The 1975 is onto us. The group’s sophomore album “I like it when you sleep for you are so beautiful, yet so unaware of it” taps into the mentality of the millennial generation. The group goes beyond the scope of the average alternative pop band, channeling everything from Michael Jackson to Duran Duran. The lyrics provide a thoughtful and self-aware commentary on youth culture today. The U.K. band sings about the dark, adolescent themes of sex, love and fear through a clever combination of piano ballads, upbeat pop singles and ethereal instrumental numbers.
The 1975 set out to prove themselves as true artists in “I like it when you sleep,” not just a young pop group waiting to be written over in the books of music history by the next Meghan Trainor. The group’s first album features a cover in monochrome, while the cover art for the second album features a similar design but in hot pink colors with undertones of blue.
“I like it when you sleep” begins with the self-titled track “The 1975,” a homage to the first track of their 2013 album. Both songs have the exact same lyrics, a similarity camouflaged by the difference in sounds and tones. “The 1975” on the band’s first album is lonely and dominated by drums, while “The 1975” on “I like it when you sleep” is uplifting and heavy on electric guitar, a theme throughout the rest of the album. As the sound shifts from depressed drum solos to energizing electric guitar hooks, the meaning also shifts from introspection to self-aware criticism of our generation.
Moving from monochrome to fluorescent pink and deep snare to electric guitar, this band is bold and wants us to know it.
"Love Me" is a smart first single choice with its obvious hook, modulating electric guitar blasts, and momentary trumpet power notes. The song comments on selfie culture and the generation that "has a beautiful face" but "got nothing to say." The lyrics are relatable and edgy. Lead singer Healy croons that he’s “just with his friends online/and there’s things we’d like to change,” a sentiment millennials can relate to as we bury our heads in our iPhones and retweet links to GoFundMe campaigns.
The two other singles, “UGH!” and “The Sound” feature funky synth beats reminiscent of Duran Duran's “Astronaut” and Soft Cell's "Tainted Love." In an interview with NPR, Healy admits that he was influenced by “80s teen movies” for his unique lyrics and fresh-yet-retro sound. Young people turn to pop culture for commentary and reflection on issues that, in the words of Will Smith, "parents just don't understand." In the 80s, it was The Cure and “The Breakfast Club.” Today it is The 1975 and "Mean Girls."
The title track, "I like it when you sleep for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it," speaks to another issue central to youth culture: self-consciousness. When we are awake, we worry about our appearances and how we are perceived by others. When we sleep, we are beautiful in a neutral state without an Instagram filter or makeup to hide our insecurities. The 1975 confronts this idea head-on in “She’s American,” where the group pairs lyrics about the struggles teen girls face to attain unrealistic beauty standards with daydreamy synth-pop sounds.
The new album is not without its flaws. “Lostmyhead” drags along for five and a half minutes in staccato electronic circles, attempting to imitate an early Brian Eno but coming up short. An older generation might file away “I like it when you sleep” as “angsty.” In reality, “I like it when you sleep for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it” is a vulnerable look into the mind of a young person today, tackling classic adolescent issues in a sophisticated way, ushering in a mixture of personal experience and social commentary. The 1975 says, "hello world. We are the youth of today. You should listen to us."
