The 1975 embraces insecurity and introspection in ‘Being Funny In A Foreign Language’

Juliana Hilton, Pearl Carey
Fri, 28 Oct 2022 01:03:48 +0000
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The 1975 released a new album on October 14th named “Being Funny In A Foreign Language.” Credit: Katie Good | Asst. Photo Editor

The 1975, an alternative rock band from Manchester, England, released their fifth album, “Being Funny in a Foreign Language,” Oct. 14. Coming off their previous instrumental-based album, “Notes on a Conditional Form,” the band paints a different picture of their post-20s lives, focusing on simplicity with an underlying rock and roll framework present in their first two albums.

The first track, self-titled “The 1975,” kicks off with short piano notes, creating anticipation. This is followed by lyrics of self-estimation sung by the band’s frontman, Matty Healy, regarding chronic pitfalls from his 20s. The track is brought to life by random cacophonies of sound, a detail repeated through all the songs on the album and reflects the eras of the band.

Followed with an upbeat tune, the song “Happiness,” while presented as a piece about pleasure, is met with opposing lyrics of self-deprecation through an era of excitement, a trope not foreign to the band’s previous albums. Lyrics conveying unrequited love and an obsession with relationships are followed by anxious thoughts, like “I’m feeling like I’m messing it up.” The track features catchy guitar riffs similar to those in previous hits, such as “Girls” and “Chocolate.” In “Happiness,” Healy sings about the absurdity of pretending to conceal anxiety, even within an ideal love scenario.

The third song, “Looking for Somebody (To Love),” masquerades as a carefree tune about seeking out love in your own way. However, the track takes a turn, and lyrics such as, “but the boy had a plan with a gun in his hand,” convey a different picture. The tune carries on with a guitar riff for the bridge but is composed of lyrics about loss and heartbreak caused by shootings. The song is melodic and well written but lacks cohesion with the rest of the album that focuses on the pains of becoming an adult.

“Part of the Band,” the first single off the album, is full of pop culture references. It flows with a lilting saxophone and piano, which follows in the rest of the album. The lyrics feature self-examination found in previous tracks, and Healy reflects on whether he’s giving himself too much credit with lines like, “Am I ironically woke, the butt of my joke?” The song details Healy’s past addiction and provides insight into what it’s like living a normal life after experiencing the highs and lows of drugs. These snippets of thought came together in “Part of the Band” to create a soft reflection of the past.

“I’m In Love With You” speaks for itself, as it’s a song that boasts about the feeling of being in love and the process of wanting to tell someone how you feel. Healy said in Spotify’s Storyline the music video for “I’m In Love With You” is a continuation of the 2016 music video for their song “A Change of Heart.” The upbeat instrumentals of the song encapsulate how exciting it is to be in love, and the lyrics go hand in hand with this idea.

“All I Need To Hear” is a drastic change of pace, being a beautiful ballad about needing to hear “I love you.” The song paints the picture of someone saying they don’t need anything other than those words, with the lyrics “I don’t need the crowds and the cheers, oh, just tell me you love me, ‘cause that’s all that I need to hear” showcasing that theme perfectly. The soft guitar and piano sounds match the song’s vulnerable lyrics.

“Human Too” is one of the most vulnerable songs on the album, as the theme is everyone making mistakes and being human. Along with the beautiful piano, Healy tells the story of cancel culture and how it affects a person’s life. The lyrics show how just because someone has made poor choices, it doesn’t mean they’re bad, they’re just human.

Arguably the most popular song on the album, “About You” is probably the most nostalgic for fans, as it’s said to be a musical continuation of “Robbers,” from The 1975’s first album, Healy said in Spotify’s Storyline. This song dives into the themes of missing a past relationship. The song features Carly Holt, the wife of lead guitarist Adam Hann. Holt brings a soothing feeling to the song, as her angelic voice creates a sense of comfort while singing heart-wrenching lyrics.

The last song on the album, “When We Are Together,” stays on the theme of love, which is showcased often in the album. The song not only has calming guitar and violin sounds, but also provides a story about the healing nature of relationships by reiterating, “The only time I feel I might get better, is when we are together.” This song is the perfect ending to an album full of love.

The album is a perfect mix of familiarity and surprise, with instrumentals mirroring past albums and with more vulnerable lyrics. All 11 songs make for an amazing listening experience, as each song paints a picture anyone can see.

Rating: 4.5/5