After The 1975 debuted their self-entitled album in 2013, they landed themselves as one of the most popular bands in England.The group consists of Matthew Healy, Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald, and George Daniel. Winning numerous awards, the band has toured the world performing concerts and festivals that have drawn millions of fans. Their latest album, “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it,” was released in February 2016.It,however, continues to put the band on the map with their radio hits and their distinct eighties influence from various instrumentation to vocalization. Here is a brief album review of “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it.”
Through numerous songs the album shows versatility. Healy, the lead singer, showcases his vocals with the loud screams in the eighties inspired song “Love Me.” Then Healy moves to softer songs such as “Nana” and “Paris.” The instruments do the same, from upbeat eighties dance music from “UGH!” and “The Sound,” they move to pure instrumental songs such as “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it.”
The lyrical content of the songs show poeticism and conscious diction. Though not always cloaked in soothing lyricism, the songs do portray messages and some about certain people, and even certain lines taking stab at various issues. For example, in the song “ Loving Someone,” Healy exclaims the line, “I know that maybe I’m too skeptical. Even Guy Debord needed spectacles. You see, I’m the Greek economy of cashing intellectual cheques.” This one line is an example of the songs deeper meaning and this can be reflected throughout the album. This one line,however, is in conjunction with Guy Debord’s text : “The Society of the Spectacle.” The line tackles the issue of how much sex sells in modern society rather than love. As well it explores how knowledgeable people believe they are, and “cash their intellectual cheques,” but in reality that is weak like the Greek economy.
The album provides a mix of songs for most anyone to relish in. The instrumental songs,however, have been said to put the album at a lack, for it doesn't hold interest for the greater audience. With that said, the album provides a new insight to pop music with lyrical content and versatility with inspiration from the past for a modern twist. Whether the quality of this music is for you will vary but the album is pretty solid overall.
