the pinnacle of modern pop, something that reaches beyond the band with its significance and relevance. Some could say that it's a song of the moment and of course it is but it's been out for months at this point and for me it has only grown as a song. The radio might avoid it for some humorously questionable lines but to all the people it reaches it is and will always just phenomenal.

And what could follow such an obvious highlight? Thankfully it's not another "Tootime" but instead the gentle and heartfelt ballad "Be My Mistake", an interesting and lightweight song that holds its own against some of  the best on the album despite being mostly unremarkable and lacking the groundbreaking awe that other standouts have. It doesn't deliver anything new or interesting but I'm glad it's hear because when Matty gets personal on a song he delivers some of the most powerful and often heartbreaking lyrics. Some people complain that this one is lacklustre and skippable and yet I have to disagree. This breaks up the tension and importance at a crucial point in the album and its placement may seem off but I'm sure it was deliberate and very necessary.

"Sincerity Is Scary" gets a tonne of praise for its neo-jazz sound and fantastic lyrics and I completely agree. This is a song that I believe the band could only have wrote to this level of perfection at this stage in their career. I need this to become a hit because this band deserve it with a song of this social importance and poppy potential. Of course it doesn't sound like anything else on the charts but isn't that the point? For me, this is a prime example of why pop music needs The 1975.

An ode to SoundCloud rap and trap music that talks about gun control... Nah... No way can they pull it off! Right?
"I Like America & America Likes Me" is a surprisingly good song that blends the worst things in pop with The 1975's clever lyricisms and somehow pulls it off to make an actually pretty great song. Yeah it's no "Loving Someone" with a deep, sensitive message and just incredible instrumentation but it definitely delivers one way or another. Well done The 1975.

"The Man Who Married A Robot/Love Theme" is difficult because it needed to be here but it's just not enjoyable in the long run. The instrumental is absolutely beautiful, gorgeous synthesizer and piano work, props to the band but the lyrics? You can't listen to that over and over. They may be excellent and Siri narrating them definitely emphasises their relevance but after the initial shock of awe there is little to no replay factor. You can't listen to this outside of the album, it's a one trick pony that may be essential to the album but not to me. I can't say that it's bad but it's definitely not going to be something I come back to.

Then comes the beautiful pop rock ballad "Inside Your Mind" with its distorted guitar and gorgeous lyrics and vocals all reminiscent of the band's earlier work, but with a sort of modern update provided by the improved production and interesting vocals. This is probably a great moment to mention just how fantastic drummer George Daniels is at producing this album, tying together different genres and ideas with their signature style of indie pop.

Everyone knew it was coming but who knew it would be this upbeat and fun? "It's Not Living (If It's Not With You)" is the song about Matty's addiction that looks gives us an interesting view into his mind. He's gone through rehab and come out a clearly reformed person who is ready to approach things in a different way that enables us as listeners to really engage with what he is thinking and feeling, with his typical exceptional descriptions and incredible storytelling. In this song we return to a more typical style for this band that brings me back to "She's American", "She Way Out" and other great songs from their back catalogue.

"Surrounded By Heads And Bodies" is another more acoustic song with minimal vocals and a shorter runtime to this more instrumental song. I definitely enjoy the beauty and fragility of this song, but all in all it doesn't feel completely necessary and doesn't progress the album in any way, especially not after such a highlight.

"Mine" is a jazz ballad that I would never have expected from The 1975 although I can say I'm certainly pleased with how it turned out. It builds to something quite grand and is a very good song with some of my favourite production here. This is a ballad done right (I'm looking at you Charlie Puth).

Penultimately we get "I Couldn't Be More In Love", in my opinion the most forgettable song on the album. It's not that it's bad but it doesn't do anything interesting for me and I find myself wondering what it is that convinced the band to put this many ballads on the album. It definitely draws it out, even if it's the band's shortest album to date. I still enjoy the song but it doesn't hold my attention like the others on here. I have to say that despite this the intro is very intriguing and  I chorus emotive and powerful. Perhaps it is something that will grow on me in the future..

The final song on the album is "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)", a truly massive closer that will likely go down as one of The 1975's best songs, and for very good reason. The lyrics are personal, intimate and heartwrenching. It has a 90s soft rock vibe that seems perhaps a little dated but matches the vulnerable state of such a powerful song. The bridge is maybe the most exceptional part of the song, leading into the final and most grand chorus where the full extent of Matty's vocal talents are revealed. He has a splendid and unique voice that, throughout the course of the album, changes to suit whatever the situation or vibe of the song is. This is a remarkable end to a very, very good album and a song I foresee coming back to lots in the future.

Overall this album is a mixed bag with loads of incredible highs but a few irritating lows and moments of mediocrity that keep it from being outstanding. The production, lyrics, vocals, instrumentals, percussion and atmospheres are generally incredible and really showcase how far the band has come. It was hard to decide but in the end I am rating this an 8 out of 10. It is undoubtedly one of the most important albums of our time and probably an essential listen but the quality is too inconsistent to call it one of the best. This is all my personal opinion on an album that I have been eagerly anticipating for ages, one that I'm satisfied and content with but also one I hope will be followed by something that chooses quality over quantity on their next album "Notes On A Conditional Form", said to be out at some point next year.

Best Songs:
How To Draw/Petrichor, Love It If We Made It, Sincerity Is Scary, Inside Your Mind, It's Not Living (If It's Not With You), Mine, I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)

Worst Song/s:
TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME